Wyckoff Resident to Run in NYC Marathon Nov. 2

Wyckoff and Franklin Lakes residents will be among the runners participating in this year’s TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 1.

At least 6 Franklin Lakes residents and 13 Wyckoff residents will run through the “26.2-mile block party through the world’s most diverse city,” which took runners an average of almost 4 hours and 19 minutes to complete in 2013.

Jerry Ghinelli is no stranger to marathons. The 63-year-old Wyckoff resident has been running in marathons since he was 44-year-old.

Ghinelli, who began training in July, started his mornings off with a 10-mile run at 4 a.m. and slowly increased as the event date got closer.

The experienced runner, who is guaranteed registration since he’s completed more than 15 marathons, has some words of advice for his neighbors participating in the marathon.

“Just enjoy it. It’s an experience of a lifetime. ... It get’s extremely hard. Tough it out and say ‘I can make it. I know I’ll make it,’” Ghinelli said.

Ghinelli also reminds Wyckoff and Franklin Lakes runners that completing the race is something ”no one will be able to take ... away from you.”

“It will all be worth it once you put your foot on the mat. I guarantee it,” Ghinelli said.

Though he was determined to break his usual 4 hour and 20-30 minute record and finish the race in under four hours in the past, Ghinelli’s mindset has changed since then.

“As you get older, you slow down ... I just don’t have the speed anymore,” Ghinelli said. “I don’t worry much about time, it’s [more about] ‘I made it.’”

Though Ghinelli is excited for the marathon, his age does play a factor.

“I’m blessed to be able to do this at this stage of my life,” Ghinelli said. “I say to myself, ‘Just enjoy it, it may be your last run.’”

To watch your fellow Wyckoff and Franklin Lakes residents run in Sunday’s marathon, live streaming will be available on WatchABC and 7online.com from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.