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New York City Marathon Runner Comments
Back to New York City Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.7 
Organization 4.3 
Spectators 4.9
Number of comments: 604 [displaying comments 201 to 211]
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angel vega from nyc
(11/3/2008)
"This is the best race I've ever run" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The NY Marathon is the best. This is a family day. | |
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M. B. from Indiana
(11/3/2008)
"wow!" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The weather was great this year, though the headwind was a bit tough. The crowd support is simply amazing. You can't beat this anywhere! Those bridges are brutal, so pace yourself! And both 1st Ave. and 5th Ave. are at a slight incline, as is Central Park and Central Park South. And as is the finish! But it's New York, the biggest and the best. I loved it! | |
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C. B. from Chicago, Illinois
(11/3/2008)
"Great course, terrible start and finish" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 There are several aspects to this race. The course and spectators are incredible. I have run other large races and this is the best crowd support I have ever seen. The course is also very good. It is challenging, but you really do get to experience all 5 boroughs. My complaints are with the start, and the finish. Why do the runners get to the island so early for a 9:40, 10:00 or 10:20 start. If everyone is there, why not start at 8:00? Waiting 4+ hours to start a race is crazy. The warming areas they provide could not possibly hold the number of runners they anticipate. The start in 2008 was terrible. I run with my husband, yet we were put in different starting areas with different start times. We were told we could drop down to the slower runners' time. Since we run the same time, why were we not put together? When you allow people to drop down, you're creating a mess. How does that help with over crowding? They also anticipated the changes would allow everyone to start withing 6 minutes of their start time. It took much longer then that and you're still waiting. The race is chip timed, so why is it necessary to split people up the way they did? The finish was by far the worst experience. There were nowhere near the necessary number of volunteers to hand out medals and blankets, and the walk to exit was ridiculous. To put the UPS trucks in that area was crazy. People were trying to get their belongings and change clothes in an area that was already completely overcrowded. I know all runners need to be cleared from the finish area as quickly as possible, but this set up made that impossible. I needed to get to 42nd Street to get back to my hotel. I should not have been forced to walk up to 77th. That is a personal reason why I really was unhappy with the finish, but the real concern here is, if medical attention is needed, it would be completely impossible to get to someone. The planning on this area, while done with good intentions, needs to be addressed. All in all, this is a race that most people seem to enjoy. For those looking for a big race with incredible crowd support, this is a good one. For those looking for a good race, this isn't it. | |
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P. B. from England
(11/3/2008)
"windy, hilly and cold, but lifted by the crowd" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 All of the reviews and comments from friends were spot on: it is a tough course, and it's not helped by the long wait at a cold, dark refugee camp, but running through the 5 boroughs is a great experience. The crowds were special: I followed the tip of sticking my name on the front of my vest, and lost count of the number of times I was cheered on: It really does make a difference. | |
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G. M. from NYC
(11/3/2008)
"Awesome as usual!" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The best fans ever, and millions of them. My 3rd NYC was, as usual, awesome. For those considering the marathon, the only bad parts I can think of include the wait on Staten Island in the cold for hours beforehand. In 2008, it was about 38F and breezy, so we were all freezing together. Coffee and tea are offered to help you, and there are a couple of small tents. And the other bad part is the 20-minute (plus) wait to get out of Central Park after the race. But aside from those, it's still an awesome race, though my wife and I are noticing it getting more crowded each year. Definitely recommended though. | |
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Lisa Avolio from Indiana, Pennsylvania
(11/2/2008)
"The spirit of the crowds was amazing." (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. It was so exciting from the very start running over the first bridge and seeing the pumper ship's grand spray for us, as well as the amazing crowd that cheered for us FOR THE ENTIRE ROUTE OF THE RACE! I read that if you put your name on your shirt, they will cheer for you - especially at the end when you need it the most... AND THEY DID! The volunteers were encouraging and wonderful. The day couldn't have been more beautiful and my fellow runners more supportive along the race. A class-act all the way! | |
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J. P. from New York, NY
(10/7/2008)
"Great marathon for a first-time marathoner" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and it was a wonderful experience. The weather was ideal, the crowd support was amazing, and running through all five boroughs was super cool. Pros: The crowds really motivate you. Seeing the different ethnic neighborhoods makes this marathon unlike any other. This race attracts runners from all over the world. Plenty of water stops and port-a-johns. Cons: Parts of the course were narrow (in Brooklyn, specifically) so I found myself dodging people near the water stops. After I crossed the finish line, it took me about an hour to get out of the park to my family and friends. The small and medium-sized marathon shirts went very quickly at the expo. | |
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M. M. from East Lansing, MI
(10/3/2008)
"nice course" (about: 1999)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was a very special race for me. My special aunt was dying from cancer. She wanted me to run and have a good time, so I did. I ran for my aunt. | |
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Mark Rollins from Nashville, TN
(9/30/2008)
"Nothing compares." (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Alright, you're wondering if this marathon is really what everyone says it is. I read these posts over and over again after I got my acceptance letter. So here goes. The straight and skinny of the NYC Marathon. I have run the Country Music Marathon and 1/2 multiple times, as well as Chicago twice. I had an idea of what to expect as far as logistics of the marathon, but even after knowing what to expect, I was still very nervous.... Come on, this is NYC! Here goes. First start by marking your name on the front of you somewhere so everyone can see it and cheer you on... you will, however, get tired of hearing that you look great, that you should keep going, etc. But it does work. Next, if you are staying in Manhattan, go the previous day to where you plan on taking the shuttle over to Fort Wadsworth. I got on near the library in Manhattan, but cannot remember the street. I do remember I left my hotel room at like 4:00 a.m. that morning and still had to wait in a line (but probably no more than about 15 or 20 minutes). It was very cool but not freezing cold that morning. After getting onto the bus, It was about a 30-minute drive over to Fort Wadsworth. Once there, you unload onto the property up until the start. It will probably still be dark while you are there and still pretty chilly, so wear some old, warm clothes that you can strip off at the start. There is nowhere to sit except the ground. There was a heavy dew that morning and it was very wet everywhere. I brought about four big, black plastic trash bags and lay on the ground; it was also an instant way to make friends if you're doing this alone. You will probably be sitting around for about two or three hours and you will get bored. Take a cheap deck of playing cards with you and invite others to share your trash bags and some fun card games. You will really be glad you did. I met some amazing people from all over the world. So, stake out your departure the day before from Manhattan, get there early, and bring warm clothes, trash bags and patience. The Start: You will have a very short walk from Fort Wadsworth to the starting line, but it seems as if it is very long. Again, be patient; you will get there. Once you cross the line, be ready for your first hill; it's big and long, but you hardly feel it. You are swept away by the people running. First is Brooklyn. The people are great and there are lots of them cheering you on with their own Brooklyn way of cheering. People are constantly lining the streets and on their balconies and bands and parties and wow, it sweeps you all the way to Manhattan. If you plan on seeing a loved one along the way and are not from the city, I urge you to take your phone. The people are 10 and 12 rows deep all through the run and it is so loud from start to finish that you can hardly hear at times. My wife found me twice during the end of the race, but only because she knew the area well. Don't worry about the hills; they are minor and you will hardly know you are on them. You need some hills in your training, but not like Nashville Marathon hill training. They really are minor. Ok, here is where I broke: you hit Central Park and the people are all giddy and screaming you've done it, you're almost there, but remember, you still have over 3 miles to go. This 3 miles seemed longer than the previous 23 I had just run. But you will make it. Enjoy those last 3. Enjoy the park. Enjoy the people. Because that is the last 3 of the NYC Marathon. Let it sink in that you did it. There you go. Those are the do's... now here is my one very big don't and negative of the race: DON'T check a bag at Fort Wadsworth. It is a nightmare. Take your old, warm clothes at the beginning of the race and leave them on the ground. The Boy Scouts will pick them up and donate them to area people in need. Anything else, plan on taking with you all the way to the finish line. After the finish line, get the medal, the picture, a banana, water, etc. and get the heck out of line somewhere. From the finish line on, you will be doing the penguin shuffle for about a mile, with thousands of people around you doing the penguin shuffle as well. From the finish line on, it is baggage claim and first aid. Don't take baggage to Fort Wadsworth that you will have to claim at the finish. After you get your medal and picture, get out of line somewhere and find another path to walk. Just hang a left, climb a barrier, climb a hill, climb a tree, whatever just make sure you go left (west), and you will find another path out of the madness, I promise. This is the absolute best advice I can give you for 26.2 miles. GET OUT OF LINE AND FIND YOUR OWN WAY OUT OF THE PARK. Just look at it as another adventure to the end of your day. For those of you who read this and still decide to check a bag and pick it up at the end... as Tweety Bird once said, "You'll be sorry, puddy tat." Trust me on this one, folks. If you do nothing else that I have recommended, trust me on this one. Single ladies, you don't have to have make-up to freshen up after the race. Heck, you just ran 26.2 miles. Lipstick isn't going to do much for you right now. Neither is mascara. Just get out of line and go back to your room and shower. This is really a great, great marathon, with lots of people, and lots of crowds. Isn't that what NYC is all about? Have fun out there this year, folks. I'll be watching from Nashville, on TV. | |
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Dan Jahns from New York, USA
(9/13/2008)
"An Incredible Experience!" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The 2007 ING New York Marathon was my first (and only so far) and it was an amazing experience. I could go on and on about how great my experience was, but instead i'll try to give just a few observations or pieces of advice that I garnered from my NYC Marathon experience. * When you register, think hard about what you HOPE to run on race day - not what your present condition gives you confidence for. As a first-timer, when I registered, I didn't have a lot of confidence and put down a slower overall time estimate, but after training hard for 4 months, I knew I would run much faster than that on race day. The way they organize the race start now is with corrals based on finishing time estimates, so it was impossible to move up, and therefore I was slowed initially by the pace of runners in my corral. If you are just out to finish and enjoy it, then it doesn't matter; but if you want to be competitive, it's something to think about. * If you run with a GPS watch (as I do), and rely on it massively (as I do), then be forewarned that you may be running over the lower deck of the Varrazano Narrows Bridge at the start and your GPS will likely not pick up a satellite. This happened to me and as a result I ended up going out way too fast, as I could not tell my pacing accurately until I got off the bridge. * The crowds are truly amazing - and, from what I am told, more densely packed throughout the race than any other marathon. If you are like me and feed off of the cheers from the crowd I offer two suggestions: (1) Write your name on your shirt (front and back); and (2), run close to the sides of the street. I ran for a charity and they gave us shirts to wear that had our names printed on them. At first I was not happy about this, thinking it was a bit "cheesy" - plus I wanted to wear my own cool running shirt that I had purchased. But it turned out to be a godsend, as tons of spectators along the course shouted my name along with words of encouragement. For me, hearing my name along with the cheers made such a difference and buoyed my pace as I ran. For that reason I kept to the sides of the street even though I had to occasionally dodge spectators that had come to far out into the street. After coming off the 59th Street Bridge, I actually ran all the way across 1st Avenue so that I could suck up the cheers of encouragement from all the people on the far side of the street. As all the other runners, understandably, chose the shorter route and stayed on the near side of 1st Ave. Even though I ran slightly longer because of it, I benefited greatly from all of the personal cheers. I think the spectators really enjoyed it too because all of the other runners were so far away and this brought some of the action closer to them. Those three stick in my mind as far as advice goes. The NYC Marathon is definitely not an easy race - you'd think Manhattan and the outer boroughs are largely flat, but there are a few killer hills, some deceptively so (like the slow, steady incline in upper Manhattan right after you come over from the Bronx - brutal). Best of luck to all of you future NYC Marathon runners. Enjoy your experience. |
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