Thousands of us have trained for what feels like an eternity in preparation for the NYC Marathon....and then, nature strikes. Hurricane Sandy devastates the Jersey Shore and surrounding NYC area. As a resident of NJ in the NYC metro area, this is extremely saddening. I'm extremely blessed in that my family is safe and my home suffered no damage. Although my home is without power, I'm grateful to have an office which does, serving as a place of warmth, entertainment and recharging (literally).

There has been significant controversy on whether to have the NYC Marathon or not. I can understand the argument regarding the devastation the city has faced, the loss of the life that has occurred and any possible resources that may be taken away from the recovery process. I have a heavy heart for those who lost loved ones and  those whose homes were destroyed. There are no words to comfort these individuals, only time will heal. However, NYC is an amazingly resilient place filled with people who've persevered through times. So, should we participate in the marathon?

I say yes.

I say yes to lift the spirit of the Big Apple, even if only for a day.

I say yes because I believe bringing more people into the area will open up more hearts, more pockets and more motivation to help with the recovery process.

I say yes because new charitable opportunities are being created surrounding the continued life of the race, thus bringing more money to recovery efforts.

I say yes because saying no means Sandy got the best of us.

I say yes because as a runner and marathon participant, I feel impassioned and a sense of purpose to run this special race more than ever.

So I also ask you to support runners on Sunday. As individuals, we do NOT make decisions about this race and are saddened that people want to direct their anger towards us.

Say yes. See you Sunday.