26 Or Bust!

In September I started running. Only as far as Avenue P would my outings take me before I would head back home. On my way out to that turning point I knew that Coney Island—land of the Cyclone, Mermaid Parade, and a motley crowd of Brooklynites escaping summer’s heat—lay before me. A mere five miles away was a view of the ocean and a sense of freedom from the city’s concrete walls. At the time though, those few miles seemed a gauntlet I could only dream of conquering. Nonetheless, I set a goal to someday run to Coney Island and back.

On Sunday, I ran to the land of mermaids and home again. To climb onto the boardwalk and see the water stretching out in front of me was the most exhilarating moment of my training so far. I traveled down that rickety old boardwalk till I reached Stillwell Avenue, feeling triumphant. In the cold January air, the familiar landscape seemed different and new. In place of the tan, oiled men in Speedos sitting like kings on the beach, were people bundled up in parkas. No children ran by me, sticky with ice cream and crying for one more ride in Astroland. Instead strollers were pushed along with their cargos hidden under bundles of blankets. There were no flashing neon signs, no screams from the Cylcone, no smell of hot dogs and funnel cake. In the quiet, Coney Island felt like it belonged to me alone.

It was also a day of other, less exciting experiences. As my first lone long run (10.7 miles) I had to carry water and a snack for a mid-run energy boost. For hydration, my only option was carrying a hand held water bottle on a day that I couldn’t find my gloves. On top of that the motion of the water sloshing would throw off my tempo, so I had to swing the arm with the bottle as little as possible. The frustration prompted me to buy a fuel belt yesterday. While a bit ridiculous looking, it should be an improvement as both arms will be free to swing, the weight of the water will be evenly distributed on both hips, and the small bottles will minimize the motion of liquids inside. A chocolate Gu was my snack, which, fortunately, I had been warned would taste exactly like store-bought icing. Though skeptical at first, it wasn’t too bad and gave me the extra fuel to get back home without slowing down. I’m going to check out other flavors, as well as other food options such as jelly beans made for running. There’s a whole world of strange textures and flavors waiting to be discovered.

Five months ago, the desire to run to Coney Island was to me a Siren’s call as if running 5.3 miles would be the end of me. However, on Sunday, I was proven wrong as my feet carried me there and home again. I can only imagine that finishing the marathon will feel the same—an impossible dream fulfilled.