It was then that I began to think whether I'd ever make it to the starting line. Luckily, I saw another marathon-type haililng a cab.

"Why don't you pick this guy up?" I said as the driver swerved across two lanes to pick up the runner.

"I hope you know where the library is," I said to our new passenger.

"Sure, it's on 42nd and 5th."

Speeding along to our destination, the driver asked, "So why're you guys up so early? You work at the library or something?"

"No, we're running in the marathon."

"What marathon?"

"The New York Marathon."

"How long is that?"

"It starts on Staten Island and goes 26 miles to Central Park."

"Wow, that's a long way. You want me to take you to Staten Island?"

"No thanks. We'll take the bus."

I knew we were near the library when I saw buses lined up for five or six blocks. "You can let us out here," I said as the driver pulled over.

I boarded a bus outside the library and 20 minutes later I was at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island. The Verazanno Narrows Bridge and the New York skyline loomed in the distance.

It was 6:45 and I had for hours to kill before the race. What do you do when you have nothing to do for four hours?