I'm in!!!! NYC Marathon 2013 Here. I. Come!

After waiting (im)patiently for months, a decision has been reached and my guaranteed entry to the 2013 NYC Marathon is official!  I am happier 
than a fat kid at a buffet right now. :)  Yes, I've been waiting for this moment and now that it's here, I'm even more excited than I thought I could be.  

This craziness started for me in 2009.  Gail Littlewood & I were at the Houston Marathon Expo, picking up our bibs for the half-marathon.  We were checking out the booths and walked over to one with an author.  Liz Robbins was signing her book "A Race Like No Other" (about the NYC Marathon).  She seemed like a nice person so we bought the book.  I read it shortly thereafter and was hooked.  I knew I wanted to run NY.

I didn't realize at that time just how popular this marathon was.  I entered the lottery for the 2010 race and crossed my fingers.  No luck.  At this point, I had heard that if you were rejected 3 times, you would get an automatic entry to the race.  I checked out the times I would need to qualify for NY and quickly realized that I didn't want to wait until I was 60-65 to run it.  I dutifully entered the lottery again in 2011 (strike 2) and 2012 (strike 3).  Even though I was rejected this time last year, I was happy because I now KNEW I would be in for 2013.  Let the planning (and saving) begin!

November 2012 came as did Frankenstorm and the marathon was cancelled.  It became clear that it would be some time before race officials would know who would/wouldn't be in for 2013.  I checked the website weekly and last month, sent an email to see when I could expect to hear something (early March was the response).  On March 7th, and email went out confirming that the reject group would be in and just like that, I've got my late 2013 A race.

Official sign up begins at the end of April and you can bet your bootie I'll be signing up, happy to fork over what will be the 2nd largest race fee I've ever paid (2nd only to Ironman).  My first stand alone marathon is finally happening and it's happening in the city I dreamed it would AND before I turn 40...heck, before I turn 39!  I honestly could not be more excited.

I'm going to have to calm this excitement now b/c if I don't, I'm going to get super annoying to everyone who knows me.  And, before I can get to NYC, I've got this little race called Ironman Texas to tackle.  

See ya in New York City!!!!!!

The race takes you through all 5 boroughs.  So cool!

You & 40,000+ of your closest friends.  Anyone know the weight limit on a bridge?

The finish line of the NYC Marathon.  See ya in November!