NYC Marathon

Holy Shit!!! This is the year I decided to toss my hat into the ring and start the rejection process for the NYC Marathon. I mean after 3 rejections you've got a guaranteed entry...Let's face it I'm not getting any younger so needed to start this process sooner rather than later. To tell ya the truth I completely forgot about this thing. When filling out the lottery info I had absolutely no expectations whatsoever, in fact I forgot when the drawing was to take place. You can imagine my surprise when I opened my e-mail this evening to find...

Dear Katie,

Congratulations! You have been accepted to the ING New York City Marathon 2008. This is the beginning of your journey toward the race of a lifetime on November 2, 2008.

We're thrilled to offer this opportunity to you—to run the greatest race in the world in this special year as we celebrate NYRR's 50th anniversary. To further enhance your experience, you can unite with one of our charity partners to support a worthy cause while you run.

There's also a lot at stake for our talented field of world-class runners, including the ING New York City Marathon crown and the second World Marathon Majors title. We'll see what happens on November 2.

We'll be in touch frequently between now and November. Await further e-mails as well as check our website for training opportunities, classes, and updates that will be posted in the upcoming months. Keep the following in mind as you begin this journey:

• Book your travel plans early through Anthony Travel , our official travel provider.
• Plan to attend the marathon expo Thursday, October 30-Saturday, November 1, at the Javits Center in Manhattan, so that you can pick up your race number and marathon gear.
• You can check your status and update your personal information by entering your username and password here or use the entrant database to check for your name or that of a friend.
• If you cancel your entry for the ING New York City Marathon 2008 according to the instructions, you’ll be eligible for guaranteed entry to the ING New York City Marathon 2009 on November 1. For details, visit our cancellation page.
• Watch for your Official Handbook in August for all you need to know about the marathon.

Enjoy your training. The path to marathon fitness includes the overall satisfaction you gain by training for the ING New York City Marathon. We look forward to seeing you shine in November.

Sincerely,

Mary Wittenberg

I'm a little bummed I won't be able to go this year (no worries, I'll defer to next year) since I'm now hell bent on Sacramento (an armpit of a destination if you ask me) but this kind of plays into my hand quite nicely...