2016 New York City Marathon Thread (Read 290 times)

 Thanks.  I think there is always confusion about this.

 

FWIW, I am in the last corral of green so, if I'm reading this correctly, there's no where for me to move back to.  Everyone in Wave 1 has a lower number than mine.  But yes, I could encounter a marshal who wouldn't notice.

Yep, you are correct -- on both accounts.

Of course, if you wanted, you could start in Corral A for either Blue or Orange .... in Wave 2.  Not ideal, but completely legit.

Any tips/pointers/experiences from the veterans on what to expect in the staging area while waiting for the start?  I assume they get you there pretty early and to expect a lengthy wait.  Any shelter?  Tips on what to bring?

Is there anything in particular you're worried about?

Here are some general tips/what to expect:

• My first year, I checked a bag and bought everything but the kitchen sink.  Now, other than the stuff I'm racing with, I just bring pre-race food, throw away clothes, and an old heat shield in case the ground is wet.
• Plan on getting there early but not too early.  It can be tricky because the later you get off the ferry, the more bus traffic there is getting to Fort Wadsworth, which can throw off your timing.  If it helps, last year I got to the Ferry Station at ~6:45am, got to Fort Wadsworth at ~8:00am. 
• The police are serious about the prohibited items.  One year, I lugged a full-size blanket all the way to Fort Wadsworth only to have the police tell me I couldn't bring it in.  So, check to see what they'll allow.
• Once you're off the bus, it's maybe a 15 minute walk to the staging area. 
• There is food and water in the staging area if you're hungry/thirsty.  Nothing fancy - bagels, water, etc.
• The staging area itself is mostly a drive way, sidewalks, small patches of grass, port-a-potties, bag check, first aid stations, and the food tables. There are tents but there aren't large enough to shelter everyone.  I think that's the only real shelter in the staging area.  
• There's no entertainment in the staging area and the announcements are all business.  (The race official at the bridge brings the liveliness.)
• They give out free Dunkin Donuts hats.  If you didn't do bag check, you'll have to figure out where to stash it on you if you want to keep it.
• Get to your corral on time!  Last year, I noticed the marshals were letting in late arrives but in past years, closed meant closed.
• The corrals themselves are asphalt (at least in the Blue Wave) so prepare to sit on a hard surface for a long while.  There isn't any shelter in the corrals.
• There are port-a-potties in the corrals.  There are lines but they're shorter than the ones in the staging area.  Once the walk the wave to the start, though, the lines disappear.  If you can do your business quickly, you'll have time to go one last time before getting to the bridge.  (Thus, eliminating the need to pee off the bridge).

That's all I've got for now.  But, maybe others can think of some things I forgot or fill in more details.

Julia's tips are great! I would only add these:

• There will be donation bins and piles in the corrals for your throw-away clothes, so you can keep them until the last minute. I've seen people leaving them behind at the start, too. I like to keep a mylar heat shield on until we actually start if it's cold.
• If you plan to see friends and family cheering for you on the course, make a very specific plan in advance, for example, northeast corner of 5th avenue and 116th street. You need to know what side of the street they will be on and exactly which block. Make sure you know what color jacket they will be wearing and look for that. If they are following you on the app, they should know about when you will be arriving.
• To meet up with friends and family after the race, also make sure you have a very specific plan. If it's cold and/or rainy, try to select a location where they can be indoors. It's hard to predict how long it will take you to exit the park after finishing. Also, check the maps to see where you will be exiting depending on whether you checked baggage or not -- it makes a huge difference.
• It's a good idea for anyone following you using the app to also bring a phone charger (unless, of course, you are a sub-2:30 marathoner). Last year, my husband was following me and his phone died a few minutes after I crossed the finish line, so I couldn't reach him when our bus back home was not where it was supposed to be.
• I was very disappointed to find that there are no port-a-potties at the finish; you can't get to one until you exit the park.

I never noticed that!  It's amazing more people don't have accidents.

 I guess my biggest concern was getting to the right corral on time.  Some bigger races that I've been in have been so congested that just getting to your corral is half the battle. 

The corral system for NYC is very different from other big races -- I can compare it to Philadelphia and Boston. You are admitted into a corral area well before your wave's start and then, about 20 minutes later, your corral actually gets in line to progress to the start. There is plenty of room in the corral waiting areas and there are porta-potties, so really, the best thing to do is to get in a porta-potty line once you get into the corral.

I don't know about the timing of the transportation from NYC (I take a bus from NJ), but I would assume that you would be okay. Once you get off the bus, there is a walk to the Village and you have to go through security checks, which can take a while if several buses have unloaded at the same time. But the entire Village area is quite large and you don't have to fight any crowds. More people seem to have issues with the amount of waiting time at the Village before the start than they do with concerns about being late for their corral.

 

The corral system for NYC is very different from other big races -- I can compare it to Philadelphia and Boston. You are admitted into a corral area well before your wave's start and then, about 20 minutes later, your corral actually gets in line to progress to the start. There is plenty of room in the corral waiting areas and there are porta-potties, so really, the best thing to do is to get in a porta-potty line once you get into the corral.

 

I don't know about the timing of the transportation from NYC (I take a bus from NJ), but I would assume that you would be okay. Once you get off the bus, there is a walk to the Village and you have to go through security checks, which can take a while if several buses have unloaded at the same time. But the entire Village area is quite large and you don't have to fight any crowds. More people seem to have issues with the amount of waiting time at the Village before the start than they do with concerns about being late for their corral.

+1.

Boston=long time in in the athlete's village, long walk to your corral, almost no time in your corral.  NYCM=no time in the athlete's village, long time in your corral, medium walk to the start where you'll wait some more.

 guess my biggest concern was getting to the right corral on time.  Some bigger races that I've been in have been so congested that just getting to your corral is half the battle.  I'm taking the bus from the library since my hotel is near there, I'm not sure if that makes a difference vs. the ferry.  

Very valid concerns, but if your experience matches mine from last year, you will be amazed at the organization and simplicity of the process.

i took the bus last year from the NY Public Library.  Summary of my experience:  A++.   Very easy and very relaxing.  The trip took about 45 minutes.

My hotel was 5 blocks away, so a very short walk.  I arrived at the library at 6am, boarded a bus in about 1 minute, and we left 5 minutes later.  The bus dropped us off near the toll booths and start line area, and the walk from the bus took about 5 minutes.  Security checkpoint was another 5 minutes.   Very organized.

The walk from the security checkpoint to the Orange village area was about 2 minutes.   Around 7am, I grabbed a seat under a tree near Orange Corral C and waited until it opened at 8:45.   When it finally opened, I waited about 2 minutes to enter  -- and I found a spot near the corral separation rope to sit and wait.  At 9:30am or so, the rope dropped, and we started to move forward, and slowly made our way to the bridge and starting lines.

50,000 runners!   Incredibly well organized.  

Good luck!

Let the weather stalking begin!

 

The Weather Channel's 10 day for New York City shows rain.

I saw that! But now it shows mostly sunny with a high of 58. I hope the new forecast turns out to be the right one. Already obsessing over wardrobe choices!

 

Oh man.  The current forecast is perfect!  We should be so lucky.

You should be. I'm excited for you all!