A Little More Inspiration for NYCM

There’s a new vibe in the city today. I distinctly felt it on my way to work. The temperature has gotten considerably cooler; I hear a lot more foreign accents in the subways (maybe that’s just my imagination, but I believe it’s true!) and there are a lot more running related banners and flags on First Avenue than I’ve ever remembered. Yes, everyone, race week has officially begun. I, for one, am so excited about this weekend that I can hardly concentrate on what I’m doing at work. There’s the Olympic Men’s Trial on Saturday, where the top three finishers earn berths to represent the country next year in Beijing, followed by the biggest road race of the year for us who live in the city, the 2007 ING New York City Marathon. For a runner, what can be more amazing than watching the best of the best compete in your own backyard and then going out to try to match their effort the very next day? To watch great athletes make history one day, and have the opportunity to make personal history by having a great performance the next day in the same event in front of a few hundred thousand of your closest neighbors cheering, clapping, and screaming your name every step of the way has got to be one of the greatest thrills of this marathoning life. I, for one, can hardly wait.

For all of those that can’t join us on the roads, and as a preview to those who will, accept this video as an invitation to get out there and run! (Oh, and if on any of the runs these week, you should bump into a member of the running elite, tell him/her that the Laminator will be looking for a new training partner after Sunday!)