I was sad to hear about how New York was effected by hurricane Sandy last week. The New York marathon was cancelled on Sunday and runners volunteered to help with the clean-up.

I had dreamed of one day doing the New York marathon all of my life and in 2006 I decided to ‘just do it’ in 2007 in aid of Foyle Hospice. I trained reasonably hard for the next year, but was still living in London during part of this time and enjoyed the lifestyle of drinks after work and eating out lots, so probably not the best strategy.

In July, before the marathon, I was walking around my flat in bare feet and hit the door by mistake breaking a toe, which set me back a bit, but I kept on going.

I moved back to Derry in August of that year and armed with an iPod full of motivational songs started tackling the two bridges on a regular basis. I remember rocking it out to Kanye West’s, Stonger, Rihanna’s, ‘Umbrella’, Candi Staten’s, ‘You’ve got the Love’ and ‘Proud’ by M People!

I did the Great North Run in September 2007, which is a 1/2 marathon and this gave me an idea of what I was in for in New York.

The day before the marathon my friend Aaron came to NYC with a couple of friends and we had a fun day hanging out in SoHo and having dinner in the meat-packing district. I was in bed early and I was up at 4am to make my way to the starting line on Staten Island.

The other runners from Derry were a great support and we had really good fun on the bus on the way. A documentary film crew got on board and we told them we were Irish and we had our priest with us! (Father Ferguson was running the marathon that year).

I knew at this stage that it would be a major challenge, the like I would never have faced before. And as I limbered up and ditched my track suit bottoms, we were off!

The first bridge (the Verrazano Bridge) goes on for ever (4,260 feet) and at one stage I stopped to tie my lace and another Derry runner sprinted past me shouting ‘good luck’ (he went on to propose to his girlfriend at the finish line, so no wonder he was in a hurry). I took it a lot slower. Getting into the different boroughs of New York, the faces and cultures change from neighbourhood to neighbourhood and we were sereneaded by great music as we went. Highlights included a full choir of nuns, a brass band playing the Rocky theme tune and rappers as we entered the bronx – ‘you can do it yeah!’

I ran non stop (apart from the lace) until mile 13. With another 13.2 to go it was clear I was underpreppared for the challenge that lay ahead and for the next while I ran and then walked and then ran again. It eventually got to the point where my feet were aching and it was a mental struggle to keep pushing forward against all human instinct to stop when your body is begging you to stop. Each step took me closer to the finish line and motivated by the other runners I kept on keeping on. I had written on the back of my t-shirt,  ‘I might be slow, but you’re behind me!’ and this lead to loads of people running beside me and chatting to me for a bit of craic. The last part of the marathon through Central Park was the hardest as I knew the finish line was not too far away, but I fought through the pain to continue.

Crossing the finishing line was one of the most amazing feelings I have ever experienced and it was great to have Aaron on the sidelines there to congratulate me.

I am so glad I finished the marathon, it was the hardest thing I have ever done by a mile, (pun intended) but it was also something I’m really proud of. Not sure if I will ever do it again, I doubt it, but hats off to anyone who tackles a marathon, it is a test of endurance, the mind and of your spirit and I truely believe if you can do a marathon you can do anything!