WE’RE IN!!!

Somebody pinch me.

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Around 9:30am yesterday — NEW YORK CITY MARATHON LOTTERY DAY! — I received an e-mail alert from American Express saying that a charge was made on my account.

And, oh, the excitement…it was a $255 charge from New York Road Runners!

As you may already know, Todd and I both applied for the lottery this year. And I decided that we should use the same credit card for the drawing. To me, it was kind of like a superstitious thing…I thought maybe it would magically affect our chances of being drawn together. (I know it means absolutely nothing, but, hey, a girl can dream.)

So, at that moment we knew that one of us got in — but we didn’t know who! It takes awhile to receive your confirmation e-mail, and for the alert to pop up in your NYRR account.

I was excited that one of us got in (even if I not-so-secretly hoped it was me, not gonna lie, lol), but I really, REALLY wanted a second hit on my credit card.

After about 20 minutes of compulsively refreshing my American Express account and hoping for another e-mail alert, I saw this…

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And, oh, THE JOY!!! (I have NEVER been so excited to drop 500 bucks, I’ll say that much.)

I am beyond excited. BEYOND EXCITED. Last year’s race was AMAZING, but I did it alone…and struggled. It was the time of my life, don’t get me wrong…but I kicked myself for not training harder/smarter and for going out too fast and for not being strategic about what I knew would be a difficult course and blustery weather conditions.758425-1190-0015s

From start to finish, I caught myself wishing I had my running companion with me, from celebrating the sheer thrill of being blown around running on the Verrazano Bridge to the soul-crushing agony of mile 18 when I hit the proverbial wall just a tad earlier than I anticipated and was convinced that I’d never make it to Central Park.758426-1231-0030s

In those early miles last year, I remember the only thing I could think about was that I couldn’t WAIT to tell Todd how awesome it was. It was decided right then and there — we HAD to run this thing together. Clearly, neither of us will ever qualify based on our race times, so I was more than prepared to enter this lottery as many times as it took for us both to get in.

Yesterday, my ultimate wish came true. We WILL be taking on the five boroughs of New York City together this November! I knew the odds were slim, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to try, right? I don’t know how it happened, but it did!

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There’s little in my running life life that excited me more than finishing the Walt Disney World Marathon together this January…but I gotta tell you, this is already a close second.DSCF1498

The New York City Marathon is so much more than just a race to me, and I consider myself ridiculously lucky to have been given the chance to experience it for the second time. I’m still in shock that this happened…but I’m so, SO grateful to have somehow made the cut again.

And, best of all, this year I won’t be doing it alone. Assuming we both finish April’s New Jersey Marathon in one piece, it will be our fourth full marathon together! I know that both us of being accepted via the lottery the first time we entered together was a LONG SHOT, and there’s always the possibility that it will never happen again…so I fully intend to enjoy this experience! :)

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Our first shared 26.2!

Who else will be running with me this November?!

Have you ever entered a race lottery?

Comments

  1. I’m so excited for you!
    I’ve entered the ballot for the London marathon three times so far and had no luck. I’ve also entered the ballot for the Royal Parks half twice to no avail but I was successful on my first attempt at the Great North Run (in the UK). I live in hope for London as raising the required sponsorship money is scarier than training for and running the marathon!

    • Jennifer says:

      Thanks so much! London is at THE TOP of my international race list, but I hear ya…it’s so frustrating not to get in, and the thought of raising that kind of money can be downright terrifying!

  2. Congrats again! I think it is so awesome you both got in! Now if I can just get my boyfriend to run a marathon with me-he’s going to come and spectate the NYCM so I am hoping that will encourage him to want to run one too (that’s how I got him to do the Avengers half, after coming and meeting me after races and he wanted to do them too!)

    • Jennifer says:

      Thanks so much, Juliana — you too! Well, I gotta tell you, there’s nothing like watching the finish line of a marathon to inspire you..and if there was ever a race to push him over the edge, this will definitely be the one!!! :)

  3. YAY!!! Congrats!!! :) So happy for you both!

  4. I am so excited for you! I will definitely be there (CHEERING, not running!). You and Todd are #3 and #4 people I will know there! Congrats!!

    • Jennifer says:

      That’s awesome! Thanks so much! You’ll have to let me know where you’ll be spectating so I can keep an eye out! :)

  5. The NYCM lottery has love for you! Congrats – so excited for the both of you!

    • Jennifer says:

      Apparently! I never in a million years could have guessed this would happen. And I know it may never happen again, so I’m just going to soak it all up! :)

  6. I am So excited for the 2 of you. I hope the weather co-operates this year. How will you ever top last year’s NYC race outfit?

    • Jennifer says:

      Thanks so much, Meranda! Ugh, ME TOO! It’s really funny you should ask that, because we’re already been tossing around ideas for a couple-y race costume and so far I’ve got nothin’! lol

  7. Congrats on both of you getting in that’s so exciting! I got in again this year as well!

    I’m still entering the MCM lottery though, because its the 40th anniversary. If I’m lucky enough to get into that as well, I might consider deferring NYC to 2016, or just being a crazy person and doing them both. (And then Wine and Dine the week after.. )

    • Jennifer says:

      AHHH, THAT’S AWESOME! Congrats. If I get a vote, I think you should #runalltheraces… ;) Haha. I’m dying to do MCM, too!

  8. Congrats to you and Todd! Very exciting!

  9. Congrats!!! That’s a huge deal since that race is harder to get into than the Oscars haha.

  10. Congratulations! So excited for you! I will be in Queens cheering for you! :)

    • Jennifer says:

      Thanks, Kellie! Ahh, that’s awesome — I hope to actually SEE YOU this year! I will definitely keep my eyes peeled. Especially if you end up anywhere near that soul-sucking bridge that almost killed me, lol…will definitely need the extra cheers! ;)

  11. That’s so exciting! You definitely beat the odds. Good luck with NJ and training!

    • Jennifer says:

      Thanks so much! You can say that again! I’m excited to represent both NJ and NY in my marathons this year! :)

  12. So excited for you and Todd. I am thrilled that I know someone else who got in. %girls from my running group applied through the lottery after I got my acceptance in January and not one got it. I am very sad!

  13. Congrats!! That is so exciting! It is on my bucket list to run NYC marathon.

  14. awesome! so excited for you both. i’m throwing my name in the chicago marathon lottery; fingers crossed!

  15. Congratulations!! So amazing that you BOTH got in! Will you come up with another NY-themed costume?

  16. Congratulations! I am so excited for the both of you! It will be an amazing race to experience together!

  17. I’m so excited for you both! And for me, lol I am glad you get to run this together!

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  1. [...] since this week was basically swallowed up by all of the New York City Marathon excitement, I never got to tell you guys some other pretty big news. (Well, at least for [...]

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