Former smoker set to light up NYC Marathon

published on Thursday, October 29, 2009 11:28 PM MDT

By TERRY CUNNINGHAM

Special to the Chronicle

PHOTO COURTESY OF TERRY CUNNINGHAM Bozeman’s Terry Cunningham is running in the New York City Marathon Sunday. Editor’s note: Bozeman’s Terry Cunningham, 50, who runs a sales promotion company, is participating in Sunday’s New York Marathon.

“Congratulations! You have been accepted to run the ING New York City Marathon 2009 on Sunday November 1, 2009.”

I received this message via e-mail from the New York Road Runners Club on June 4. My first reaction was, “Oh, the joy!” My second reaction was, “What have I done!?” Months earlier, I had applied for a lottery slot in the New York City Marathon on a whim, knowing that the odds were one in six that I’d be selected: the same odds as Russian roulette. BANG!

According to the NYC Marathon database, I am one of three Bozeman residents running the race on Sunday. I can predict with great confidence that I will finish last among the Bozeman runners. My running style is best described as “loitering.” My body shape differs from most distance athletes; their body says “runner” while mine says “snacker.”

I have never run a marathon before.

Why am I running this brutal race? That’s a complicated story.

I grew up in New York, and I have lived in two of the boroughs (Manhattan and Queens) that the New York City Marathon course winds through, so this race will be a homecoming of sorts. Also, I turned 50 in September, so running the marathon might soften the blow of this milestone event. But the most truthful reason is that for the first time in my life, I just might be able to finish a marathon.

When I arrived in Bozeman in January, 1999, I weighed 205 pounds, was a cigarette smoker and had never run a distance race. I started running laps in my neighborhood to get in shape for the Bozeman Adult Soccer League. I entered my first 5K in 2002 without actually knowing how far a “K” was. I found that I enjoyed the camaraderie of the Bozeman running community and continued signing up for local races. Along the way, I shed 25 pounds and that nasty nicotine habit.

When I discovered that increased training wasn’t translating into faster 5K finishing times, I decided that if I couldn’t run faster, maybe I could run longer. I entered a 10K, then the John Colter Run near Three Forks, which was then a half-marathon. It turns out that my specialty is finishing next-to-last in my age group; a feat I accomplished in the 2007 John Colter Run, the 2007 Lewis & Clark Half-Marathon and the 2009 Run to the Pub Half-Marathon.

Anyone can finish last in their age group; it takes a rare combination of sloth and cunning to consistently finish next-to-last.

Even though I grew up in New York, I never witnessed a New York City Marathon until I found myself in Manhattan on the day of the race in 2005. My wife and I positioned ourselves at mile 25 on the south side of Central Park and we cheered passing runners.

Most runners were showing signs of exhaustion, but many were experiencing human suffering on an epic scale. Several runners seized up abruptly, their leg muscles suddenly gone rigid. Other marathoners would stop and carbo-unload on the pavement.

At that time, I asked myself, “Who in their right mind would subject themselves to this?” It turns out that I would.

Since June, I’ve logged almost 600 training miles, most of them with either Cooper or Darby, my Springer Spaniels. I’ve learned valuable lessons about hydration and nutrition as well as the importance of “rest days.” I’ve received great advice and encouragement from members of Bozeman’s running community. Am I ready for Sunday’s race? We’ll find out shortly. Gotta run.

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