How did I get here?! ING NYC Marathon 2011

Since I got into running in high school, I've always wanted to run a marathon. It was a goal to accomplish, some time in my life.
I remember distincting during my freshman year of Juilliard, after living in NY for only a few months, I was walking down Columbus Ave near 85th Street, and suddenly I realized it was the day of the marathon. Hundreds of runners were crowding the street, trying to catch cabs, eating at cafes, walking (some barely) around with these finisher blankets, hugging family and friends. It was so incredibly inspiring, I started to cry! There in front of me were people, ordinary people, who had just accomplished something really great.
This is when I first considered running the ING NYC Marathon. But of course, I had never run more than 6 miles! So I decided to run a half marathon first. In the fall of 2010, I signed up for Grete's Great Gallop as part of the Norwegian Festival. I downloaded some training guide off the internet, and I was off! I've never really had a training partner, not even an iPod, and yet I've been fortunate to be crazy enough to train even in the summer heat! I really surprised myself when I crossed the finish line of 13.1 miles in 95min. It's quite a mind game, these long races. Additionally, I was suprised to imagine running another 13.1 miles, were I to be doing a full marathon. It seemed IMPOSSIBLE.
So I went back to my regular, every day running schedule of about 4 miles, 6 days a week. Then, in the spring of 2011, I got an email.
It was from the NYRR saying that I was a time qualifier and was eligible for guaranteed entry to the 2011 ING NYC marathon. :-O And, well, I thought, this must be it. Though I knew it would heavily impact my schedule with school, I figured there may not be any other chance for such a lifetime experience! So I did it. I signed up and was never more proud when I saw that "confirmation" message pop up on my screen. I'm IN!

I began my 18-week training schedule this summer and things have been going pretty smoothly. I'm very thankful, and incredibly excited to be living my dream. And there is absolutely NO other marathon that I would rather be running! (but I'll explain more of that later ;)

I've also been selected as an ING Runners Nation Featured Runner. To help me to win the grand prize, please vote for me (you can once a day, until November 3rd)by this link: https://www.facebook.com/INGRunnersNation?sk=app_262425550462242 (Click on view featured runners and then the "thumbs up" by my profile to vote)
Thank you for your support!
Love,
Violamad