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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 161 to 171]
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R. R. from NY, NY
(11/2/2009)
 "A great one-time race" (about: 2009)
2 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 As person who lives in NYC, it was my dream to run this marathon. Pros: THE CROWD WAS GREAT. What else is there to say? The people by Central Park and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn were especially amazing. The crowd really carries you at the end. The expo was awesome, and I wish I had had the time to stay longer. CONS: You can train and train for this marathon for months, and at the end of the day, you are squashed like a sardine the whole time - especially on the Queensboro Bridge, and Fifth Avenue, which does not allow you to run as fast as you wish. For the whole race, you are darting around people and getting SHOVED by the water stations. The NYCRR allows WAY too many people run this race, but hey, this is their bread and butter. What's up with all of the people from France and Holland? Be prepared to stand for a good 20 minutes at the end of the race before leaving Central Park. They must get a better system. VERY unimpressed with the medal; this medal is fitting more for a small marathon than NYC. At the end, it was a great ONE-TIME experience that I will never forget. | |
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C. V. from USA
(11/1/2009)
"Beware of the 59th Street Bridge" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Overall this was a great marathon experience. This was a tough course, but the spectators helped push me through some tough parts of the race. Running over five bridges (plus steep inclines) throughout the course made this race tougher than the San Francisco Marathon, in my opinion. Definitely train on hills to prep for the race, and review the course strategy on the NYRR website. Harlem was my favorite part, mainly due to the awesome fan support. | |
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G. M. from NYC
(11/1/2009)
 "Awesome!" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Best fans on the planet! Admittedly a pain in the butt waiting in Staten Island, and the 20-minute walk after the finish through Central Park is a hassle, but it's still an awesome experience. | |
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Lonnie Rattner from Florida
(10/28/2009)
"Experience of a lifetime" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I first ran the NYC marathon in 1978. I ran it four more times by '82 and didn't run it again until 2004. This will be my third time in the past four years. It keeps getting better and better. Back in the late 70's and early 80's, with fewer than half of the participants and a quarter of the crowd, there were places, especially in the Bronx, where there were very few spectators. Nowadays it is five- or six-people deep along the whole course, and it is such a high that it will carry you all the way to the finish. I love this race. The organization has always been good and now, considering the enormity of the crowd and logistics, it is an amazing feat of organization. Kudos to the NYRRC and Mary for putting on such a spectacle. If you were only to run one marathon in your life, this should be the one. By the way, I have run Boston three times and 17 marathons all told. I have been running for 40 years and still love it now as I did when I started (although now I'm a little slower). Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! | |
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J. O. from Falconer, New York
(10/19/2009)
"Pleasantly painful" (about: 2005)
3 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 It was a painfully enjoyable experience running through all five boroughs. Future runners, be careful of the bridges. Good luck!! | |
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f. G. from paris,france
(10/8/2009)
"pleasure & emotions" (about: 2002)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 It was cold on November 3rd, and we had to be at the start line long before the departure, but once it started, it was just a huge rush of adrenaline and the pleasure running through my veins. | |
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J. W. from Chicago, IL
(3/26/2009)
"New York is a great running city" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran this race in 2008. This was my best marathon. I have run 8 marathons and this by far was the most exciting - even more than my first! The race was very well organized. This was the first year that did a wave start, which was great. There was no bottleneck at the start line. The course was challenging but great. I cut my PR by 12 minutes. Transportation to the race was very simple and well organized. I had a blast in the city. The only cons were that it was pretty windy and chilly in the morning and it was a very long wait until my wave got to the start line. Although it had nothing to do with the race, I picked the worst hotel. It was ridiculously small and dark and unbelievably expensive. The only good thing was that it was in Columbus Circle, which was close to everything. | |
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J. R. from New York, NY
(1/28/2009)
"Great race but be prepared" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 NYC is a truly great race, and it is one of those races all runners think about when they hear the word "marathon." But if you decide to run it, be prepared for what you're getting into. First, the NYC Marathon is not just a race. It is a major sporting event more like the Super Bowl or the World Series than a race. Literally the entire city turns out to watch it, and believe me, in NY that's a LOT of people. There are only a few empty sections along the route, and many parts where the crowds at five- or six-deep for many blocks, screaming and yelling all the way. The crowd is a major player in this race. Still, the expo is kind of hard to get to unless you take a cab. But that's a minor complaint. The biggest obstacle is the start of the marathon. You begin on Staten Island, very far away from the finish in Central Park and from where you will probably be staying if you come to NY for this race (or from where you live if you're a native). Getting 30,000+ plus people by bus to Staten Island takes a long time and involves a LOT of sitting around once you are there. I suggest bringing a blanket or even a pillow because you might have time to nap. Once you start, there is plenty of water and food en route. You won't get thirsty running this one. NYC firemen, police and medical personnel are out in force on race day, and if you have any problems you will find help easily. Years ago, I saw one runner collapse on a hot day. Literally, he was on a stretcher within 15 seconds. So don't worry about that. But be prepared for the long wait at the start. If it's extremely cold or rainy, you could be in for a rough time. But if you can get through that, you'll find the race is great fun. And the finish in Central Park is astounding. | |
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Andy Wilson from Manhatten, NY
(1/19/2009)
 "Doesn't compare to Chicago." (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 The New York Marathon was a beautiful race, but in all three qualities that you assess a marathon experience for, CHICAGO wins. The New York Marathon was an enjoyable race, although the organization wasn't top-notch, the runners were not as affable and excited as others I have witnessed from another race, and the pre- and post-celebrations were less fulfilling. Overall, I'm glad I experienced this race and it's one to give a shot, but if you're looking for a splendid race, I'd have to say Chicago tops all. Chicago was the most organized, beautifully scenic, friendly and fun race I have ever experienced. Both the runners and the spectators (which NY and Chicago have the largest spectators of equally, at 1.5 million) share a wonderful camaraderie in Chicago that I have never witnessed! I've also completed Boston, NY, Tampa, and Berlin, and after Chicago, I'd say Boston was the next most enjoyable experience. Overall, New York was beautiful. It's a great experience. | |
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M. T. from Japan
(1/9/2009)
"happy run" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I enjoyed this marathon. I was very moved by New York's citizens' hospitality and supporting volunteers. I won't forget the spectators' warm cheers. |
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