Tuesday, October 27, 2015

New York: My work here is (nearly) done

A very busy six weeks back in New York. I had three main goals: to run my fifth marathon; to earn the final race credits I need for a guaranteed place in next year's New York City Marathon; and to continue making progress with my memoir.

Two weeks ago, Maria and I spent the weekend in Pennsylvania where we both finished the Steamtown Marathon. Maria had a personal best time (her third marathon), and I had a good-enough time (4:21:37) to qualify for the Boston marathon in 2017.

In last weekend's 5-mile race in Central Park I placed third in my age group (out of 37) in a reasonable time of 46:23. I hadn't run since the marathon two weeks ago, as I've been sick with a head and chest cold. I have one more race (5K) this weekend. I've done well in it the two other times I've run it.

I've continued to work by Skype with my amazing writing coach (in Budapest). Judit Kiss is reviewing and commenting on chapters of my memoir as I write them. It's coming along.

As always, I feel very at home in New York and love my life in my 'hood, the morning training with the 5:30 a.m. group, seeing films, catching up with local friends, and seeing non-NYC friends: Vince from Hong Kong, Fran (whom I met in Kuching), Liliane from Lausanne, and Bridget from Oz. This week there are other visitors in town, and Sunday is the NYC marathon. I'll be out cheering friends who are running it. Then on Monday I return to Budapest for an extended stay, during which time I want to finish my book.