Gothamist: 26 Miles in a Nutshell

Megan

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 22:26:07 -0500

I am SO super proud of you. Your perseverance inspires me! I loved reading your story.

JoeM

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 13:16:52 -0500

Don't kid yourself, you're hooked. See you at next year's start!

katie

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 10:09:57 -0500

christina... thank you for writing your experience down! i have just begun training for the paris marathon in april 2007, and your tale was excellent inspiration. thanks again, and good luck in post-marathon recovery!

danny

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 23:54:57 -0500

Hi CHristina, you touched my heart. i wish i was your gurlfriend, cuz i have the same heart u have.

christina piluso

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 22:37:52 -0500

adsf: I bet I could eat more than you any day though! no skinny, frail grossness here. s: I dont know if I would've had it in me to finish if I had been hurting starting at mile 2, it must've taken incredible willpower to get through another 5 hours of pain. I hope you make it back next year! rich: 26 miles as a training run? I bow down to you - I can only dream of accomplishing that on a "normal" day.

greenpearls

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 21:40:02 -0500

cute christina! thanks for sharing your story with the rest of us. it was very interesting to read.

Rich

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:08:01 -0500

Way to go. Just finishing is a great accomplishment. I ran 26 miles Sunday training for Seattle (The Sunday after Thanksgiving). I am in the same pain you are right this very moment. I can SO relate to your story. Moan with pride! ;)

write my name

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 18:49:16 -0500

She's still cute!

adsf

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 18:35:31 -0500

Chick runners look gross. Too skinny and frail looking.

s

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 17:41:14 -0500

I read your story and found it very emotional for me as well. I ran in 2003, and after mile 2 had a knee injury that came out of nowhere. It shot up and down my leg and into my lower left butt-cheek, feeling like a guitar string have snapped. I refused to quit though, and finished with an abysmal 5:45 time from having to stop every 6 miles or so to take tylenol and rub my knee with ice and ointment, but I finished nonetheless. The feeling was incredible, and I'm hoping to get myself back in the groove and run it next year. Thanks for sharing your story, it is really inspirational, and reminded me of what it felt like to overcome all the pain, not just in the race but from the months leading up to it. Next year, I hope to make it in under 4:30. Good luck, and thank you!

christina piluso

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:46:13 -0500

sfxmaven - my sister and father were always the runners in the family. my sister has been plagued by a series of injuries but I hope to run with her one day soon. My dad and I are running Portland, OR's First Run December 31st. i'm excited. ABC Girl - you're guaranteed entrance into next year right? What made you cancel? (I had a friend who had to cancel also, and I came so close to doing that many times)

ABC Girl

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:22:35 -0500

Congrats on a job well done Christina. Very, very inspiring story. I cancelled my entry into the marathon and a part of me has been regretting it ever since...

sfxmaven

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:04:43 -0500

Congrats! I teared up, like, 3 times reading your story. It makes me so proud of you, and I don't even know you. My father was a marathon runner, and I love that race.

stephanie berger

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:25:11 -0500

hi and congratulations!!!!!! i think what you've done is awesome and awe-inspiring. i hope to one day also do (or at least attempt to to) what you can proudly say you have done. anyway, congratulations again. just one question - what was your final time if you dont mind me asking? thanks, steph

christina piluso

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:21:27 -0500

That photo was taken at mile 13. I'm much cuter not having run 13 miles. Just kidding! Thanks so much everyone for all the congratulations. I'll be basking in it for awhile. Alas, I think the 4 hour goal was a bit lofty for me as a first timer, with absolutely no racing experience - plus the injury. I just about made my second goal time (4:30) at 4:33:13, but I'm extremely happy with that!

neil

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:14:38 -0500

awesome story and congrats! been thinking about doing this as a dream, but you actually did it! I don't see you mentioning if you made your goal time of under 4 hrs or not?

carry my picture

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:13:34 -0500

She's cute!

Rocknrope

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:08:04 -0500

Awesome job Christina, I know how those last difficult miles can be, mentally as much as physically draining. In addition to Lance, there were a bunch of other celebs running this year, I summarized their times on my blog - Bobby Flay, Kim Alexis, and Adam Graves (former NY Ranger) among them. Click on my name to see how you compared.

brooklynbee

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:06:53 -0500

Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your story. And I thought running my first 5k was an accomplishment... ;) I can't imagine running the NYC marathon.

Jen

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:01:06 -0500

Christina, you rule! I'm in such awe of you and all the other runners out there who pounded the pavement. And the part about the older man giving you inspiration at mile 24? Really great. Congratulations again.