You’re on the Verrazano Bridge, waiting to run in the New York City marathon. For months, you’ve trained for this day, and now it’s here.

Your body is ready—but what about your mind? Maybe you’ve got your racing strategy all worked out, but what about right here, right now, this moment? 

I’m running my fourth NYC marathon this Sunday. And yes, I’m nervous for a whole lot of reasons. I’m 74 years old. I’m not getting any faster. What if I trip over something and fall? What if somebody else trips and falls over me? What if I hit The Wall and can’t recover? What if I end up with those infamous initials “DNF”— “Did Not Finish”—after my name?

So many “what if”s, so little time to wallow in each one properly.

I ran my first NYC marathon way back in 2007 at the tender age of 56, and I thought I was old then. I was full of insecurities, getting over an attack of plantar fasciitis. I had absolutely no idea whether I could actually do this.

But when I finally got onto the Verrazano roadway, the universe sent me a gift. 

I looked around me at the crowd of runners. Then I looked a little farther out and saw the skyscrapers at the foot of Manhattan, across the harbor. The sunlight made the buildings shine like gold and silver spikes. A sudden, wild joy, my love for my city, swept over me, followed by a great calm. All my worries, all the aches and pains of training, dropped away as I thought to myself, “All I have to do now is get home.” I knew it wouldn’t be easy and it wasn’t, but I did finish the race. 

I’ve run two more marathons since then—life events prevented me from doing more—but I’ve never forgotten that experience.

So here is my wish for you: Your training is done, so just enjoy the giant block party that is New York on Marathon Sunday. Appreciate the unexpected little gifts of kindness along the way. Even though it’ll be extremely tempting, please don’t compare yourself with anybody else—you’re doing this for YOU. Once you get on the bridge, all you have to do is get home.