Catching up - Talent and the Marathon

There is never a dull moment or week as Miss New York! The most exciting things I did this week were learn my talent for Miss America and the ING NYC Marathon. Talent rehearsals have been so cool and exciting with Laurie Kanyok, my choreographer sponsored by JUMP. I actually met Laurie years ago when I photographed her in my college photography internship. She got my brand new LaDuca Shoes sponsored by Phil LaDuca and has come up with the perfect blend of traditional Fosse movement to layer upon my very new and different arrangement of my song, "Bye Bye Blackbird."

Oh and another NYU grad student is doing a profile piece on me--that makes 2 NYU Journalism, 1 Columbia Journalism, and 1 Yale Feminist Magazine all writing about Miss NY, gaining, and therefore sharing, insight about what our lives as titleholders and advocates are really like. Thanks to Chao (NYU) for the rehearsal shots and Lauren (NYU) for the LaDuca shots!

The entire marathon weekend was really inspiring. Friday, I attended the Achilles Marathon Dinner where I welcomed people from all over the world who had come to race in the marathon. They were all disabled racers who would be completing the 26.2 mile race in wheelchairs or hand wheel bikes. It was incredible. During the awards, they recognized the woman they call "The Flying Nun" as Sunday would be her 31st marathon (22nd ING NY). She is 78 years old! Lots if photos, hugs and great company at this events...and carbs for all of the racers.

Sunday was the real deal! The infamous ING NYC Marathon was off to a start with 40,000+ runners, 6,000 volunteers, and lots of orange and blue throughout the city and Central Park. I was at the finish line with the honor of medaling the finishers. I presented the elite runners with medals followed by those who crossed the finish line by the hundreds. It was fun for people to see 20 other volunteers with medals but point and walk straight to me and say, "I want my medal from Miss New York!" Lots of sweaty half hugs, yet double kisses -the French loved "the queen." There was great diversity in the people who crossed that finish line and each time someone did, it made me want to run a marathon, but then they limped, spit and looked like they might collapse, I was reminded.. No maybe I don't...

I did receive this email yesterday from someone who had googled "Miss NY" and found my photo website. This made my day :)

Claire,
I think that you handed me my finisher medal yesterday. If so, thank you. It was wonderful to see a princess at that point in the day. Unfortunately, having just finished the race, I was a little out of it and not able to quite able to take it all in but seeing your smiling face along with your tiara and sash certainly gave me a smile.
All the best,
Charles Cowap

More pictures in my November Events Photo Gallery