Written By: Mia Herz

If you happened to be in New York City on Sunday, November 3rd you might have caught a glimpse of Ms. Farrell, the beloved Science Department Chair and teacher at Rye Country Day School, running the NYC Marathon. To highlight Ms. Farrell’s impressive feat, The Rye Crop is shining a faculty spotlight on her this month

For Ms. Farrell, the path to becoming a marathoner wasn’t always straightforward. Before she began her running journey, she found the idea of running to be intimidating because she assumed runners had to run at a certain pace, time, or distance. However, she “wanted to find a way where [she] could challenge [herself]” and running seemed like the perfect answer.” As she started off on this new hobby, instead of focusing solely on running faster or longer, she worked slowly but persistently to build her fitness. Her goal was to improve bit by bit every day, tracking those daily improvements to measure her progress. Over time, these data points became a satisfying testament to the progression of her speed.

 Ms. Farrell’s running journey began in 2022, when she completed her first race, a 5k, which she did not enjoy, to say the least. Still, she did not give up and, instead, signed up for more 5k’s and 10k’s to challenge herself further. Then in 2023, she completed her first half marathon. She did a virtual race where she ran 13.1 miles by running from her house in New Rochelle to her mother’s house in the Bronx and back. Although Ms. Farrell was proud to have completed this race, she missed the cheering crowds and energetic environment. She signed up for more half marathons and loved the distance and the electric crowds. Still, she wanted to train for something bigger, and what race dynamic could compete with the NYC marathon?

Ms. Farrell started her marathon training on July 1st, committing to consistent training for over four months. Throughout her training, she thought of “running as a moving meditation,” and created playlists based on her running goals. Easy runs consisted of slower and classical music, while more intense runs were filled with hip-hop and rock. Her most motivational song was “Cinderella Man” by Eminem because its message conveys overcoming challenges.

Ms. Farrell would not have been able to complete this marathon without her self determination and the inspiration of her daughter. She wanted to “prove to [herself] that no matter what age you start something, if you have a new interest, it is never too late to try something new.” Ms. Farrell’s advice should be encouraging to anyone nervous about picking a new hobby. Whether it is joining a new club in school or trying a new sport, students and teachers at RCDS should look up to Ms. Farrell for her determination and confidence in breaking out of her comfort zone. 

Although four months of training may seem like a long time, Ms. Farrell explains that “nobody just rolls out of bed and runs a marathon, so to show that I can create a plan and stick to it” is motivation in itself. She also wanted to be a role model to her daughter, who started running in races at the age of two, and Ms. Farrell constantly thought of her for motivation throughout the race. 

Ms. Farrell completed her marathon in around six hours. For her first marathon, she did not have a time goal and was just focused on finishing. She explains that the “coolest part about not having a time goal was not feeling the clock run down, so I really took every single part of the race in.” From the encouraging posters from strangers to the assortment of foods being handed out, without the pressure of time, Ms. Farrell was able to stop “for my family and friends, take pictures with them, and dance with strangers on the street.”

Her favorite sign she saw while running was “therapy is also an option” and the sign her daughter made. Her daughter’s sign said “you versus you” with a mirror to remind Ms. Farrell that “the competition really is between yourself, and looking at yourself as how can you grow from this”. This pushed her to rise to the internal challenge and push her limits.

Looking back at her impressive feat, Ms. Farrell reflects that the feeling of crossing the finish line is like no other, and feels like “a celebration of all your training and hard work.” Her consistency through the four months of training paid off as she was able to say, “Wow I did that; I feel accomplished,” reflecting how through her preparation and during race day, she surprised herself with her determination. 

Ms. Farrell’s school life mirrors her approach to running. If she has a bad run, she tries to evaluate what went wrong. Was she focusing too much on the pace, did not have enough sleep or proper nutrition before her run? This same logic is applied to her teaching style. When a student is struggling in her class, and does poorly on a test, she tries to figure out what went wrong and what other method she can use to better help the student understand the topic. Her journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, reflection, and stepping out of one’s comfort zone. Ms. Farrell’s accomplishment is not only an athletic feat but also a powerful reminder of what can be achieved with determination and self-belief.

Congratulations again to Ms. Farrell for completing the NYC 2024 marathon! We can’t wait to see what challenges you take on next!