テーマ：
2011.11.09
A couple of HIS staff members went out to buy mini candy bars and granola bars to hand out to the runners as they went by. Those that stopped seemed very grateful to have a little bit of a recharge.
We were sure to be extra loud when Japanese marathoners came by and waved to us, recognizing the HIS logo and the cheers in Japanese. There were even a couple of non-Japanese people who ran by shouting がんばります! to our delight.
As the crowd of runners began to thin out around 2pm, we decided to move toward the finish line in Central Park. We headed to 96th street and 5th Avenue (on the eastern perimeter of Central Park).
New York's urban setting belies its hilly nature, a fact that the marathoners met head-on in their final climb towards Central Park. There is a steady gradient going along the perimeter of Central Park and from our position on 5th Avenue, the hill just kept going into the horizon. It really makes the runners earn their medal at the finish line.
The winning time by Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai smashed the decade-old marathon record time by more than 2 1/2 minutes, finishing at 2 hours, 5 minutes and 6 seconds. News outlets are now discussing the possibility of breaking the 2-hour marathon barrier, something unthinkable decades ago.
It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday, and inspiring to see so many people tackling the 26.2-mile challenge. As a runner myself I've often wondered if I should try for even a half-marathon, and seeing so many people able to finish makes me think I should put forth a more concerted effort to train. I encourage everyone who is even thinking about doing a marathon to participate! It is within our reach!
