Now that I have run my first marathon it’s time to reflect. Initially, I thought I’d spent hours sitting around the start village but in reality had just enough time to use the bathroom and stretch before going to my corral. My ferry time was at 8am with a start time of 10:55am. The ferry was delayed, but I trusted the crew would get me to the start in time. Once I was in the charity tent, I quickly realized my group of friends had brought all the same items. In the future, I would make a list of items and assign each person to one of them to avoid overpacking and to save money. Everything brought into the tent ended up either being thrown out or donated. Once I saw the start line, I became nervous but remember being told to use that energy to run. During the race itself, I made sure to fuel around every 3-4 miles. Personally, I alternated between Huma gels @humagel and salt stick chews @saltstick. I high fived so many strangers in Brooklyn that I lost count, but it made the miles go by faster. Enjoy every moment of the marathon! It will be over before you know it. When it gets hard, remember your why and keep your head up. You are strong and can do anything you set your mind to. #nycmarathon #runningtip #runningmotivation #womenrunning