NYC Marathon 2012 (Read 2541 times)

    I wish Mayor Bloomberg  could simply postpone it for a week or two.

     

    or a year.

     

    I really feel strongly that NYRR should have just come out and canceled the race.  Anyone who would have been upset at them for doing this is foolish.  If it ended up bankrupting their group so be it.  There are worse things in life than having your running club go bankrupt.  I know because I saw Staten Island on the news. 

     

     

     

     

    Seanv2


      Will closing the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge cause any logistical problems for the recovery efforts?

       

       

      Not sure if this was directed at me, but I'll answer that I am not in the Office of Emergency Management so any answer I give will be talking out my ass.  Still, I can't imagine it will.  There is massive clean up to do on Staten Island, many parts of it are without power,  and like everywhere else in the New York area there is no gas, but having the bridge closed for a couple of hours isn't going to change any of that. 

       

      I think this whole thing has become about impressions - that NYRR and yuppie runners don't care about New Yorkers who are hurting, especially New Yorkers in Staten Island, who often feel like the forgotten borough.  I don't think that is the case, but it might be too late to change that impression.

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

      Message me!

       

      www.miloandthecalf.com

       

      xhristopher


        Not sure this this was directed at me, 

         

        It wasn't really. I just tossed it out there and then searched and found the Ferry is back online. That's good.

          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.

           You know what? You're right.  

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

            https://www.facebook.com/CancelThe2012NycMarathon


            I am a NYC 911 paramedic. I have been at work since Saturday and was not able to go home yet since my car was flooded by this storm. I have worked countless of hours this week. I have climbed more than 300 flights of stairs these last few days. Myself and my co workers are exhausted beyond belief, because the people who change shifts with us either lost theirs homes/cars, do not have gas, or any means to get here into manhattan. I have run out of clean uniform, have been showering in cold water because the hospitals are running low on generator power. All the hospitals below 40th street have taxed their resources and running on fumes or have been evacuated. Ambulances are running low on diesel and gas.

            To have this marathon this weekend is beyond any energy that myself or that of my coworkers have. All the water and blankets and food that are given to these runners can be better utilized to those who lost everything and to shelters. I understand that 45,000 people from around the country and the world have come here for this, but I am sorry, NYC is beyond disaster. Just because north of 40th street looks as if nothing happened, downtown looks as if a nuclear bomb went off and only left standing infrastructure. To have this marathon is selfish, and dangerous. Your EMS/Fire/Police personnel are beyond exhausted, mentally and physically.

            Thank you,

            An exhausted paramedic who just wants her bed (and wants her car back)

             Powerful. 

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

              that was my first thought as well when I heard they were not canceling this.  blankets and water will be used to comfort those who are running and not for those a few miles away who don't have a house anymore. 

               

               

               

               

              AmoresPerros


              Options,Account, Forums

                I think that postponing a race of this magnitude is inconceivable, for the following reasons -- not having to do with runners -- off the top of my head:

                • you don't have road & use permits for some other day, and you'll never get them in time
                • you lose all your facility reservations and rentals, probably done months in advance, and you can't get them for another day on short notice
                • all your staff & volunteers were committed to the original day, probably way in advance, and you can't expect them all to suddenly be available for some other day
                • If the city had scheduled extra mass transit, that involved scheduling extra workers, and that kind of stuff can't be suddenly shifted.

                It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                  that's why I think they should postpone it for 1 year. 

                   

                   

                   

                   

                  BeeRunB


                    http://www.usatoday.com/story/hotelcheckin/2012/11/02/new-york-city-marathon-runnersstaten-island-hilton-hotel-owner/1676087/

                     

                    Seems people who have been driven from their homes, or lost them, and who have been staying at city hotels, will have to give up their rooms for the marathoners who booked earlier on---except at this hotel, who feels they are doing the right thing by not having the refugees give up their rooms.

                    seanster


                    ME

                       But outside your TV the impact will be trivial.

                       

                       

                      Sorry, but nothing about this is trivial.  Give my stupid orange poncho to one of the victims.  Just because you won't "see" these neighborhoods as you run, doesn't mean it won't impact them.  Even if you believe that the measurable resources won't be impacted... don't you think there is a more powerful negative impact here?

                      The more and more I see, the happier I am with my decision to cancel.  40,000 pissed runner vs. million+ angry, powerless, hungry, and/or homeless - sorry, I am less and less seeing both sides of this argument.  Most of my family still lives in the tri-state area.  Facebook posts and messages are still downright scary.  National guard trucks are still rolling by my mom's house and she doesn't even live in the city.  They haven't had working gas stations in the county for days. 

                       

                      350 million is a a lot, but if the businesses don't even exist... what's the point.  350 million is probably 1% of what the city makes Christmas time anyway. 

                       

                      This situation is hanging from a thread and has the potential to ruin the goodwill NYC has for the marathon and NYRR for years.  

                      § SIGNATURE§

                        Not sure if this was directed at me, but I'll answer that I am not in the Office of Emergency Management so any answer I give will be talking out my ass.  Still, I can't imagine it will.  There is massive clean up to do on Staten Island, many parts of it are without power,  and like everywhere else in the New York area there is no gas, but having the bridge closed for a couple of hours isn't going to change any of that. 

                         

                        I think this whole thing has become about impressions - that NYRR and yuppie runners don't care about New Yorkers who are hurting, especially New Yorkers in Staten Island, who often feel like the forgotten borough.  I don't think that is the case, but it might be too late to change that impression.

                         

                        +1

                         

                        All the water, food, blankets, porta johns, volunteer jackets, key chains and various souvenirs can go to the storm victims.  But NYRR is a private corporation.  Asking it to cancel its event and give away all of its assets smells like socialism.  The water and blankets are not "given" to the runners.  Rather, they are purchased by the runners months ago with their entry fees.  Canceling the event will also impact local businesses since the 45,000 runners injection millions of dollars into the city.

                         

                        The marathon route does not go through the impacted areas.  The biggest problem I see is transportation since the downtown subways are still non operational.  While it will require additional EMT and police, I don't think they are the same ones that are dealing with the storm affected areas.

                         

                        In the end, it's just an image problem for the marathon.  I don't think it will have additional burden on the city.

                        AmoresPerros


                        Options,Account, Forums

                          ...  While it will require additional EMT and police, I don't think they are the same ones that are dealing with the storm affected areas.

                           

                           

                          Why not?

                          It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                          seanster


                          ME

                            Why not?

                             

                            +1 ,Generally the marathon doesn't tax these resources due to the fact it's on a Sunday.  Not a typical Sunday this year. 

                            These same workers also have to get ready for another huge city wide event on Tuesday.  The Election.  No rest for the weary.  (P.S. my source is an NYPD officer). 

                            § SIGNATURE§


                            Imminent Catastrophe

                              I'm no fan of Bloomberg but he's the Mayor and was elected to make the hard decisions. He wants the race to happen, that's good enough for me. 

                              But then I'm not running the race and don't live in the area either.

                              "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

                               "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

                              "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

                               

                              √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

                              Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

                              Western States 100 June 2016

                              BeeRunB


                                Wonder how the sponsors are handling all the bad press that is popping up.  Will they be the ones to pull the plug?