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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 451 to 461]
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r. d. from allston, mass
(7/14/2004)
"Great event, the New York City Marathon" (General Comments)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a great event. Well put together for 35,000 runners. A wait a little bit at the expo, but otherwise a better marathon. Realized this when I did Boston and noted that Boston only has 20,000 runners. New York could have 50,000 runners, and it would come together great. | |
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r. d. from boston mass
(7/5/2004)
"New York City Marathon" (about: 2003)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Well I like the New York better than Boston - better post-party after the race, better pasta dinner, over all better set up. There was more room and easier to get in than Boston, since you don't have to run a 3:10 marathon to get in at my age of 34. Good luck if you are running it, it will be fun. | |
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W. K. from Midwest
(6/22/2004)
"Looking for a big marathon?" (about: 2003)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 Ran Chicago and New York same year. Just a few observations if you're trying to decide which big marathon to run. Entry: Chicago fills up around August, and is cheaper than New York. New York has a lottery, and or you have to be very fast for your age group. Packet pick-up/expo: Chicago has a very efficient packet pick-up, big expo, not crowded. New York - had to wait in line at New York for over an hour, expo is very small, crowded. Getting to the Starting Line: New York - Took the bus arranged by the marathon for $15.00 from Manhattan. Was very easy, relaxing. Chicago - Get a taxi early can get pretty jammed up if you wait to the last minute. The Wait: New York - by now you have read other comments. Long wait, but for me it went fast. Good time to have conversations with other runners or take a nap. The only downside for me was the lack of porta-potties and when finally able to get in, lack of toilet paper. Bring a little pack of tissue to be on the safe side. Should also be prepared with some old clothes and blankets if it?s a very cold morning. Chicago - easy gear check, plenty of porta-potties and trees if necessary. A short wait before the start. Unlike New York, there are pace groups to join in with. Check it out at the expo. Also wear some old throw away clothes until you warm up then throw them out of the way so runners don?t trip over them. The gun goes off: New York - some run on top of the bridge, others take the bottom. I took the top, and was stuck for quite a while before I could get out of the pack. Extremely inspiring when I saw the police and fire boats spraying red, white and blue water in the air. Didn't really feel the bridge moving like others have said. Didn't see any pacing teams. Chicago - depends where you are, as to what speed you'll be able to run. Runners get in the wrong area and can really slow the start up. Last year they started to have competitive corrals and they helped out better. Chicago also has pacing teams that can really help to accomplish your goals. Police and marshalling: New York police were very friendly and held back the crowd well. Chicago - not too friendly, and let the crowd move into the street. Really got quite tight through some of the course. Course: New York - long forever bridges, not a PR course. Chicago - flat and fast. Fans: New York - lots of fans, but thought from reading comments prior to my race that there would be more. Best part was at the end through Central Park. Lots of support where you need it the most. Chicago - I thought there were as many fans, but not where you need them. Lots of fans at the beginning and middle, but at the end all you see are the sick runners along the curbs. Hydration stops: New York - was a mid-packer in this race, so had really hard time getting water. Was surprised at how bad it was in fact. One table had only one volunteer at it. I hope he realized all the yelling was aimed at the directors and not him. Chicago - was also a mid-packer here and never had a problem. They were very trained and with plenty of volunteers. Only problem was that the police let the crowd move in at the early stops and it really got tight trying to run through them. Finish line: New York - running the final stages to the finish line was incredible with all the fans, however like all the other comments, what a letdown when you think you can stop and drop. They aren?t about to let you do that. You better be a great actor and play dead, or join the rest of the herd and get yelled at to keep walking up the hill. By the time you get up the hill you don?t have to think up an act, you are pretty sick by then. Ice! Never heard of it. Oh yea, and thanks for the apple and water. When you get to the top, be careful to find where you get your chip removed or you?ll be paying for it. Catching up with family fairly easy if you plan a little. Chicago - final part of it is a darn hill, then a flat straight shot with a decent amount of fans, but no comparison to New York fans. Well organized at the finish, with a foil wrap to keep you warm, no one yelling at you to keep moving. Usually someone will ask you if everything is ok, but not a whole lot better with the food. However there has always been a beer supplier at the end of the chutes to replenish your carbs. In past years was able to get ice wraps that really make for a better next day, however the ice tent ran out and they said to go to the med tent which wasn?t a good idea on such a hot day with all the injured runners. They looked at me and said we have more important problems right now. Thanks to the Burger King people to give me some ice out of their free coke trough. Chip is removed almost right away. It?s also easy to meet up with your family at the Buckingham fountain, and there are marathon personnel with pda?s to give you your chip time if you request. Post-party - Missed New York, was taking a nap after the long walk to the hotel. Chicago - usually pretty good, a free beer or two, and decent live music, all at Navy Pier. Other things- I think in both marathons, it?s nice if you can stay afterwards for a few days. Plenty to do in Chicago for two or three days and New York is the greatest city on earth, enough said. Also can say that in the Chi Marathon, had maybe 5-6 pictures to pick from taken during the marathon, however in the ING Marathon only one and that wasn?t really very good. Another note, an observation that in both city?s the natives were very nice, was especially amazed at the New York people, because I thought they were supposed to be so rude. Contrary, they were very polite, at least I thought so. Pick one: I would run either one of them again. If your training is going great with no injuries and you want to run Boston, then do Chicago for a qualifier. If you want to meet runners from all over the earth, run the largest marathon still out there, and visit USA?s largest city, then do New York. Either way is going to give you good memories forever. | |
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M. C. from New Jersey
(6/11/2004)
"What a party" (about: 2003)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and it was an experience to remember. What made it even more special was that I got to run in it with my daughter. Spectator support was there all along the course, but when you come down off the 59th Street Bridge and onto First Ave. and then later into Central Park, the crowds and cheering are something else. Hope to be an annual participant. | |
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T. J. from Alamo, CA
(6/7/2004)
"An experience of a lifetime" (about: 2002)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My first marathon, and it was such a wonderful experience. I loved every minute. It was harder than I expected but the accomplishment was awesome. Running in NYC was special. | |
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C. B. from San Francisco
(6/2/2004)
"A Must Marathon" (about: 2003)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and it gave me the bug. It was grander than expected despite a horrible start with the shuttle buses from Jersey. We ended up walking about a mile to the start because traffic was horrid. But once it started, the crowds were unbelievable. The cheers, the high fives carried me through. At times I had tears in my eyes to see the support from NYC. I was cheered like an elite runner. The finish was a letdown, but only because I was so tired. The course is not as flat as one thinks. 26.2 miles and there were spectators throughout, except on the five bridges. Going into Manhattan was incredible as you come off the 59th Street Bridge and hear the crowds awaiting you. Spectators are 8-10 deep. It was an incredible feeling. Best place for your family to cheer you is near the Marcus Garvey Park around mile 22 (138th Street?). They still had time to drive down and meet me at the finish line. The experience of a lifetime! I will certainly run NY again. | |
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bedier coralie from calgary, alberta, canada
(5/7/2004)
"A lifetime experience" (about: 2003)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 It was the race back in 1991 that had inspired me, as a spectator, to begin running in the first place, and it became the first marathon I ever ran. It is and was an experience of a lifetime and I recommend it to anyone... I was often in such a state of disbelief that I was at the race running it, that I barely knew I was running. And the crowd support makes all the runners feel like heroes. I brought a portable camera to take photos along the way because, as an international visitor, it is a unique way to visit all five boroughs... I'd run it every year they'd let me in. | |
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B. B. from New Jersey
(5/5/2004)
"Not a 'race' for anyone but an elite." (General Comments)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 I've run NYC 3 times in a row and each year have hoped they'd get it together. I've finally realized that it's just the longest fun run in the world and a financial windfall for the NYRRC. I guess they figure why make it better when you can away on the cheap and disorganized. I loved running it in 2001 as it was my first NY and I also looked at it as my little answer to 9/11, as so few runners actually showed. I sort of figured it was so badly controlled due to the lack of volunteers that year due to their fears - example only 2 people at the Gatorade tables and they were only every other mile. I guess Boston, which I've run 9 times, with its very well set-up bin system has spoiled me for any other marathon. If NYC could just get its act together and establish a controlled start then they really could be a world class marathon for the not quite elite. They introduced guaranteed entry so as to upgrade the overall field and that's worked a bit, but why do that and make it impossible for the better runners to have a good day? NY is a pretty easy course and the Park at the end is a great place to pick it up, but NY is a marathon to run for the experience not for the race for any but the very elite. Maybe NY is really about the expo and once it closes, the majority of us are just an inconvenience to the NYRRC. | |
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S. S. from Philadelphia
(4/9/2004)
"Run it Live it Love it or Something" (about: 2003)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I have run NYC five times. Each is different. I ran it with friends and family and strangers. NOTHING IS LIKE THE NYC MARATHON. IT IS THE CLOSEST THING TO BEING A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE THAT ONE CAN EXPERIENCE. Crossing the 59th Street bridge you feel the adolation of the crowd and the roar of the spectators - this is what people get addicted to. I see why. That said, there are better marathons, but not better experiences. The wait at the Fort (SI) is interminable. There are not enough port-a-potties. It starts too late (10:50 AM). The course goes through all of NYC on uneven streets, tough pavement and has many ups and downs which, while not large, take their toll. Lastly the finish - NY has the crowds, and you must keep walking, meet up with the family in the meeting area (improved but crazy for your family with scant areas to cross the park from watching areas to the meeting area), and getting back to your home or hotel- hellacious. NO taxis, subways jambed. Unlike other races, it takes a good bit of time to post process and get out. Chicago - better race, smoother, easier in and out. Earlier start, also fun crowds - BUT NOT AS MAGICAL. Ran Chicago in 2002 then NYC in 2002 and no comparison - NY was magic, but Chicago was more fun and easy to access. Boston - the Queen of Marathons - Pride, honor and history - a race for the ages. But even with its drawbacks, NYC will be my yearly race. I will add others, but never take away the NYC marathon. | |
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Deborah Breinholt from Higley, Arizona
(3/31/2004)
"Awesome, but somewhat challenging" (about: 2003)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This marathon was just about everything I expected. There were tons of people and the route was very scenic. Although, I was not prepared for the hills. Beware! Even though the course was tougher than I thought it would be, I enjoyed every minute of it. The weather was even great. Who would have thought 60's and 70's in NYC in November. I was even lucky enough to PR. I encourage anyone who can to participate in this race. |
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