What It's Like to Prepare for the TCS New York City Marathon

Since 2017, PGA of America Golf Professionals have stepped up to the challenge and raised their hand to run in the TCS New York City Marathon in support of the PGA of America REACH Foundation and its mission to impact lives through golf. 

The historic race is one of the world’s most popular marathons – boasting over 50,000 runners annually.  The 26.2-mile course touches all five boroughs and crosses five bridges in and around New York City, creating an unforgettable atmosphere right from the starting line. From the over two and half mile Verrazano Narrows Bridge that runners take from Staten Island to Brooklyn, to crossing the finish line in Central Park – every step along the journey carries a profound sense of pride and dedication that one must endure to call themselves a marathoner for life.

In just a few short weeks, fifteen incredible PGA of America Golf Professionals will take part in the journey of a lifetime and add their names to the list.  Joining the team this year is PGA of America Member, Alec Bahnick.  Currently serving as the Handicapping and Course Rating Manager for Golf House Kentucky, he says he’s had his eye on running for REACH in the TCS New York City Marathon.

“Generally speaking, I’ve always had my goal of running a marathon,” says Alec. “I’ve run four half-marathons and some other smaller races, so I thought this could be a cool way to take that challenge to the next level while also raising money and awareness for such an important cause like for the PGA of America REACH Foundation – it would be hard to pass up.”

Alec says golf has a way of making people feel like they belong.

“I’ve been hearing impaired for essentially my entire life,” says Alec. “I wear hearing aids so I’ve never felt like I was handicapped, but I guess technically I am – just knowing what the game can do for others who may not feel as represented, or like they are ‘normal,’ it’s huge. The REACH Foundation and its programming are on the front lines of allowing those people a safe space, and that was another big reason why I wanted to run.”

This is where we pick up the conversation with Alec on his journey to the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon.

AB:  Well growing up, the sports I played were baseball and football. So I’ve always been a good sprinter and been able to hold my own for shorter distances.  For me, it was more about outrunning the next guy than outpowering them.  So that has definitely been a challenge trying to recalibrate my body and just trying to slow down – running has definitely been a part of my DNA so it’s been more about figuring out how I translate that to training for a marathon.

AB:  Probably like a lot of other people, I’ve been using a training plan that I found online.  It’s been pretty standard – running lower mileage during the week and then long-runs on the weekends!  In my training, I’ve definitely been able to scratch that competitive itch that I had when I was younger and playing more sports.  It’s cool because it’s allowed me to really challenge myself physically and push those boundaries.  Obviously, as you stop playing sports, you tend to look for other outlets to keep that competitive spirit alive a little bit. I can’t think of a better way to get those juices flowing again.

AB:  I was very lucky to find sports at a young age, and playing lots of sports growing up has helped me understand that my differences don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. The ball, whether you're swinging a golf club, a baseball bat or kicking it, doesn’t care who you are.  You are still in charge of making that swing.  When you’re able to be part of something that is bigger than yourself, that’s what it’s all about and where I found my love for sports.

AB:  Being a part of the PGA of America Membership and to play a tiny role in the larger picture and overall goal of making the game more welcoming for others – it’s pretty special.  I feel honored for sure, but I also feel as though the whole team of us who are going to run the race are representatives of the Membership, it’s not just me. It’s definitely hard to wrap my head around representing all 30,000, but I can imagine it will be a cool feeling when the gun goes off and we start the race.

Definitely my sisters have been some of the most supportive in my inner circle.  I’ve run half marathons with them, and they’re runners themselves, so it’s been special to share this journey with them.  All my family and friends have been super supportive too.  My coworkers at Golf House Kentucky have also been encouraging to me – especially now that my training runs are getting longer, there’s just so much time that goes into it.  Having that extra flexibility is a blessing.  At the end of the day, while support systems are so important, you have to want it and do it yourself while keeping that inner drive going – even on the harder days.

I would definitely say go for it. You have to be willing to sacrifice some time and really carve it into your schedule, but if you feel like you want to give back and have never ran a marathon – this really is the perfect opportunity. To me, it’s more about giving back – throughout these last few months, it’s been amazing to me the number of people who genuinely care about what I’m doing and why I’m running in the TCS New York City Marathon. 

It’s so inspiring to know that there are others who are invested in my journey, literally every step of the way.  I would tell other Members that if you’re on the fence, and you really want to challenge yourself and get outside of your comfort zone this truly is something so unique that the PGA of America and the REACH Foundation offer.  One of the best parts is the whole team will be behind you cheering you on, so you don’t have to feel like you are going into the process alone.

I think it’s going to be so cool to see how the city comes together – with it being one of, if not the biggest, races in the world, I can only imagine what the scene will be like. Although I will be a very, very small part of it, I’m sure there will be so much to take in. 

The cool thing about the course is you truly get to see the entire city, so I think that’s what I’m most looking forward to is actually getting to run through it all will be surreal!  I’m definitely not trying to break any records so I’m just trying to stay healthy and enjoy all the journey has to offer.