Race Day: Overprepare for Tangents, Swerving, and Crowds
By Michael Baker · April 16, 2026
Mile 11. NYC Half Marathon. Two miles from the fastest finish of my life. Everything hurt. Can you endure 15 minutes?
Mile 11. NYC Half Marathon. Two miles from the fastest finish of my life. Everything hurt. The reality was this will be over and done in 15 minutes. I asked myself: Can you endure it? I screamed back yes. One slowdown. One moment of letting the temporary discomfort win. Gone. I made my goal by 33 seconds. Three months training in the snow and cold. All of it came down to one question. Can you endure 15 minutes? The face says it all. It wasn't pretty. Endure the temporary discomfort. Whatever you are working for, the reward is on the other side of it. Get out there and get at it.
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