Puff Daddy....Puff on This.

Check another one off the list. The 40th running (and my first) of the New York City Marathon is done and Bloggerman crossed the line (this time!). A little sore but very happy to have had such a great experience for marathon #18.

The trip was a blast from rocking the rental Ford Flex (nice Mexican car!) to the great place that Amy hooked us up with (YOU ROCK!). I also want to thank everybody who came out for dinner on Saturday (Mom and Dad, George, Leo, Annie, Elliot...also thanks for the cookies, Stef, Rebecca, and Josh). Actually, my Dad met James Gandolfini outside the restaurant just before we got there...cool. (more on celebs later).

The morning of the race was also really cool as I got to meet up with one of my Pacers Fun Runners, Danielle, after a trip on the Staten Island Ferry. I couldn’t believe that after living in/near NYC all the years growing up that I never had been on the Ferry until now.

As for the race itself...Brooklyn had huge crowds as always and I took off on a PR pace. Unfortunately NYC is not the race to try and set a record as I learned the hard way in ’05. This year, even though I was hurting, I had the pull to finish the whole way through and just kept smiling all the way through the finish line.

While my time of 4:05:38 didn’t set a PR it was really cool to beat a few of the “celebrities” who were running including Anthony Edwards, Alanis Morissette, and Tara Costa from the “Biggest Looser.” Actually I got to meet Tara on First Ave and the 70’s and we chatted for a while before I took off toward the Bronx. She caught me in Central Park and gave me a “pat of encouragement” before yelling, “Com’on Diamond.....Let’s go!” Sweet Kid...I’m very happy for her. Speaking of Puff Daddy...I also smoked (see there’s a pun there!) his 2003 time too.

I can’t thank everybody that helped me this weekend as much as I want but single out Debbie and Eric for watching the Mooks and the Boigs for helping to make the weekend special. Extra Special Thanks goes to Mrs. Bloggerman who not only had directions for everywhere we went but organized the better part of the trip including my mobile cheering section at 12.5, 18, 23 and at the finish. You Rock Honey!