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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 281 to 291]
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K. R. from Rochester, NY
(11/6/2007)
"Great Race" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The web site kept you well informed prior to race day. I was well prepared for the start and the finish. I applied for the race with a very good expected finish time. I was placed correctly in the blue start area. I was able to qualify for Boston and NY for next year. This was my first marathon and it was beyond my greatest expectations. I have no complaints with the organization. It was fantastic. I do have complaints with some of the other runners. Mainly runners lining up in the wrong starting areas. I was in the 4500 blue area and when we started to walk to the bridge many runners started to run ahead. I noticed after the start of the race that many runners clearly shouldn't have been in the blue area. I believe that it is up to the individual racer to be realistic with their expected finish time. Don't blame the race organization for an individuals actions. The people of NYC are fantastic. This will be my greatest marathon memory forever. | |
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J. S. from Texas
(11/6/2007)
"The End is a Mess!!" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 It is a magnificent race until you get to the end. Then all the precision and organization fall apart. NYRRC needs to end this race on the street where there is enough room. It is downright medically dangerous for runners to end race this way. This is a huge international event and one wonders why a race of this stature has such a bungled mess at the finish line. | |
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T. U. from Upstate NY
(11/6/2007)
"disappointing" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Since when did the marathon event become a sightseeing and social event for the entrants? BAN THE CAMERAS & CELL PHONES!!!!!!! PLEASE!! (or at least put anyone with an electronic device to the back of the starting corrals). The middle of the race course is not the appropriate place and time to take pictures and make phone calls or just plain stop to look around or take a break. Not to mention that these people with electronic devices on the course are hazardous obstacles to any of the serious runners BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERATE ENOUGH TO MOVE TO THE SIDE OR OFF THE COURSE. As anyone who has taken this event (or any marathon)seriously knows it takes many months of preparation, hard work and sacrifices to train for 26.2 miles. There also needs to be some validation of the entrants prediction time as this is how NYRR seeds the runners in the corrals. My husband and I became so frustrated that we were bobbing and weaving through the slower runners, walkers and entrants with electronic devices that we eventually had to walk because we could never establish a comfortable stride. We live in a hilly part of NYC so we were trained and prepared to run this course/race at a time that was approximately 40 min faster than our actual time. The organization of the event was excellent. However, do NOT have any expectations or goals if you are considering NYC marathon. Do it for the experience only just to say 'I ran the NYC marathon!' | |
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G. S. from Suffern, New York
(11/6/2007)
"Baby Youre the Greatest" (about: 2007)
50+ previous marathons
| 4-5 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Ah, 40,000 runners all trying to reach Central Park in a certain time..impossible..not really..This race day is an event to enjoy and do at least once in a life time. The expo is crowded and not the give aways from past years..the wait in Staten Island is a survival course ..bring throw away blankets, warm old clothing-it is given to the needed by the Girls Scouts and your own food.. Most of us do not really get to start on the bridge..we wait in colored corrals and are brought up to the bridge systematically. I alway cry when Frank Sinatra is singing New York, New York and I get to hit the start mat with my chip.. What a rush. The crowds for the whole race cheer and enjoy the day as much as the runners. Whether you are a 3 hour or a 6+hour marathoner you will be with many who are also doing this 26.2 journey. I have read so many complaints about the bag of food at the end..I have done over 57 marathons and many times no one is at the finish line..no less a morsel of food..Put some food you would like in your bag that you pick up at the end of the race. I finished the race received a beautiful medal.. a foil wrap, 2 bottles of water and met my other person at the designated point without a hitch. I Love New York | |
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D. M. from Phoenix, AZ
(11/6/2007)
"Wow! But a few 'words of wisdom'..." (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 First, I have to say that this is a race that all marathoners should run at least once in their lifetime. Like Boston, it has those 'tingle' moments, like coming out of the Queensboro bridge into the 'Welcome to Manhattan' crowds! And the location allows for lots of memories, pictures, and great New York City food! Considering the size, I think the race organizers did a good job, at least for those of us in the orange corral. The bagels and coffee pre-race were great and plentiful! I had read a tip here on marathonguide.com to bring a sleeping bag, so I dug out an old one that had some tears and stains and decided it would be a 'donation to charity' after it served its purpose during the wait for the race start. That is the BEST race tip I ever had, and the girl scouts collecting 'throw aways' by the race start were thrilled with their prize. I expected the crowded field, and knew this wouldn't be a 'PR' race. However, what really bugged me was the people at the start just totally ignoring the 'pacing', ropes, and signs, and just barging way ahead of where they should be starting. I know it's New York, and some were bursting with excitement, but there was a reason why there were different corrals, colors, numbers, and signs telling you to stay with your grouping. That resulted in a lot of 'jockeying' about 1/2 mile in, when some couldn't even make it over the bridge without walking! Another problem was people who just threw their 'throw away' clothes down on the ground, where other races were following. Would it have hurt to throw this stuff off to the side, so as not to trip others? But I guess with that many people, you're going to have a few 'ignorant' ones who just don't think. One last note on congestion...watch out for the bridges! Those of us who handle hills well were often pinned behind walkers or folks who just didn't 'tackle' the uphill at all. This was a noticeable problem on the bridges, where you were 'fenced in'. Yes, the finish line was congested, but so COOL seeing the big screen about 1/2 mile out so you could see others finishing and knew it was almost your turn. That sure helped me with that last uphill stretch! And with 39,000 people, there is almost no way to avoid congestion as runners slow to the post-race walk. All that said, it really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! The view of the New York skyline is awesome! The blaring of 'New York, New York' at the start is amazing! There was no shortage of water or Gatorade, and the crowds were non-stop on the whole course! I'm so glad I did this, but think for me it's going to be a 'one time' experience due to the logistics and expense. | |
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L. B. from austin, Texas
(11/6/2007)
"Great race but poor treatment" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 Excellent course and unbelievable crowd support! Horrible expo with no freebies! Great pre-race dinner was included. Three-plus hours of waiting in the cold prior to the start with ridiculous lines was rough. Post-race death march with no water or food and no way to escape was also bad! Runners were dropping like flies since you couldn't even sit! No bathrooms or decent food at finish either? Race is geared toward the elites, and the masses are treated like cattle! | |
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S. H. from Illinois
(11/5/2007)
"A difficult experience" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 The hassle factor of this race - the time spent in the pre-race holding area, the congestion of the course, and the post-race experience, is quite high. It was a good experience, the support of the crowds and city is extraordinary, but it is a very hard race to get a personal best because you are so drained before you get to the start line, and the congestion of the course will destroy your rhythm and pace. I'd recommend it for the experience, but throw your time expectations out the door, at least for average (3:30 to 4:00) runners like me. | |
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G. M. from United States
(11/5/2007)
"Fun but a little overrated." (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Good Points: 1) Organized Expo & great T-shirt 2) Plenty of Gatorade Stations 3) Spectators were good (not as good as Chicago) 4) Scenic course - after all it is New York 5) Volunteers are energetic & helpful Bad Points: 1) Course is a nice challenge - train for inclines & downhill running 2) Course is way, way, way too crowded so you spend most of it weaving through runners (especially the first several miles because people ignore their starting corrals) 3) Having to get dropped off by marathon buses in the cold morning 3 hours before the race 4) Having to wait 45 minutes at the finish to have your chip removed & walk to the family reunite area Fun marathon but I think it's a bit of a stretch to call this a MUST for all marathoners. I still managed a PR but if I had been on a less congested & 'faster' course I probably would have qualified for Boston. | |
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G. R. from Connecticut
(11/5/2007)
"NY should consider following Boston's example" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I concur with my fellow green starters. I had a number in the 9000's (5th green corral) but by the time I got to mile 3, I was working to pass folks with bib numbers twice as high. I think I ran an extra mile trying to get around slower runners and walkers. I expected heavy traffic, but it was ridiculous. There were way too many people on the course. I had to almost walk at some bridge crossings due to the volume. NY should consider following Boston's example and have 2 (or 3) distinct starts and space them at 1/2-hour intervals. | |
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terry kranz from usa
(11/5/2007)
"very well done" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Everything you would need was there. |
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