SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6th (the day before the marathon)
Dennis picking up his bib; after four years of anticipation.
Pre-marathon carbo-loading dinner the night before. There's Dennis, Ellie, Robert, Joshua, and me. One of my favorite meals of the year.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7th (aka Marathon Sunday!)
Waking up at 6:00am to a clear 37 degrees. Some runners have started arriving at the start.
Got on the 6:50am Staten Island Ferry bound for the marathon start at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. That's the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in the background. In two-plus hours we'll be lining up on the bridge to begin the race.
BOROUGH #1: STATEN ISLAND
Arriving at Fort Wadsworth at 7:45am.
Thousands of runners relax until their time to line up at. The smells of coffee, donuts, and Ben Gay permeate the air.
Entering the starting corral at 8:15am.
Making our way onto the bridge. No need to pay a toll today.
"Wow" is right.
Waiting for Chilean Miner #12, Edison Pena.
One of the 130 plus bands along the course.
We still have the streets to ourselves. Seems much more like the Tumbleweed Marathon.
Bay Ridge
A few of the 6,000 volunteers giving out some of the 32,040 gallons of Lemon-Lime Gatorade distributed along the course.
Sunset Park
The Wave 2 runners have caught up to us.
Some of the 2,300,000 paper cups used on race day.
The Brooklyn Savings Bank in the background.
Support comes in all sizes.
Quick pit stop.
My father's grandfather's store, A. Deaner & Sons Hardware, was on Flushing Avenue.
Entering the Hassidic area of Williamsburg.
A great study in contrasts.
A typical first Sunday in November.
62,370 gallons of Poland Spring water hydrate the runners.
Bedford Road always has great hipster fanfare.
Greenpoint
Rob snuck away to try to pick up a few slices of Brooklyn pizza. Unfortunately the pies weren't ready and there was no time to wait.
The Pulaski Bridge is the second bridge of the day and takes runners from Brooklyn into Queens. It's also the half-way point in the marathon. Also a good place for runners to check in with themselves and strategize for the second half.
One of my all-time favorite signs. So motivating.
BOROUGH #3: QUEENS
Welcome to your third borough!
There are 106 official clocks along the course.
Wish YOUR sign had spell check.
Getting onto the Queensboro Bridge, the third one of the day. This is the way to Manhattan.
This is a tough part of the course. The bridge is over a mile long, has no spectators, and when it ends there are still 10 more miles left to go in the race.
Heading down the offramp.
This is the point to re-energize since the roaring crowds of Manhattan can start to be heard.
BOROUGH #4: MANHATTAN
Dodging the slippery cups relies on a strong core.
Mike and Michelle
There are over 2 million spectators on this day.
Forty percent of these fans will say they want to run the marathon next year. (I made this up.)
Jeff and Jay
Lisa!
Brother Rob was still missing.
Always a favorite stop at Mile 17. Here today were Carolyn, Lisa, Bonnie, Wendy, Dan, Paul, Michelle, Beth, Mitch, David, and Marc.
He'll run the marathon when he turns 18 I'm sure.
Beginning the climb onto the fourth bridge of the day: the new Willis Avenue Bridge.
It links Manhattan to The Bronx.
BOROUGH #5: THE BRONX
Mile 20 is generally when runners "hit the wall," when the body's glycogen stores are depleted, making it tough patch to run.
Jumbo-trons and energizing bands keep runners motivated during this segment.
Great sign. Or as I have said in the past, the only walls are in Jerusalem and China!
A quick blessing helps too.
This area of the course in the Upper Bronx was added on last year and still is not very populated. Runners need to get by with their own motivation since there are still 5.5 miles to go.
Though Asics is the official sponsor, other brands take part too.
New York's Bravest
The Madison Avenue Bridge is the final one and links The Bronx and Manhattan.
BACK IN MANHATTAN
Thank you, Strange Lady. A key difference between NYC and other marathons is that fans really do cheer for anyone.
Dancin' in the streets.
Marcus Garvey Park
Willie!
The sun is starting to fade away.
Approaching 110th Street, the northern-most corner of Central Park!
A deceiving upward climb along Central Park. Keep your mind alert by counting down the blocks to 90th, where you'll enter the Park.
Mile 23 ahead. Just a little more than three to go.
Another classic sign.
Achilles is an amazing charity which helps athletes with disabilities participate in events such as this.
Sara!
A quick exit of the Park near Mile 25.
Onto Central Park South. This part makes runners feel like Olympians.
Getting there.
Back into Central Park at Columbus Circle.
So much ground-shaking energy as we approach the finish line!
Hands up. Done!
Since we crossed the starting line a few minutes after the starting gun, our actual net time was 6 hours, 47 minutes of fun.
Congrats to Dad on his eighth marathon.
Proudly wearing the hardware.
Such a memorable way to spend the first Sunday in November. Perhaps you want to give it a go? The lottery for 2011 is now open... http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/
Our visit to the marathon expo at the Jacob Javits Center, to pick up our number bibs and other paraphernalia. As you can see by the "Welcom" and "Bienvenido" signs, this is truly an international event. Of the 45,000 runners, more than half are from outside the United States. That's Dennis on the left, Rob in the center, and me (Jon) on the right.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7th (aka Marathon Sunday!)
BOROUGH #1: STATEN ISLAND
In 2010 there were 124,000 applicants for one of the 45,000 spots. In 1970, the marathon's first year, there were 127 starters and 55 finishers.
9:40am start for Wave 1. Mary Wittenberg, President of New York Road Runners just made the official announcements, including welcoming Chilean Miner #12, Edison Pena. The National Anthem was sung, and then Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" blasts as athletes make their way through the starting line.
Due to the cold temps, runners wear extra layers to keep warm before the start. They will discard them as the race begins. 16,000 pounds of abandoned clothing will be donated to charity.
As four-time NYC Marathon winner Bill Rodgers says, "The starting line of the NYC Marathon is kind of like a giant time bomb waiting to go off. It is the most spectacular start in sport." Indeed.
The 41st running of the NYC Marathon has begun!
The first mile of the race has the steepest incline in the course.
Hey, it's Al Roker. He did the race in 7 hours, 9 minutes.
And Meredith Vieira too. She completed the race in 5 hours, 59 minutes.
Just 25 more miles to make it back to Manhattan. From 1970-1975 the NYC Marathon was run only in Central Park. In 1976 Fred Lebow changed the course, bringing the race to the people, running through all five boroughs.
Since we started at the end of Wave 1, we had the first few miles to ourselves. At this point most runners who start in the front or middle of the pack are dodging thousands of others.
BOROUGH #2: BROOKLYN
Yo. We made it to Brooklyn. The supportive crowds begin.
Some were not so supportive.
BOROUGH #3: QUEENS
BOROUGH #4: MANHATTAN
Welcome to Manhattan! That blue line in the middle of the street signifies the shortest route from the marathon's start to finish. Follow this closely to minimize running extra miles by weaving back and forth. It takes 75 gallons of paint to create this line.
First Avenue has been described as a wall of thunder. Often runners will get caught up in the excitement of the fanfare and waste lots of energy too early on.
Trying to locate brother Rob, who we lost for two miles.
 Entered East Harlem and reunited with Rob. Also, there are more than 2,000 portable toilets at the start and along the course. |
BOROUGH #5: THE BRONX
This area of the course in the Upper Bronx was added on last year and still is not very populated. Runners need to get by with their own motivation since there are still 5.5 miles to go.
BACK IN MANHATTAN
The Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feelin'" was blasting as we headed downhill into Manhattan!
A right turn brings runners into Central Park.
The finish line is up ahead, at the top of that hill.
Hands up. Done!
Since we crossed the starting line a few minutes after the starting gun, our actual net time was 6 hours, 47 minutes of fun.
Such a memorable way to spend the first Sunday in November. Perhaps you want to give it a go? The lottery for 2011 is now open... http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/
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