New York Marathon 2009

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Comments

  • Right, I have booked my hotel. I am going to stay at the Eastgate Tower Hotel on 39th Street, Midtown.

    I will fly out on the 30th Oct and return on the 3rd Nov. Can you update me on the list please.

    Not booked flights yet, that's next.

  • Looks like I am booking in tomorrow.

    NY is a tough course, and not one for fast times. I've done it twice, and I am coming back for a third time because the race is just awesome! I've done London and Chicago, both of which were memorable, but my personal view is they don't compare to New York in terms of sheer razamataz.

    The spectators all the way round are just amazing, there are only a couple of bits on the route through side streets where the crowd isn't thick with people going crazy. Coming off the Queensborough Bridge at 16m is just breathtaking, the crowds are something else, and I defy anyone not to get emotional coming up 5th Avenue with people 10 deep shouting your name in the final 5 miles.

    I had a break from running for 4 years, and came back to New York in 2007, ran my personal worst time, but it was easily my best ever experience.

    Youtube has a video of the course.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnxknAnBVk0


  • Martin. Nice course report, thanks.

    (The video link and various other course related stuff are also shown in the first post of this discussion/forum - I'm still not clear about the appropriate terminology.)

    On the hills, I suspect they matter more/are more 'pronounced' the faster one's goal time is. When I used to be half a minute a mile slower than I have been recently, losing a bit on an incline could be easily negated by gaining a bit elsewhere. Now I have less slack, any losses from any inclines (or anything else) are more difficult to recoup: hence I notice such challenges more (and label them as such). Just a theory.

  • StrayceltStraycelt ✭✭✭
    Okay guys...I'm coming in for NY 3 and concur with Martin's comments. I would suggest, however, take t easy  at the start. It's a bridge and it's about two miles and the thing about bridges is they go up before they come down and from memory ther's about seven on this course. The wheels came off my wagon and many other people's at Queensborough at 16 miles which is an amazing bridge experience and has a couple of sharp descents before you hit 5th Avenue and crowd city. This avenue is wide, but also long, very long, 4 milesish(But I stand to be corrected) with a gentle uphill gradient all the way. I've done NY, Boston, Chicago, London but this is the one for crowd support but it is also the toughest of the 5 marathon major in my opinion (Berlin's the other and it's a breeze compared to this). Please, please, please do the whole NY thing. Expo, friendship run from the UN to Central Park and brekkie on Saturday, run Sunday and then the party, which when I went was at theCopacabbana Night Club, to really grab the real NY deal. It's straight out of the movies as you pass NYPD stations with the cop, jacket open, belt, pistol, bigmac or donut and coffee standing n teh steps, fire dept with flags. completely OTT but completely unforgettable and totallyy New York, New York. I want a good time here more than any other race because it has challenges but is so uplifting and different. Bring it on and hope to see some/all of you there for another unforgettable experience
  • Goal                          Hotel (Dates)
    • Champagne          3:30                          Rented accommodation Brooklyn (25-1)
    • Chowster                3.59.59
    • Dave101                 3:50                          Novotel Times Square, Midtown (29-4)
    • Djwolf                      3:29                          Crowne Plaza (with Mrs Wolf)
    • Gary Jones             2:44
    • Hudds Dave           3:50
    • Kiwidave                 3:29                          The Marcel at Gramercy (30 - 2)
    • Iain Harrison          2:55
    • L’ardvark                 3:05                          Ramada, NJ (29 - 2)
    • Legs in Pain           5.30
    • NotCat                     3.10
    • Over the Hill            3.45                          Jersey City (29 - 1) at a friend's (if she's still not smoking)
    • Paul Ward              2:59:59
    • Steven S                 3:30
    • Stray Celt                3:30
    • Tiptree                     3:45
    • Tony Hodge 6        3:30
    • Tortie T                    3:30                          Ramada, NJ (30 - 2)
    • Tricia Hurst             3:59                         Crowne Plaza (28-3)
  •                                                Goal                          Hotel (Dates)
    • Champagne          3:30                          Rented accommodation Brooklyn (25-1)
    • Chowster                3.59.59
    • Dave101                 3:50                          Novotel Times Square, Midtown (29-4)
    • Djwolf                      3:29                          Crowne Plaza (with Mrs Wolf)
    • Gary Jones             2:44
    • Hudds Dave           3:50
    • Kiwidave                 3:29                          The Marcel at Gramercy (30 - 2)
    • Iain Harrison          2:55
    • L’ardvark                 3:05                          Ramada, NJ (29 - 2)
    • Legs in Pain           5.30
  •                                                Goal                          Hotel (Dates)
    • NotCat                     3.10
    • Over the Hill            3.45                          Jersey City (29 - 1) at a friend's
    • Paul Ward              2:59:59
    • Steven S                 3:30
    • Stray Celt                3:30
    • Sue Osborne         3: 50                          The New Yorker
    • Tiptree                     3:45
    • Tony Hodge 6        3:30
    • Tortie T                    3:30                          Ramada, NJ (30 - 2)
    • Tricia Hurst             3:59                         Crowne Plaza (28-3)
  • Iain. You left Sue out!image The Table is too big to fit in a single window now. (But there is plenty of room across two windows, so additions more than welcome. Martin...) Impressive goal time there, though, Iain! Nice to see some sub-3 competition for Gary.
  • Some interesting NY marathon stats from The New York Times, once again stolen from Footloose.
  • L'ardvark

    Can you add me to the Hotel list:

    Eastgate Tower Hotel on 39th Street, Midtown.

    I will fly out on the 30th Oct and return on the 3rd Nov.

    Cheers

    Dave

  •                                                Goal                          Hotel (Dates)
    • Champagne          3:30                          Rented accommodation Brooklyn (25-1)
    • Chowster                3.59.59
    • Dave101                 3:50                          Novotel Times Square, Midtown (29-4)
    • Djwolf                      3:29                          Crowne Plaza (with Mrs Wolf)
    • Gary Jones             2:44
    • Hudds Dave           3:50                          Eastgate Tower Hotel, Midtown (30-3)
    • Kiwidave                 3:29                          The Marcel at Gramercy (30 - 2)
    • Iain Harrison          2:55
    • L’ardvark                 3:05                          Ramada, NJ (29 - 2)
  •                                                Goal                          Hotel (Dates)
    • NotCat                     3.10
    • Over the Hill            3.45                          Jersey City (29 - 1) at a friend's
    • Paul Ward              2:59:59
    • Steven S                 3:30
    • Stray Celt                3:30
    • Sue Osborne         3: 50                          The New Yorker
    • Tiptree                     3:45
    • Tony Hodge 6        3:30
    • Tortie T                    3:30                          Ramada, NJ (30 - 2)
    • Tricia Hurst             3:59                         Crowne Plaza (28-3)
  • L'ardvark,

    thanks for not forgetting me!!

    Suffolk is a lovely place although Ipshit - sorry Ipwich is a bit to be desired, being an Essex girl at heart !!

    Bungay marathon was a toughy for my first with 4 rather large hills on a 13 mle loop so you had to go through them twice, which was not so appealing the second time round !!

    Where is everyone else from??

    Anyone near me?

  • Ok, so I logged into the entrant database this morning and we have to select whether we want no transportation/New Jersey or New York. It says the mode of transport will be assigned depending on your wave start. Does this mean we don’t get a choice between ferry and bus if we select New York? The ferry is public transport so I guess they can’t stop anyone using it but you need a marathon bus at the Staten Island end to take you to the staging area. I selected New York as I reckon even if I get assigned a bus at ridiculous o’clock they’re not likely to prevent anyone from getting to the start, you could just claim to have been stuck in traffic.
  • Hi all, sorry if this has already been asked but I see that the Verrazano bridge closes to traffic at 7am.

    Does this apply to people on foot too?
    I mean as in coming from a hotel on the Brooklyn/Long Island side and getting a lift as far as bridge to get to start ?

  • Tortie. I wonder if and when they were going to tell us we had to select transport options? Anyway, word on the US site is that it really doesn't matter. Just turn up to whatever, wherever and they'll let you on. If you selected NY, I guess I'd better do the same thing, what we me unable to make any decisions on my own and all.

    Bannerman. WELCOME. Fancy telling us something about yourself? Maybe including your goal time for the table above? I confes that I haven't seen anything about foot closures for that bridge? Do they normally allow pedestrian passage? I seem to remember that the bridge is very long - do you really want to walk it even if you are allowed? If I had to guess, I'd say you probably can't, because I can't remember a single person reporting or recommending using that route. I'd be very sure before planning to do this...

  • djwolfdjwolf ✭✭✭

    If I remember correctly official buses left Manhattan at 4.00am!!! I heard of several people catching the ferry at ~7.00am, but you then have to get a shuttle bus on Staten Island to start area. This is one reason I have booked with 209events as they are organising private buses from hotels at ~6.00 am.

    The bridge is two miles long, I dont know if foot traffic is allowed.

  • Hi all,

     Just found out I have made it via the ballot and I'm very excited image

     I haven't had time to read through this forum yet to catch up with where you all are at, so I have some reading to do.

     Becasue I thought I stood no chance in getting in I have booked myself into Chicago Marathon which is three weeks earlier.  Guess it will now make for an exhausting and expensive month.

     My goal time will be around the 3:10 area all though it depends on how I recover from Chicago etc.

     I have to start looking at hotels now, anybody found any great deals yet?

     Good luck to you all.

     

  • Congratulations and WELCOME Deejp. Hotel info below (and much more on earlier posts in this thread). Happy reading. And good luck in Chicago!

                                                   Goal                          Hotel (Dates)

    • Champagne          3:30                          Rented accommodation Brooklyn (25-1)
    • Chowster                3.59.59
    • Dave101                 3:50                          Novotel Times Square, Midtown (29-4)
    • DeejP                      3.10
    • Djwolf                      3:29                          Crowne Plaza (with Mrs Wolf)
    • Gary Jones             2:44
    • Hudds Dave           3:50                          Eastgate Tower Hotel, Midtown (30-3)
    • Kiwidave                 3:29                          The Marcel at Gramercy (30 - 2)
    • Iain Harrison          2:55
    • L’ardvark                 3:05                          Ramada, NJ (29 - 2)
  •                                                Goal                          Hotel (Dates)
    • NotCat                     3.10
    • Over the Hill            3.45                          Jersey City (29 - 1) at a friend's
    • Paul Ward              2:59:59
    • Steven S                 3:30
    • Stray Celt                3:30
    • Sue Osborne         3: 50                          The New Yorker
    • Tiptree                     3:45
    • Tony Hodge 6        3:30
    • Tortie T                    3:30                          Ramada, NJ (30 - 2)
    • Tricia Hurst             3:59                         Crowne Plaza (28-3)
  • Thank you,

    I have made my start though the forum so I shall take a look at the info.

     This is my first time running NYM so it is great to already see lots of advice out there.  More questions to come I'm sure of it image

    Thanks again.

  • I read that book (Born to Run) a few weeks ago and have to say it is the best running book I have ever read. I totally bought into what he says and have spent the last few weeks getting used to a pair of Vibram Five Finger ‘shoes’ which emulate barefoot running. I only wear them once a week (‘cause of blisters) and have no intention of converting totally but I reckon that a couple of runs a week must do some good. I’ve actually got them with me today for my lunch time run but I’m so embarrassed about them (they look ridiculous) that I don’t dare wear them on the usual route as too many people from work would see. The Ramada has now charged my credit card so I feel happier about there being a room for me when I get to NY. I have an off road half marathon tomorrow which should be a laugh as I can’t read maps at all well.
  • Hi All

    I put my name in the ballot on the off-chance (never put it one before) and I'm in !! (for your first ever marathon why not go for a major one)

    Booked my flights and hotel (29 - 3 @ at the Grand Hyatt) and target time will be anything under 4 hours

    I guess there will be chance to meet up with other Brits on Tour but how will we know whose who - red carnation, union jack shorts, pink punk rock mohicans ?

    On a more serious note, I'll be bringing my better looking half (doesnt know yet) and am toying with the idea of getting a seat for her but does anybody have an opinion on these (VFM ?) and also the pick up time seems scary, but do many of the supporting crew go down to the start ?

    I'm off to the docs today as my knee hurts so I want to get it checked out before training in anger for the event - as a more mature (44) person, want to make sure I will get around and soak up the adoration of the crowd as I cross the line in a majestic demonstration of power, pace and endurance (??!!)

  • Tortie. I have just Google-image searched "Vibram Five Finger shoes". I am now having difficulty breathing for giggling so much. No wonder you feel the need to run in secret. I SOOO want a pair now, though.

    This naked foot running thing is new to me. Intuitively, it is appealing. When I walk barefoot around the house, there is no doubt that my feet are (pro-) active in a way that both feels very natural and is actually 'sensually' quite pleasing. It is also a massively different feel from my shoes protecting my (passive) feet to the point of deadening their responses and responsibilities. I can well imagine that regular bare-foot running would have all sorts of benefits, would feel great, and in some ways might make me a stronger, better runner. However, my sense is that (a) it would take me years to make progress, (b) it would not feel nice a lot of the time, and (c) I would be more susceptible to damage before I became less. Also, I would never get to a stage where I could compete for speed and endurance against people wearing high-end shoes.

    While I like the idea of bare-foot competition (heck, let's go back to completely naked Olympians), given that most people are now not bare-footed, it seems a bit of a waste of time ploughing that furrow alone. It is a bit like drugs. I am very much a fan of keeping sport drugs free. However, if everyone was legally on performance-enhancing drugs, it would seem perverse to the point of stupidity to be the only one to not use them for training and competition. That is, I am completely persuaded that bare would be best, but suspect it probably isn't in a world where everyone else has performance-enhancing shoes. While there might be some benefit from me going bare some of the time (like you, in secret but with pleasure), I am not sure it would bring enough benefit to make it worth the while, given the attendent costs, risks, etc.

    Sorry, this is longer than I intended. Thinking aloud, really. No need for anyone to respond. Just thought I'd share.

    I'm very tempted to buy that book now, though.

  • djwolfdjwolf ✭✭✭

    Hi mb

    Dont think supporters allowed at the start (if they do go, then they will be stuck there for hours). Have a look at the course route on the marathon website, it will show best viewing areas. A seat in the grandstand is very expensive (corperate day).

    I am a little more mature image 46. You will enjoy the day, it is a great experience

    All the best

  • Mittybob. WELCOME. And CONGRATULATIONS. Someone will undoubtedly arrange the who, where, and how of meetings in NY for those of us here who want them. I would say pink punk rock mohawks, but after watching the entering ceremony for the Big Brother House last night, your avatar's look is another possibility. 

    I have heard that logistics with supporters can be tricky, but I shall leave those more knowledgable to provide details.

    Good job going to the docs with your knees and good luck with the news you get there. (I am more mature than you: yah, boo, sucks.)

    I misread and thought you planned to cross the line "in a majestic demonstration of power, peace and endurance", which I thought was a nice ambition. What you said is good too, though, and probably more practical.

    To repeat, welcome.

  •                                                Goal                          Hotel (Dates)

    • Champagne          3:30                          Rented accommodation Brooklyn (25-1)
    • Chowster                3.59.59
    • Dave101                 3:50                          Novotel Times Square, Midtown (29-4)
    • DeejP                      3.10
    • Djwolf                      3:29                          Crowne Plaza (with Mrs Wolf)
    • Gary Jones             2:44
    • Hudds Dave           3:50                          Eastgate Tower Hotel, Midtown (30-3)
    • Kiwidave                 3:29                          The Marcel at Gramercy (30 - 2)
    • Iain Harrison          2:55
    • L’ardvark                 3:05                          Ramada, NJ (29 - 2)
  •                                                Goal                          Hotel (Dates)
    • Mittybob                   4.00                          Grand Hyatt (29 - 3)
    • NotCat                     3.10
    • Over the Hill            3.45                          Jersey City (29 - 1) at a friend's
    • Paul Ward              2:59:59
    • Steven S                 3:30
    • Stray Celt                3:30
    • Sue Osborne         3: 50                          The New Yorker
    • Tiptree                     3:45
    • Tony Hodge 6        3:30
    • Tortie T                    3:30                          Ramada, NJ (30 - 2)
    • Tricia Hurst             3:59                         Crowne Plaza (28-3)
  • Must say i just googled the 5 finger shoes and had a giggle as wellimage. Although i have to say my favourite running shoes are almost like running bare foot they are soooo worn!! Am wondering if i can get the NYM out of them - i so hate buying new runners! 

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