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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 401 to 411]
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K. W. from Brooklyn
(11/8/2005)
"An Amazing Race!!!!" (about: 2005)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon ever and it truly was an amazing experience. I took the advice I've read from writers on this site and wrote my name on my shirt, which meant for 5 hours people were cheering my name! My 15 minutes of fame got to last a lot longer than most. The crowd support was phenomenal, the families, the kids, the curious, I loved it! Because I live in Brooklyn, and my training runs have always included at least one bridge, I didn't find the hills as daunting as I've heard they can be. I'm definitely applying next year, it would be a privilege to get to run this marathon again! | |
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C. M. from Redondo Beach, California
(11/8/2005)
"Great Marathon! " (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This is my 8th marathon, 2nd New York. This is my favorite marathon! I'm greatly impressed with the organization and hospitability displayed by all volunteers. It's a challenging course, but that's why I love it! However, I have one small complaint. Unfortunately I got injured prior to the race, and I was unable to run for several weeks prior the the race. I took care of my injury and with my experience and miles, I felt I could have run a decent race without a PR (which I miraculously did). However, I re-injured myself at mile 16 and luckily I struggled to finish. I tried to go to the medical tent but I got turned away because my injury was 'minor.' I understand that some people have to be turned away due to the many participants. However, I'm in the medical profession (nurse practitioner) and there wasn't any triage being exercised as far as medical attention goes. The long walk to pick up personal belongings and family reunion was too long for me that day. Due to the heavy traffic of taxis that day, my family and I walked an additional 25 blocks before we reached our hotel room. My marathon was really a 32-mile one (LOL!). I greatly want to run this marathon next year. Please consider adding more medical tents and prioritizing them, for example, 1-3 with 3 being the most severe and 1 being less severe. I probably was a 1.5. Thank you again for a great race! | |
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P. S. from New Jersey
(11/7/2005)
"NYC IS THE BEST! ALWAYS!!!" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 3 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My 5th marathon, my third NYC! 2005 was as great as ever. It is a great race because of the fans. They are just awesome. Running NYC with the crowds is an experience that I wish everyone could experience at least once in their lives. I LOVE THIS RACE! And... I set a PR this year (3:50:59 - chip time). You can set a PR in NYC! The expo, the organization, everything about this race is first-class. I love it... it's great... and I hope I'm in it again in 2006! | |
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V. V. from NYC
(11/7/2005)
"Great course - Overbearing spectators" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 3 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Don't take me wrong. This is my 3rd NYC Marathon. Compared to the last 2 times, I found the crowd behaviour was just too-much to swallow - especially in the Fifth Avenue. After 22 miles up the Museum hills, I want to keep moving so that I do not cramp up. The crowd was on the street (or avenue) and literally reduced the runners lane & width. It was difficult to run without bumping into someone. Until we entered Central Park it was a DIFFICULT one mile. Same problem with the enthusiasm on First Avenue with volunteers. Thank you for your wonderful support but we also want to run! The water/Gatarode folks were in the middle of avenues. And with folks slowing down and with the PowerGel and smashed-to-pulp papercups it was making the strech very slippery. With rubber legs it was rather dangerous to stride there. Other than those, this was a great race. I am doing it again in '06. Hopefully the weather will turn out to be cool. Did anyone notice that once ING took over from JP Morgan the weather has been WARM to HOT (the last three years have been extremely unfriendly weather for a FALL race!) | |
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D. P. from Kingston, NY
(11/7/2005)
"Incredible marathon-but train for hills!" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I just ran NYC yesterday and it was fabulous! The genuine goodwill and friendliness of the cheering crowds was just amazing and a great boost when you needed one. I recommend that you wear your name on the front of your shirt, so the crowds can cheer for you personally. Also, I had done almost all of my training on a treadmill, without any incline, which was a big mistake. The only hills you ever hear about, with regards to NYC, are the bridges, and that's not exactly true. Brooklyn & Manhattan, especially, are full of long, uphill inclines, lasting 10 or more blocks. NYC isn't exactly flat, so train with that in mind. But an amazing experience, very well organized, volunteers were plentiful and helpful. Get to the bus at the NY public Library early! If you're on the late-side, you'll end of lining up for the start at the back, which happened to me! Highly recommended-not to be missed. | |
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E. C. from New York
(11/7/2005)
"What an experience!" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran NY for the first time in 2005. For the most part, it was a pleasant experience. The buses drop you off unbelievably close to the pre-race staging area so your walk is minimal. If you drive yourself or have a private car drop you off, you have to walk about 1/4 mile to get to the staging area so I definitely recommend the bus. The staging area was well organized, clean, and well-staffed by knowledgeable volunteers. One great discovery was a separate staging area for numbers 'F1-9000' (the 9,000 fastest females) which meant that I was able to access a large number of bathrooms and hang out in a relatively uncrowded area. However, the course itself is quite challenging--lots of potholes and the roads are often very crowned which leaves you fighting to stay exactly in the middle of the road or running on an uneven surface. It is hilly, as well--often a gentle enough grade that you're not thinking 'here comes a big hill' but after a few miles, your legs will really feel the gradual inclines and declines. The Verazzano and 59th St bridges are especially hilly. I found the water stations to be well stocked with drinks and run by competent volunteers. The music along the course was definitely the best marathon music I'd heard. My only complaint about the race was the nature of the finish area. The course finishes in the park, along Central Park West and the mid-60s. However, all exits to the park were blocked until 77th street, making runners walk for what seemed like forever. Also, I needed to go into the medical tent not once but twice and felt like they were somewhat poorly run, understaffed, lacking space, and not able to track the many athletes who were passing through. I left the med tent after my first visit only to collapse outside and be brought into the second one. Because of the way the park was closed off, I was unable to get to my family--or them to me--even though we were only 1 block away. In addition, they came looking for me but because there was no master list of who was in what tent, they were unable to get to me. This would be an easy thing to improve by expanding the size of the med tents--there were, afterall, over 37,000 runners--and keeping some master, computerized list of which runers are in which tents. | |
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Jed Berman from Long Island
(11/6/2005)
"Great Marathon in the Greatest City in the World" (General Comments)
4-5 previous marathons
| 4-5 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The crowds are great. There was encouraging and inspirational music; also, water & Gatorade and power gel and sponge stations. When you come off the 59th Street Bridge, the cheering is deafening. Running up 1st Ave. you feel like a star running by yourself and all the crowds are for you! | |
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C. K. from Wyoming
(4/26/2005)
"the ultimate urban marathon" (General Comments)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This race is like a wild and colorful movie going by...all the different neighborhoods, all the different spectators, it's all so vibrant and amusing and interesting. I'd strongly recommend this marathon to anyone. I've run 30 marathons, and among the urban ones, for me, this one has been the most unique and memorable. | |
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STSCS(SS) Sid Busch,USN(RET) from Goose Creek SC
(4/24/2005)
"Superbowl of Marathons" (about: 2005)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I am a native Brooklynite/New Yorker, so this is my hometown marathon. To run NY is an experience that no runner can pass up. I have been so lucky making it in for the last 3 years after a 10-year wait. I live in Charleston, SC now, but I still love NY. The crowds, the course, the energy that only NY can generate (for the past 3 years I have run Chicago and Marine Corps, 3 in 4 weeks, so I can compare). The start is both thrilling and sad, to see that hole in the skyline still brings tears to my eyes, but the sight of Miss Liberty, the fire boats spraying red, white and blue water, and all those brave fireman and police along the course make this the best in the world. | |
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A. S. from San Diego, California
(4/4/2005)
"Great way to tour the boroughs of NYC!" (about: 2003)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 New York is a great race with awesome course and tremendous spectators. The only drawback was with the organization. Too much waiting in Staten Island for the start, several hours, and then a late start to boot, which made it very warm running in the sun during the second half of the race. For that reason, I give Chicago my vote for number 1, which also has great course and spectators, and also superior organization. |
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