The New York City Marathon has a reputation for identifying the country’s next great women’s talent at the distance, and this year a notable field of promising hopefuls is slated to compete. Molly Huddle, two-time Olympian and the American record holder in the 10,000 meters, will run her first 26.2-mile race on Sunday, as will Kim Conley, also a two-time Olympian and 2014 U.S. half marathon champion, and Gwen Jorgensen, 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the triathlon.

The 2016 debutantes follow some historic U.S. first-time marathon performances in New York. Deena Kastor ran 2:26:58 in her rookie marathon in 2001 in the Big Apple, and she went on to win an Olympic silver medal in 2004 and set the American record of 2:19:36. Following her premiere in New York in 2008 where she set the American course record, Kara Goucher placed third at the 2009 Boston Marathon and made the U.S. Olympic marathon team in 2012. Shalane Flanagan placed second in her 2010 marathon debut, and she became a two-time Olympic marathoner with a personal best of 2:21:14.

Goucher’s 2008 time of 2:25:53 still stands as the American course record for the women and fastest U.S. women’s marathon debut. She has one prediction for this weekend, however.

“I don’t think my record will survive next Sunday. I think it’s going down and I’m okay with that…it’s time,” she said. “I’m excited about it and it just shows that they continue to rise in the U.S.”

What follows is Kastor, Goucher, and Flanagan in their own words, reflecting on their first marathons and what advice they would offer the up-and-comers.

Deena Kastor

When: November 4, 2001

Time: 2:26:58

Place: Seventh

Why New York: When I was looking at not wanting the pressure of running fast and just enjoying the marathon for what it’s worth, there were a few that came up. To me, New York the timing was right to be able to take my track fitness and build a greater base.

Key Memories: Just being on that Verrazano-Narrows Bridge with 45,000 people from around the world was an overwhelming experience. It’s what won me over—I was probably having the same insecurities and nerves that the other 45,000 people on the start line had that day.

In 2001 it was right after the attacks on the World Trade Center, so it was also an emotional race. In any race I like to find the historical significance and run with that significance in my mind. I learned that about myself in that race. Feeling like I was running for a larger purpose seemed to drive me on that day.

Finish Line Feelings: Immediately I said, “I am never doing that again.” The final few miles hurt so badly. But it was only 20 minutes later that I said, “Okay, now that I know that, I need to adapt and I need to get stronger. I just need experience.” It was a very quick turnaround from “I’m never doing it again.”

Career Significance: It did what I intended it to do—to woo me at the distance. I loved the experience from patriotism that was New York at the time, to the media attention that it got, to the human interest stories and the relatability of the masses in the race. It all totally turned me on to the distance, and it hasn’t disappointed since.

Advice: New York’s asphalt is actually very hard and there are a lot of cambers in the road and potholes and even cement at some points. It’s tough on your body. Add with that, one of the most competitive marathons in the world and the hills with the bridges, it makes for a grueling race. Belief in what you’re doing and your strategy to adapt to how your competitors are running are important factors coming into this race.

Kara Goucher

When: November 2, 2008

Time: 2:25:53 (American course record and fastest U.S. women's marathon debut)

Place: Third (first U.S. woman to finish in the top three in 14 years)

Why New York: I had watched Paula Radcliffe run [while riding on] the press truck the year before and it was one of the most inspiring things I had ever seen—seeing a female working so hard, for so long I had just never seen anything like that up close and personal. So I was like, “I really want to come here. I know this is the premier stage.” It just seemed like a good time after the Olympics to try to do it.

Key Memories: When the gun went off I had basically one race strategy, which was follow Paula for as long as possible because she knows what she’s doing. In fact I stepped on her a few times and she scolded me. I was like, “Sorry!” I was used to the track where people do that and it’s no big deal.

When we were approaching Central Park for the final time, my back was in so much pain I was actually looking for a place to step off. Thank God the crowds were eight deep and I had nowhere to go. I had less than a [kilometer] to go and I was about to run the American record on the course, so thank goodness there were so many fans. I was ready to be done and I thought, “This isn’t worth it, I can’t do this.”

Finish Line Feelings: At first I was crying and I had to go to the medical tent. My back was in spasm and I thought, “Everything fell apart, everything went wrong.” And then I had a little chicken soup and had a little massage and I got my medal and it started to sink in. I thought, “I just ran a minute faster than Deena ran here and she ended up being a pretty damn good marathoner.”

Career Significance: It totally changed my life. Running the marathon exposed me to a whole new fan base. I was able to relate to thousands more people. I entered into this community that I didn’t really even know existed, even though I had already been running professionally for so many years. It gave me more notoriety in the sport. It opened a lot of doors.

I think it’s the same for Deena and Shalane—the people who want to debut there, they want to know where they stand. I wanted to face the very best. The prestige of New York is so big. You face the competition and are tested and walk away knowing where you stand on the world level.

Advice: The hills, and bridges, the footing is never the same, you can’t really zone out ever. You’re out there two and a half hours and you want just 10 minutes where you don’t have to think. You really don’t get that break in New York.

They’re ready for it. Take a deep breath and relax a little bit. Eight years later I look back at it much more fondly. My initial reaction was that everything went wrong, but now I look back and think it was really good. I wish I had embraced it a little more at the time, so I hope that they release expectations from their minds. If they do that they’ll run what they’re capable of.

Shalane Flanagan

When: November 7, 2010

Time: 2:28:40

Place: Second

Why New York: I basically let [coach] Jerry [Schumacher] decide which marathon and when he thought would be a good time. I was excited with his choice, because I felt like it was taking on one of the toughest and biggest marathons. We needed to know whether I had what it would take to make the next Olympic team—we needed to know whether I should stay on the track or switch over to the marathon. He threw me into such a tough race to find out whether I could handle it and what would happen facing not just tough competition but a really challenging course as well. It was a sink-or-swim mentality.

Key Memories: Looking back, it’s one of my all-time favorite races in my career. Every mile that passed, I thought, “Oh. I’m still here and I’m still alive. I’m good.” Every time we got a mile closer to the finish I got so excited, because I was so terrified of the distance. I remember standing on the starting line thinking, “What am I doing? This isn’t going to go well.” Mary Keitany was the world record holder in the half marathon and it was her debut, too.

At mile 19 I had Edna [Kiplagat] and Mary Keitany around me—it was just the three of us. I thought, “Oh my gosh, I’m going to actually podium in my first marathon.” Once we got into Central Park I got dropped on a downhill and I just couldn’t respond to the turnover. I just stayed tough and was able to pass Mary back with like a mile to go, but Edna had taken off and I couldn’t really see her.

Finish Line Feelings: I was pumped. It was one of those marathons that everything went right somehow. It was just so fun.

Career Significance: When I expressed that I maybe wanted to leave the track behind and take the marathon more seriously, people said I was crazy because I had just won a bronze medal [in the 10,000 meters in Beijing]. But I thought, “How am I going to top that? I just set a personal best, an American record, and won a medal. I can’t top that. I’d be chasing a unicorn.” The marathon seemed like a great challenge. I felt deep down I was meant to be a marathoner more so than a track runner. I was at peace with the track after Beijing and that allowed me to move forward with the marathon. That got me excited about it.

Advice: I felt like my mindset was really a healthy one, which was that I wanted to call myself a marathoner at the end of the day. I know that sounds silly, like I should have bigger goals than that, but the marathon the first time is such an incredible feeling. If you don’t have too many splits in your head or times you want to run—you can just go run it and enjoy the experience—it will be a great result. Getting wrapped up too much in time and placement can end up hindering the performance the first time.

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