This marks the seventh straight year I have applied with hopes of getting the chance to spend a day with tens of thousands of fellow runners criss crossing through the five boroughs.

Seven!

There are other ways to guarantee entry. You can run very fast (2:58), raise money for charity, or be very active in the NYRR races and volunteer events. None of those options work for me, so for the past several years, I have tossed my hat in the ring along with 800k others in hopes of getting selected.

How crazy is this? Nearly a million people are vying to pay a sizable sum of money to endure hours of pain in the big apple. Add in the travel, lodging, meals, logistical challenge, and port-a-potty adventures, one would have to be mad to want to do this. Maybe NYRR is doing me a favor and rejecting my annual application.

Also, I’m getting older and the mileage is beginning to show. My last marathon was a disaster and I have multiple chronic injuries that are impacting the enjoyment of running. Yet, I still long for that excitement of the crowd and to incredible sense of accomplishment that comes with enduring through the pain and discomfort to complete the marathon distance. If it means I have to hop on one leg, I will show up and find a way to finish.