Cancellation taken in stride

LITTLE ROCK — Marathon runner Leah Thorvilson was strolling the streets of New York City when she learned through text messages that the New York City Marathon on Sunday was canceled.

“When I first started getting them, I thought they were mistaken and talking about the 5K or something,” Thorvilson said.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg postponed the race late Friday as the Northeast tries to restore power and recover from superstorm Sandy.

Thorvilson, 31, was among roughly 50 elite women marathon runners scheduled to participate in the race that was slated to start on Staten Island - one of the most heavily storm-damaged areas.

Thorvilson said her flight from Little Rock to New York City had gone smoothly and that aside from traffic backups, getting into midtown Manhattan was relatively easy.

“As of this morning we went through check-in, got our bibs and everything,” Thorvilson said. “It’s completely unexpected.”

Thorvilson said the timing of the decision - which came two days before the race - was more stunning than the choice made by Bloomberg to put on hold an event he called an “integral part of New York City’s life for 40 years.”

“I’ve seen limited parts of the city,” Thorvilson said.

“For me to say, ‘No way, they shouldn’t have done it’ isn’t possible. I have no idea.

“I’m sure it wasn’t an easy decision to reach. I can’t pass any judgment.”

Thorvilson ran a personal-best 2 hours, 36 minutes and 27 seconds in March to win the Little Rock Marathon and had kept her expectations modest heading to New York City.

She worked through hamstring tendinitis over the spring and summer, followed by bursitis on the ball of her foot, more hamstring issues and finally nagging hip pain.

After winning the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K two weeks ago, she made it clear she didn’t expect to be near the front of the pack with the contenders.

“Were I in a bit better position and hadn’t gotten dinged up in the past week, it was still going to be rough and tumble to get through it,” Thorvilson said.

“It was just going to be how long my body and God let me hold on Sunday.”