The Long Road to New York

Simon Bairu, 27, will make his marathon debut in New York on Nov. 7. He won the 2005 and ‘06 N.C.A.A. cross-country titles at Wisconsin and holds the Canadian record for 10,000 meters at 27 minutes 23.63 seconds. He ran 1:02:08 in finishing fifth in the Philadelphia half-marathon in September.

On Nov. 7, I will run my first marathon. At 26.2 miles, it is a journey that will not only take me through the five historic boroughs of New York but also to the extreme limits of my mental and physical capacity. My journey to New York has truly been one of improbable odds. It has been a journey that has afforded me the opportunity to compete in numerous countries and has led to many successes, including two N.C.A.A. cross-country titles and the Canadian 10,000 meters record.