Surf City Marathon began at Los Angeles International Airport at 3pm on Saturday when I landed from Houston, TX. Laura picked me up and we were en route to the expo! We arrived at expo around 4pm, at gorgeous Huntington Beach! Expo could have definitely been bigger. With close to 20k runners participating in race, it was hard to navigate through the whole expo. Nonetheless we made it out smoothly with bib & goody bag!

We met the wonderful couple of Cookies on the Run and their 2 kids for dinner at the Yardhouse for a carb-filled meal of chicken/rice bowl with a side of mashed potatoes! After saying our good lucks we went to check in at our hotel and soon fell asleep.Alex Surf City

Alex Surf City3Race day! Woke up at 3:30am! Ate 2 packets of oatmeal with a good liter of fluids and off we were to the start line. Parking was very smooth, as we managed to park at the beach parking lot. With about 45mins to start, I had plenty of time to go through my pre-race rituals or dynamic stretching & warm up drills. Laura walked with me to the start chute, a few good luck kisses and pictures and the gun went off.

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Miles 1-5 were fairly flat. The first third of a marathon is where I am nervous due to my lungs and heart problems. It takes me a good 45mins for my heart to adjust. Luckily it settled quickly. I maintained a good 8:20ish pace for the first 10k, as planned. Miles 6-8 were in a beautiful park, reminiscent of my beloved Central Park in New York City.

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My first shock was at mile 8. I was told there would be some “baby hills”. Well, mile 8.5 was no baby hill. It was a half mile steep incline. I dropped my pace to 9.5 and pushed up knowing Laura was to meet me at mile 9 with some water and Gu!. Seeing her was a lovely sight, she handed me my water and gave me a few cheers and off I went.

Mile 10 was when it all went down hill. We turned onto a street and that’s when I realized the remaining 16 miles were all going to be “out & back” along the same area in parallel streets. Meaning it was going to be agonizingly boring. Not only that, it sure as heck was not flat. It was gentle rolling inclines. And with my Achilles Tendinitis, this was going to become troublesome.

Mile 14 was my sweet Laura again! With the same bright smile and water bottle for me. My pace had dropped close to 9 min miles by then and I told her my goal had to become to run under 4hrs.

Course proceeded to take us back and forth closer to the board walk along the beach to miles 17-26. We ran along a narrow, 7 foot wide path with runners going in both directions among non-participating pedestrians. That became very bothersome because not only was I dealing with a failing body but dodging walkers with their dogs was frustrating.

At mile 19 was my last encounter with Laura. I handed her the gloves I had been running with, exchanged water and more Gu and told her I was miserable! I knew the last 7 miles were on my own.

Alex Surf City4Got to the turn around mark of mile 21 and headed towards the finish line. Completely distraught knowing I wasn’t going to break 4hrs, a runner came up from behind and asked me about my shirt I was wearing. I told him they were names of people in my life who have been affected by Cancer and I was representing Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the hospital that’s kept me alive ’til this day. Larry, the runner, was running in honor of a friend with cancer and raising money for a cancer charity as well. We bonded over that and decided we were going to run the last 5 miles together! When I wanted to walk he would say “No! Do it for the names on the shirt!” When he wanted to walk I would tell him “No! Lets go! Cancer can’t win today!” It was such an amazing experience running with Larry that I’ll forever love. We crossed the finish line together in 4 hours and 19 mins. A far cry from my goal but this Alex Surf City5was bigger than that. It was me crossing the finish line while at the same time battling chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Paranasal Cancer. It was not letting cancer take away from me something I love so much, running! It was honoring all the people who have lost their battle and those who have kicked cancer to the curb. It was as humbling experience and satisfying as well, knowing this was my way of showing cancer it cannot destroy my spirit.

After receiving my medal and taking a few photos with my newly found buddy, Larry, I found Laura and embraced her. I couldn’t have done it without her love and support. There will be faster races in my future, but on that day I told cancer to “Fuck off” regardless of my finishing time.