post# 20 4 days 13 h 07 m 42 s

Part 5
The route will snake its way through Harlem heading down Fifth Avenue around Marcus Garvey Memorial Park and at 110th Street the border of Central Park. In my second outing it was here that I had to stop and lift my leg onto a lamppost to stretch, afraid that at this advanced point I risked it cramping and bringing me to a halt. To make it all the more excruciating, my watch kept reminding me that I was teetering on the edge of accomplishing my four-hour mark. (You may recall that I did miss it by 21 seconds.)
At 90th Street the route makes a right turn where there is one last very short but steep hill that lifts the runners into the park. It may be short, but at almost mile 24 it might just as well be Mount Everest. Right after the hill I’ll once again see my family. They will have made their way by subway and gotten just enough ahead so as to await my entrance to the park. Last time Robbin enthusiastically ran into the road to greet me. Unable to speak all I could do was gesticulate towards my watch in an attempt to tell her that my time was very close. She seemed extremely disappointed by my seeming lack of enthusiasm at seeing her when in fact I had been pushing myself for the last few miles expecting her prescience and knowing I couldn’t come walking by. At this point of the run it’s hard to verbalize and there is no energy to spare for anything other than to attempt to remain concentrating on the course.
I suppose you could consider this to be the home stretch, one still very long home stretch. We’ll wind downtown and up and down through the park to 59th Street. Exiting the park we’ll make a right turn and head west to Columbus Circle and the final yards. The crowds are thick all along these final miles and they won’t allow you to stop, urging you with their constant shouts of just how short a distance there is to go. Yeah easy for them to say. If you have something written on your shirt the crowds will pick-up on it and use it you to call to you. Last time out I wrote “Dad - running for” and listed the names of my family members. Needless to say all of the shouts were “go Dad”, “almost there Dad”, etc. This year I guess I’ll be wearing Abilis.
Just before Columbus Circle is the last turn and final seven blocks. Re-entering Central Park the finish line is in view. It stretches over the road with the time clock flashing numbers. It’s all over now and anything I do will only effect my time by seconds. The goal now is to finish in style, head (and body) erect and to remember to hit the stop button on my watch as I pass under.

to be continued...