Last week, my friend Laura, who is a member of the New York Road Runners, was called to Marathon Opening Day to participate in a drawing for the opportunity to be one of the first ten admitted to the 2011 New York Marathon.
She jumped at the opportunity, playing hooky from work for an hour(give or take), hoping for the privilege to gain coveted entry into this most awesome of marathons.
As evidenced from the photo above, not only did she get in, but she was the first name called, and thus was the first recipient of the first bib number given out from the lottery for the 2011 New York marathon. Al Roker and Edward Norton gave her the number, and she also received a goody bag akin to those they hand out at the Oscars (swap the diamonds for Asics).
All told, it was a good day, and I can think of no one more deserving of this stroke of good fortune than Laura.
Anyone care to join me there in November?
Also of note, AK had her last long training run before Comrades, and logged 36 miles this past Saturday. She set up a little roving party, with different friends meeting her at scheduled times. She set up a little buffet at the meeting point, with baked potatoes, cokes, water, and Pringles, among other things. I ran with her from 10-11:45, with Joy meeting us for a Charlie's Angels reunion at 10:45. Truth be told, I wish I could have run the whole thing, such was AK's infectious excitement and positivity at running this uncharted distance.
All told, again, it was a good day.
