NYC Marathon -- I'm OUT!

I've been training for the NYC Marathon.  I've been so excited to run through all 5 boroughs and be cheered on by the loud crowds of spectators.

Then came Sandy the Superstorm.

Initially, I thought, it'll be cleaned up by Sunday.  New Yorkers are resilient.  My flight is still on.  My hotel hasn't cancelled my reservation.  It's going to be a sunny day according to the weather.

Then reality set in:  My hotel has no electricity, heat, or hot water, nor do many other hotels in NYC.  Many businesses are closed.  Public transportation isn't fully functional.  Where would I stay?  How would I get to the start line?  How would I get to the Javitz Center to pick up my race packet?  And what about the course?  Will there be changes to our route?

It was a tough decision.  Coach Gerardo gave me some clarity and made the decision much easier:  I take this stuff seriously.  My reason for running this race is primarily to have a sub-4 hour marathon.  I love visiting NYC, but that is secondary.  If I go to NY, I'm not going to have my best race given the conditions of the city and the race.  So, I shouldn't race.

Someone posted this on my Facebook wall.  The deadline to defer to next year has been postponed to Saturday at midnight, the night before the race.  While we won't get our money back, we do get a guaranteed spot in the 2013 marathon.

JetBlue was kind enough to refund my airline ticket, and fortunately the hotel that I booked at didn't require a deposit, so I lost no money there either.

THIS is my race on Sunday:

Fortunately, there is a local marathon on Sunday to take the place of the NYC Marathon for me.  Ironically, it's the marathon that I was supposed to run last year that I skipped because I was sick.

Sandy was a terrible natural disaster.  I'll run NYC next year.  Right now, the east coast's recovery is more important than my silly little marathon.