After a little sporadic sleep it was suddenly 4.30am November 7th- Marathon day.Instant Rolled Oats made with hot water from the coffee machine  and low fat yoghurt from the drug store on the corner! Coffee and electrolytes; hot shower. Sports bra, comfy if not glamorous running knickers; sunscreen (forgot it's New York winter not NZ summer!) and vaseline. Running pants and shorts; running singlet printed with Ginny NZ and 3 kiwis in a row with a heart and New York underneath (number attached); thorlo socks; running shoes d- tag for timing attached. Usual stuff no drama. Then........ cycle arms from wrists to upper arm to be removed later, thermal skivvy and fleece jumper to be discarded, silver fern headrag, black cap and beanie, old ski jacket and ski pants over the top then  a scarf and a pair of gloves. I could hardly move I felt like the Michelin woman.

I waddled downstairs to the foyer as always sure that I had forgotten something. The foyer was full of runners of all nationalities -including another group of kiwis from Tauranga.There were over 200 kiwis running that day. We walked out into the cold darknessto walk down to the library to find our buses to take us out the the start on Staten Island before the roads were closed. The streets were full of similarly rugged up runners and walkers. Our staunch supporters followed us until they were turned away and we continued our journey alone.