5th Ave: So Close But So Far

NYC Marathon Course Section: 5th Ave, Miles 23-24.5

Running on 5th Ave in miles 23-24 is probably the most challenging section of the entire course. Just when it seems like the New York City Marathon must be about done, there’s a gradual uphill that makes everything below your waste burn. The finish line is close relative to the 23 miles you’ve run but still far out of sight. At this point a lot of runners start walking to take the edge off. If anything has started hurting before, it will really hurt now. There is some amount of pain that occurs from running for this long if it’s not something you’re used to (most people aren’t.) If you’re well trained and paced yourself at this point you can spare yourself some of the pain, but be prepared to will yourself through this part because no matter what you will have to fight your exhaustion. At this stage in a marathon your mind becomes very important and having a strong vision/reason to keep going can make all the difference.

Marathoners Rocking New York Song:

Track #15: 5th Ave: So Close But So Far

Time: 2:12

Tempo: 188 bpm

Treadmill Elevation: 2.5

NYC Marathon Course Section: Miles 23-24.5, Fifth Avenue in Manhattan

This is the point where Sheena completely loses the running high she had going for much of the race. Maybe it was the beer at First Avenue, maybe she pushed her speed too much too early, but her thighs feel thrashed. Running through the highs was easy, but what about when it stops being fun? Her mind starts going to dark places, thinking of her past failures, her broken heart, all the things she wanted so badly but couldn’t have. There is a trail of disappointments bleeding out of her. The idea of taking the 6 train back downtown and curling up into a ball in her bed seems really attractive, but then she realizes this race would become another one of her failures. She desperately wants to hold that medal in her hands as proof that she can finish something she started. If she can just hold on through this discomfort, then she’ll get her piece of evidence.

Download “5th Ave: So Close But So Far” on iTunes

5th Ave: So Close But So Far Lyrics:

 CHORUS

So close, but so far: now you know what a marathon really means

No, you can’t just slow down

Now that you know what a marathoner really is

So close but still so far, gotta finish what you start

So close but still so far, gotta finish what you start

VERSE 1

Don’t let fifth avenue get you. Don’t let fifth hold you down.

Gotta rise up, be so bold. You gotta fight gotta rock ’n roll.

Gotta rise up, gotta rise up now

Gotta rise up, gotta rise up now

Gotta rise up, gotta rise up now

Defend your honor, you know you know how.

CHORUS

VERSE 2

Destroy the doubt, pierce through the fear

You are so, you are so near.

You gotta what you gotta do gotta do

You gotta what you gotta do gotta do

You gotta what you gotta do gotta do

You gotta finish, onto the end

CHORUS

VERSE 3

Jump on it, and dig in, it’s the only way to get it done

But if you want to get to the end, then you’re gonna have to get through this part

It’s the hardest, the hardest, the hardest part

It’s the hardest, the hardest, the hardest part

It’s the hardest, the hardest, the hardest part

gotta push through the hardest

paaaaaaa aaaaaart….. yeaaaaaaa-yeaaaaaahhh

Everything’s burning, everything’s burning

but you gotta run you gotta go through it

You gotta fight, you gotta run on through it

You gotta fight, you gotta push on through it

You gotta fight, you gotta run through it

If you run through the fire, you’re gonna get higher

CHORUS

Marathoners Rocking New York is the rock’n’roll-fueled journey of a 70’s punk loving young woman named Sheena. She’s on the cusp of turning 30 with nothing to show for it. Her rock star dreams are not coming true. She succeeded at the downtown party lifestyle but not at keeping a band together. After stumbling on the New York City Marathon with friends, Sheena accepts a drunken dare to run it the following year. To her surprise, and everyone else’s she actually does the training (with a little help) and makes it to the start line on time.

Sheena runs the marathon without music, so Marathoners Rocking New York is the guitar-driven soundtrack going on in her mind as she navigates the course. The songs are influenced by the early punk movement in 1970’s New York with bands like the Ramones, Blondie, The Patti Smith Group, and Television. The album is in an excellent tempo for running playlists and a useful tool for marathon training that can be downloaded through iTunes.