Race Recap: Kostas Tsigaridis at the NYC Marathon 2022

It is done! My first ever marathon is in the books, and what you are about to read is an abbreviated version of what I have experienced and felt during the first Sunday of November 2022, all over New York City. Full disclosure: I would never have done it without the immense support of North Brooklyn Runners over the years and on race day. Thank you all.

The journey to the marathon, including the four months of hard training, would be too much to cover here. I’ll be focusing on race day, which started before the sun was anywhere near rising, thanks to my choice of transportation being the bus outside the NYC public library in midtown Manhattan. I felt a short subway ride and then a bus that takes me to the starting line would be the safest option, compared to two subway rides, the Staten Island ferry, and then a bus, being my alternative. That was probably an ok decision, with cons and pros, with the major con being my extremely early arrival to the blue village, more than 3 hours ahead of my wave. Luckily I met a random stranger and fellow first timer on the subway, and [we] kept each other company during the long (in length but not so on waiting time) line for the bus, the actual ride, and the hours before the gun (cannon). We chatted about everything, from random chit-chat to our goals and fears of the day. I never found out how she did; Alfonsina, I hope you crushed it!

While waiting the long hours in the blue village, I had a bit of coffee. Note to self: never do that again, the coffee at home suffices! The watery mix made me have too many bathroom visits before the start, and even one during the race (mile 5). In retrospect, I wonder if that contributed to the race experience, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. A good hour before the start Vito showed up, with whom I was planning to run for at least the first 10K, and then take it from there. We also met by chance Jorge and Michael, and all vouched to get going together at the beginning. At the starting line we were joined by Erin too, so there we are, 5 people from NBR ready to go! I was so excited, beyond measure. It was happening, I was at the starting line of the NYC marathon, Verrazano Bridge was laying ahead of me, and 26.2 miles down the road, the finish line. It was extremely emotional. Vito noticed my excitement, he said a few nice and encouraging words, he was amazing. 

The First Half

And there goes the cannon! We all start, nice and easy, not even feeling the slope, and smiling to the photographers around us. The party has begun, but into my excitement I forgot to translate the signs around me to actual warnings. Call it lack of experience, over-enthusiasm, underestimation of the task; any name you’ll choose, the first sign was on mile one, and I failed to get it. At the top of the bridge (top deck), I was thinking how beautiful the view was and how nice the city skyline looks like in the mist. Mist, meaning humidity, stupid! It was a warm day, not unpleasantly warm, but became warmer and humidity made it hell over the hours, but hadn’t realized it on time to prepare mentally and alter my strategy. Second sign, not even on mile 3, we started chatting about how much we sweat early on. Again my brain refused to connect the dots, and I moved on. We were slow for my taste (about 9mm, maybe 8:45) but I had promised myself to get a proper warmup and not go out too fast too soon. Vito was a solid pacer there, so at least this plan was working out just fine. 

On mile 5, I took my single correct decision during the whole race: I was feeling I needed a bathroom break, so I took it early, without pushing myself to hold off for later. There was no way for me to NOT have a bathroom break, so better early. Then I sped up a bit to catch up to the others, and when I did, I left them behind immediately. Effectively I accelerated about a mile earlier than planned, but I was feeling fantastic, and full of energy. 

Up 4th avenue, I was looking for a friend cheering, but couldn’t spot him in the crowds. I kept going, probably around 8:30, which was my goal pace. Everything was working, I was alternating between Gatorade and water and was enjoying the party. When we turned on Bedford, things were still ok, but boy it was crowded in there! The spectators had narrowed the already narrow street quite a bit after the semi-deserted South Williamsburg, and I found myself spending too much time trying to keep up my pace and not trip on anyone, so I didn’t notice the NBR cheering squad! Oh no! At least the 12th mile table was there, got my gels and liquids, cheered on them loud, and kept going. Turn left on Manhattan Avenue, two quick turns, and there we are, McGuinness Boulevard, Pulaski Bridge on the horizon, home turf and half way! 

The Second Thoughts

Going up Pulaski was easy, but not smooth, and Queensboro Bridge was coming up, which was my mental milestone, the test on how I was doing thus far. I welcomed the downhill to Queens, probably a bit more than I was hoping for. I was not tired, but I was not feeling 100% any more. Something was wrong, that I had not discovered yet, so I thought that it is simply not my best day to race, not every day is perfect. Whatever, keep pushing forward! Up Queensboro, and that was as hard as I was expecting it to be, neither easy nor terrible, just exactly right. Phew, I was still ok. And then the downhill, and 1st Avenue. Spotted some more photographers there, smiled to them, things were still working. My time was good up to that point too; I was really having a goal in mind (who doesn’t?) but being my first marathon it was only provisional. Still, the 3:50 triumphant time (plan A) was achievable had I continued like this, the 4 hours victory time (plan B) was certainly possible even if things were to start going a bit south, but no matter what, the finish line (plan C) was a certainty at that point. 

The Downfall

And then there was 1st Avenue. Hillier than I was remembering from the marathon preview run with the Narwhals, some drizzle that didn’t do anything to take humidity down, and I was officially not in prime shape any more. Not even close, to be exact. Somewhere around mile 17 or 18 I did my first walking break. I remembered how refreshing that was earlier in the year during the Brooklyn Half, so I didn’t feel bad about it. Only it wasn’t refreshing. I started running again, then walking, running, and then cramping came. First my left quad, then my right calf, and then the quad feeling pretty bad. Quitting was my first thought, but I dismissed it quickly. If I were to walk from that point onward till the finish line, it would have given me a 5-hour race, a very respectable time given the circumstances, so I am not quitting. I had to dismiss that thought over and over again over the next few miles…

I started getting more liquids, like two cups per water table instead of just one, but it was probably too late to fight dehydration, which most likely caused the early cramping. I was going easy on Gatorade up to that point, it dries my mouth pretty badly and it annoys me, and that was probably a bad call. Too late to fix this, off to the Bronx, and that was it, my racing goal was officially dismissed, I really had to walk/jog the rest of it, and it was 6 miles to go! I got this… I hope!

I was jogging, maybe around 8:45mm, until my quad was cramping like crazy, and then I was walking. I tried running downhills and walking uphills, but made no difference really, so I was alternating by feel, rather than by terrain. On mile 22 another friend was going to cheer on me, so pushed myself to be running that part. I didn’t spot them, and that disappointed me at first, but I very quickly forgot about it. It was 5th Avenue time, and if you’ve run the NYC marathon even once, you know what that means. I was a wreck, still jogging at times, and to my surprise I was up that hill without realizing it. At the same time, I also realized that I didn’t care about the cheering around me either; I felt indifferent, like not even hearing them, and that got me worried. I was never in such a “survival mode” before during a race. But the finish line was around the corner, 3 miles to go, there is no stopping now! 

The Finish

I think I walked quite a lot before entering the park, and probably even in it, but then approximately after the Met everything changed. There were so many people on the street, closing up on us, cheering like crazy, it was the last stretch of the long race, the final sprint. If there is one part of the race that I will never forget, it is mile 25. Mostly going downhill, amazing and loud crowds narrowing down the road ahead of us, the trees around, and then a right turn on 59th. Walking again, I really can’t, it was superhuman effort, and this guy from the crowd hanging from over the protective fence right in front of me “you can do this!” (or something similar)… I smiled to him, I think, I couldn’t speak. Then I see in front of me the “800m to go” sign. It was the final boost, I think I ran all or at least most of this, to a glorious 4:16 finish. I had done it! 

The rest is history. There are no words to describe my feelings instances after crossing that finish line, which made me forget about my pain and everything. I was utterly overwhelmed. I tried to stretch my cramped quads but it was impossible, my legs were stiff like a log. I just kept walking, to keep the blood flowing, proudly wearing my medal and devouring my apple. Only then I realized that it was past 2pm; I was running for a half day, and I could still walk. I was feeling so proud, I was like “look at me, I’ve just finished the marathon!”. It made no sense, nearly everyone around me had done just the same, but I HAD DONE IT people!

I can’t imagine a race being harder than this, and the reason was not lack of physical and mental preparation, rather the unseasonally warm and humid conditions. Maybe I should have taken a little more fluids given the weather, but whatever. Quite an unforgettable experience, and a huge lesson for next time (9+1 already completed). Despite all the racing I’ve done over the years, including quite a few half marathons, I was still a rookie, and it was evident in nearly all levels. I’ll be wiser next time, and, hopefully, more lucky with the forecast. Till then!