NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

November 5, 2000

Gorder Bakoulis

GORDER BAKOULIS: The Olympic trials on February 26. And I was 45th there in 2:50:04.

GORDER BAKOULIS: Yes, it was very windy.

GORDER BAKOULIS: At about 19, I started to think, all right -- I turned around and the wind was at my back, it was in my face. One of those days where the wind was really swirly and I just felt it from everywhere it was. And I just kind of gave up on keeping track of my splits after a while because it was very discouraging. But, maybe two minutes.

GORDER BAKOULIS: How about the men?

GORDER BAKOULIS: That's fantastic. It must have been a real race up front with those kind of times.

GORDER BAKOULIS: I had done 1:17:25 at Hartford a few weeks ago -- in Hartford, Connecticut. I was hoping for 2:23, but I was really pleased with how I ran. I was a little bit too aggressive early on. I was at the half at 1:25, something like that, and slowed down and did the second half. But all things considered, I'm very happy with my time and my place.

GORDER BAKOULIS: Yeah, it felt great. I actually haven't done all that many in New York. It was my fifth. I did it in 1984 as just a fun run; I did 3:40. And in '89, 2:33; and '92 where I ran 2:33, also; and in '94 I ran 2:45, like this year. So it was kind of fun to think about all of the different experiences that I've had in New York. I just love it. I get very emotional at certain points out there. I love the City so much, and you really see so much of it when you race, all of the different people that make up the city and, it was a great experience and I hope that I can come back again next year.

GORDER BAKOULIS: I don't know. Does anybody have any idea how my husband did? He was ahead of me. I never saw him. Unless he dropped out, he beat me.

GORDER BAKOULIS: It had been six years since I had done it. So it wasn't all that fresh in my mind. So, in some ways it was like doing it for the first time. There's a part in Brooklyn really around ten miles where you can see Manhattan for a long way I think on Bedford Avenue, and just beautiful views of the City. I really enjoyed coming across the Pulaski Bridge in Queens, I love the Queensboro Bridge, just you and the other runners. First Avenue was like a blur this year. Before I knew it, it was over. And the Park was phenomenal. So many people seem to know my name out there. At first I was just looking every time I heard my name. And then after a while, I guess they just know who I am. It was really very emotional and very satisfying.

GORDER BAKOULIS: In terms of the place, and just how I ran it; I think I ran it aggressively, and I never really stopped competing, even though my splits were off. I would have preferred a faster time going into my Masters years, but my next marathon definitely will be after I turn 40 in February. So, I'm hoping that I can be competitive.