By Jennifer R Jones | Posted on November 01, 2009 11:00 AM
More Than 36,000 Racers Will Take Over The Streets From Staten Island To Manhattan In One Of The World's Premier Races, The New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon Takes Over
After you have fallen back (Daylight Savings) and had a complete sugar rush (Halloween) you should surely have enough energy to rouse yourself for today's big event: The ING New York City Marathon, sponsored by New York Road Runners.
One of the world’s premiere road races, the New York Marathon draws more than 36,000 runners, 2 million spectators, and more than 300 million TV viewers worldwide. Race coverage will be presented on WNBC-TV (Channel 4) from 9:00 am–2:00 PM in New York; nationally, from 2:00 pm–4:00 PM.(And of course, you can always try to weasel your way in and watch it in person.)
A Race Around New York
The time limit for the course is 8½ hours from the 10:10 am start. The race begins in Staten Island, runs (pun intended) through all five boroughs, and ends up near West 66th Street in Manhattan.
Originally, the race course (in 1970) had runners repeatedly dashing around Central Park; it now involves crossing major bridges (going across the East River on the Queensboro Bridge is considered one of the most challenging parts of the race), zooming through residential and commercial neighborhoods, and finishing near Manhattan's Tavern on the Green Restaurant in Central Park.
Be Prepared For Traffic Jams
A staggered start sends everyone off in waves. Along the way, entertainment (music ranging from Hip Hop to Jazz to Dance to R&B); free food and water samples; and the sheer high of watching the racers race keeps viewers enthralled.
Yes, it blocks traffic and makes getting anywhere in the city today a nightmare, but really, when can you see 30,000 runners dashing through all five boroughs just because they can?
