NYC Marathon 2012 (Read 2541 times)

seanster


ME

    After seeing more and more news stories of destruction pile up (especially on Staten Island) I flip-flopped and decided to cancel until next year.  Maybe NYRR will do the right thing and allow those who cancelled this year some sort of rebate (doubt it).  I'm still torn about the whole thing...  finding another last minute marathon certainly helped push me one way....

     

    Here is the brief email I sent to those folks who donated to a charity I was fundraising for:

     

    I wanted to share an update with all of those who donated to my 2012 NYC Marathon run for YAI. After the events of this week I have decided to cancel my participation and re-enter in 2013. I held out hope that things would be better by now, but when viewing the destruction (especially at the marathon start on Staten Island) I cannot in good conscience run this year. I do not want to pull resoruces from the recovery or do I feel good about eating and drinking marathon goodies, while those in want are blocks away. I am in no way am judging those who do run, but I having been waiting 4 years to experience the fun and granduer of the NYC marathon and do not feel like that will happen this year.

    Your donations have still gone to the good cause of YAI and that will not be impacted. I will instead run the Delaware & Lehigh Heritage Marathon in the Allentown, PA area the same day in honor of your donations. I will also be able to enter for the 2013 NYC marathon and hopefully experience a stronger NYC.

    Sean

     

     

    MTA:  Still a few hours to register for Delaware Lehigh Smile

    § SIGNATURE§

      I thought that once too but now having lived in NYC for a bit over a decade, I've found most people (that I've spoken with, anyway) love the marathon and make it into an event to go see it.  People have all kinds of parties to spectate. 

       

      I'm sure LOTS of people find it annoying, but we get, what, 2 million people to come watch, so, someone must like it aside from the businesses that rake in the gold.

       

      I'm happy it's going on for many reasons, not to mention the fact I've given up dessert for the last month to maintain race weight through my taper!  I don't want to be told I could have been eating ice cream this whole time :-P

       

      Great thoughts. My only experience is asca spectator. I recall standing with a guy last year who predicted the Chilean Miner would run a 2:50 and in reference to Jenn Rhines asked "Does she run a lot?" Yes, people of all kinds line up to watch. It is a great event for all. Plus, what about guys who have been running 60, 70 and 80 mile weeks for months? That has to count for something.

      "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus


      Feeling the growl again

        One of the problems is that with a few days now having passed and things not back to normal (and far, far from it in many places), people are growing more frustrated and angry.  This morning the news coverage was the outrage of so many people being out of power, with the Air Force flying in generators from California, yet two huge generators sit idle by Central Park for use to power the NY marathon tents.

         

        I hope this doesn't turn into a massive PR snafu for them.

        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

         

        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

         

        xhristopher


          I hope this doesn't turn into a massive PR snafu for them.

           

          I have a friend in NYC who does PR and he's pretty sure that's where they are headed. 

           

          From another runner: New York City Marathon 2012: Natural Disaster to PR Disaster?

          stadjak


          Interval Junkie --Nobby

            I haven't been sleeping well, weighing the logistical problems and moral dilemma.  If it were any lesser race I would have already bagged my entry just because I'm not really in a good mental space to run.  Even if I decided that the marathon was morally neutral (or even a positive force) in the aftermath of Sandy, I'm not sure I could keep up the mental fortitude necessary for a marathon if I saw protest / sad / angry signs on the route.  With a sound mind I could reason away the ratio of 1 bad sign to 40 good signs, but in my degraded metal state it would chip away at me.  You get a lot of time to be in your own head in a marathon -- that's not exactly the best time to mull over your relationship to misfortune and tragedy.

             

            My first impression of Sandy and NYC was that by Saturday everything would be back together -- NYC shows an amazing resilience to catastrophe.  But as Spaniel points out, that just ain't so.

             

            I'll be running Philly, which I already had a bib for.  I need to talk to my coach about what I should do to untaper.

            2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

            Jill_B


            I fly.

              I've been thinking about this a lot lately.  Although I'm not running NYC this year, I did run in 2001.  I believe 9,000 people dropped out that year.  It was a great way to help an ailing city then, and I imagine the NYRRC expects it to help now or they would've cancelled the marathon.  If the NYRRC did cancel, there would be scores of unhappy runners and sponsors, since they didn't cancel, they have scores of unhappy New Yorkers (and everyone that I know on facebook who doesn't run) complaining.  It's a really tough situation and I hope it works out for the best... 

              Bring it on.


              Feeling the growl again

                I My first impression of Sandy and NYC was that by Saturday everything would be back together -- NYC shows an amazing resilience to catastrophe.  But as Spaniel points out, that just ain't so.

                 

                 

                 

                I'm just another body watching TV, I'd trust the commentary of the locals more than my evaluation of the situation.  Smile

                 

                I do agree with you however; a hard-run marathon is a tough thing, of course physically but also mentally.  If I were running this race I think I'd have a hard time staying mentally in the game.

                 

                Things in Staten Island look pretty sad.

                "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                 

                I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                 

                Seanv2


                  Many New Yorkers are really frustrated and the marathon is taking the brunt of that frustration.  But  if the marathon is cancelled those frustrations are not going to go away.  Instead we'll add the frustration of the runners and we'll have failed in hosting one of the great events of the city. 

                   

                  I get why people are so upset about this, but I still think it is better to move forward than to cancel.

                   

                  I do like Joe's idea of doing it old school with laps in central park, but with 50,000 runners, I don't think that is logistically possible.  

                   

                  Update:  I just saw this post by New York ultra runner Phil McCarthy which I think makes a good case for canceling the race.  I can't believe I'm siding with Mary Wittenberg but I am.

                   

                   

                  http://longdistancevoyager.blogspot.com/2012/11/cancel-ing-new-york-marathon.html

                  Have you qualified for Boston? I want to interview you!

                  Message me!

                   

                  www.miloandthecalf.com

                   

                  C-R


                    This is a tough one. I've run a couple of mega-marathons and get how hard it is to get in/get ready and pay for flight/hotel/entry. But having said that I'm not sure I would want to run through Staten Island right now. 

                     

                    Exit question - would you have run a marathon through New Orleans a couple of days after Katrina, in Hunstville a couple of days after last year's Alabama tornadoes, in Colorado a few days after the wildfires were put out?

                     

                    All the support staff might be better served helping people facing recovery.

                     

                    This is a Kobiashi Maru scenario.


                    "He conquers who endures" - Persius
                    "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel

                    http://ncstake.blogspot.com/

                    xhristopher


                      In the end I think half the runners won't show, which will make it's impact less severe and all the runners will say "I told you so." Anyone want to guess how many will show? I'd say 20K tops.

                       

                      Stadjak, I was looking forward to seeing your result but what a great backup race you have! You'll be fast at Philly and can always defer the NYC experience for next year. I didn't run NYC last year due to an injury and am so thankful I forfeited my deferment earlier in the year. Had I not, I honestly can't say where I'd be on the issue.

                       

                      After running Boston this year I'm pretty sure I'll always look towards finding a backup race for any marathon training cycle I do in the future. Seanster, glad you have a good one.

                      xhristopher


                        Exit question - would you have run a marathon through New Orleans a couple of days after Katrina, in Hunstville a couple of days after last year's Alabama tornadoes, in Colorado a few days after the wildfires were put out?

                         

                        I see a marathon as a big party/parade. Yes, some go with serious goals but for most it's a celebration of achievement. With that in mind, I struggle with the idea of going into someone's residence (Staten Island) and throwing a party (NYCM) while they are in the grips of trauma and loss. Seems to be in bad taste to me.

                        Seanv2


                          I see a marathon as a big party/parade. Yes, some go with serious goals but for most it's a celebration of achievement. With that in mind, I struggle with the idea of going into someone's residence (Staten Island) and throwing a party (NYCM) while they are in the grips of trauma and loss. Seems to be in bad taste to me.

                           

                           

                          I just want to say that if memory serves, the race does not go by any homes in Staten Island. It starts in a park and immediately heads over the Bridge.

                           

                          In fact, I think every neighborhood through which the race runs currently has power. 

                          Have you qualified for Boston? I want to interview you!

                          Message me!

                           

                          www.miloandthecalf.com

                           


                          jfa

                            It seems as though the people of staten island are the most pissed and here's why. They were among the hardest hitand  they are still finding dead people. People have lost everything they had. Instead ofdoing absolutely everything they can to help these folks, the city peeps are setting up porti potties for  the race. Just not right.

                            I'm holding out towards the deadlinto still hopinit it gets postponed. If not, I'm deferring until next year.. 

                            I'll get the hang of this iPad kb, sooner or later.

                             

                             

                             

                             

                             

                             

                            Biking Bad


                            finnegan begin again

                              I hope the race is run and many runners and spectators turn out. Why? People perform better under a deadline. More will be done in a brief time to prepare for the race and showcase the city. With or without the race some communities will have their needs delayed. Recovery is not a perfect process.  New York is our most important city. It's important to highlight it's resilience.

                               

                               Having said that...transportation and lodging would be obvious concerns.  To those who will be there on Sunday as a spectator or runner....Good Luck.

                              "... the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value..."  Thomas Paine Dec 23, 1776 The Crisis 

                               

                              Adversity is the first path to truth. Lord Byron

                               

                              "No one plans to fail…..they fail to plan" Skinny Pete

                                It seems as though the people of staten island are the most pissed and here's why. They were among the hardest hitand  they are still finding dead people. People have lost everything they had. Instead ofdoing absolutely everything they can to help these folks, the city peeps are setting up porti potties for  the race. Just not right.

                                 

                                 

                                Agreed.

                                 

                                Whether or not the race runs through neighborhoods on Staten Island, it seems to me to be in unbelievably poor taste to hold the marathon. I'm not seeing how continuing to have the race shows "resilience" when, as Joe pointed out, people are still right in the middle of suffering.