Many in the tennis community thought it was crazy when Caroline Wozniacki announced that she would be training for the New York City Marathon, which directly followed the end of the WTA season. Here’s a great piece from SI.com on the balance she needed to strike in training for tennis matches and a marathon at the same time:
Piotrowicz’s “balancing act” of tennis and marathon training for Wozniacki consisted of body-weight exercises in the gym, at least four to six miles a day and, of course, her daily schedule of tennis matches and practice. Cardio was always built in to Wozniacki’s regimen and pre-marathon she was running three to five days a week. But Piotrowicz decreased the amount of on-court endurance workouts and added in more short sprints, speed work and agility exercises using ladders and cones to her sessions to keep her tennis form sharp.
And while some people in the tennis community questioned the Dane’s commitment to the marathon and expressed concern about its impact on her on-court performance, Wozniacki says running has actually helped her game and perhaps more important, her disposition.
“I’ve just been able to clear my mind and enjoy it and I feel so strong when I’m out on the court,” says Wozniacki, who defeated the No. 2-, 4- and 6-ranked players before losing to Serena Williams in the semifinals of the year-end championships just six days ago. “I see the opponent get tired and start making mistakes, and I can be out there for so much longer and that definitely gives you a mental edge.”
As her season progressed, she ended up reaching the US Open final and qualifying for the WTA Finals, going undefeated in the round robin before falling to Serena Williams in the semifinals. Today, she finished the New York Marathon in an incredible 3:26:33. Her tennis colleagues (and some other random famous people) were rooting for her:
@CaroWozniacki is there anything you can't conquer?!! Have a great run tomorrow @nycmarathon.
— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) November 1, 2014
@CaroWozniacki just keep your legs rotating. You will get the runners high. So proud of you #NYCMarathon
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) November 2, 2014
@CaroWozniacki good luck Woz!!! Will be thinking of you and sending you some fresh legs especially at mile 20! U can do it!! #proudofu
— rennae stubbs (@rennaestubbs) November 2, 2014
@CaroWozniacki enjoy the day- amazing effort to gear up for this after your lonnnnnnnng year !
— Paul Annacone (@paul_annacone) November 2, 2014
@CaroWozniacki @WTA @nycmarathon go go Caro!!!! Good luck girl! Make us proud!
— Alla Kudryavtseva (@AllaK11) November 2, 2014
Ready or not… Here I come few min left! @nycmarathon pic.twitter.com/5nZzK5tGu1
— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) November 2, 2014
Trying 2 stay warm & calm prerace w/ new friends fellow runners @CaroWozniacki @RichardBlais #tcsnycmarathon pic.twitter.com/YSxhleN0PL
— Teri Hatcher (@HatchingChange) November 2, 2014
@CaroWozniacki kickin butt in NY! Keep going kid! #rockstar #norest
— rennae stubbs (@rennaestubbs) November 2, 2014
Following @CaroWozniacki's times as she dominates the #TCSNYCMarathon. Go Caro! #rapid pic.twitter.com/Gm8o1mC08m
— Laura Robson (@laurarobson5) November 2, 2014
Big shoutout to @CaroWozniacki and @AmerDelic who are both at the 10K mark of the NY Marathon… while I drink my morning coffee #flycarofly
— Darren Cahill (@darren_cahill) November 2, 2014
I second that! RT @darren_cahill: Big shoutout to @CaroWozniacki and @AmerDelic who are both at the 10K mark of the NY Marathon…
— Lindsay Davenport (@LDavenport76) November 2, 2014
Good luck @CaroWozniacki in the #nycmarathon today!
— Madison Keys (@Madison_Keys) November 2, 2014
Go girl carowozniacki#marathon #killah http://t.co/t2hX9d9Npt
— victoria azarenka (@vika7) November 2, 2014
So proud of @CaroWozniacki wow she's going so fast!
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) November 2, 2014
.@CaroWozniacki accomplishes her under 3:30 goal while @serenawilliams takes a pic like a proud mama. #nycmarathon pic.twitter.com/eccJMhfwzj
— Rachel Dulitz (@racheldulitz) November 2, 2014
Yay Caroline Wozniacki finished the NYC marathon =) @CaroWozniacki #Tennis #NYC pic.twitter.com/hTr8IAWtpm
— Manmore17 [lll] (@Manmore17) November 2, 2014
Serena hugging Woz at the finish line pic.twitter.com/2ILyBRHkPS
— Bobby Chintapalli (@bobbychin) November 2, 2014
Do you wanna call @CaroWozniacki her number – new york 3 26 33 !!!!well done caro #runner
— Tomáš Berdych (@tomasberdych) November 2, 2014
3:26.33. Aces, @CaroWozniacki (AFP photos) pic.twitter.com/5anpI6fsmy
— Joe Fleming (@ByJoeFleming) November 2, 2014
Is it normal to cry when someone finished marathon? So proud of you caro @CaroWozniacki #nycmarathon
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) November 2, 2014
Also running the marathon from the tennis community, former-ATPer and current Bosnian Davis Cup captain Amer Delic finished in 3:58:02.
This is what the night before #TSCNYCMarathon looks like in the Delic household. (Pic) pic.twitter.com/mIUC94O5N0
— Amer Delic (@AmerDelic) November 2, 2014
No lie – butterflies are having an air-show in my stomach. Same feeling that I had 24 yrs-ago in my 1st tennis tournament #TCSNYCMarathon
— Amer Delic (@AmerDelic) November 2, 2014
Big congrats to all the runners! Even bigger congrats to @CaroWozniacki for absolutely crushing me!
— Amer Delic (@AmerDelic) November 2, 2014
Can’t recall if a Pro athlete in prime of his/her career has done a marathon. And 3:26? Are you kidding? That’s incredible ! 2014 a banner year for Caro. And regardless of winning some big Golf titles, Rory missed out on the Prize of a lifetime. Dope.
I have to say that reading this article made me a little teary. Even for a professional athlete, the NYMarathon is an amazing achievement. So happy for Caro!