Great course, great crowds!! After reading here the last couple of years about not even shooting for a PR here I'd decided that I'd just do it for the heck of it! NEXT TIME I'll go for time :)

I ran NYC with no finishing time goal and I?m very glad I made that choice. Ran with several running buddies (including one first timer) and we had a blast. We treated the race like a 26.2 mile moving party with 33,000 new friends. I had a great time and I highly recommend everyone do once for the experience.

With that said, here are some of the cons. Packet pick-up was poorly organized. You wait in corrals to be admitted into the bib pick-up area while volunteers stand around with nothing to do. The 3-hour wait on Staten Island is cold. Worlds longest urinal is great- if you are a guy. I recommend NYCM add a female urinal for us gals who ended up peeing between UPS trucks. If you are a 4+ hour marathoner- bring your own Gatorade- they ran out of it completely after mile 14. And finally, pack a warm set of cloths and something to eat in that UPS bag for the cold finish. When we finished (4:50- I said we were having fun!) they had run out of food and all I got was a single banana.

This was my first marathon, and after experiencing all the NYC has to offer, I am hooked on marathoning. I cannot wait to register for the lottery again next year. I am just hoping that I get chosen again. I may even join the New York Road Runners and complete their 9 race program to get automatic entry for 2004. That's how great this was! I don't ever want to be shut out of this marathon! I would run it again today if they would let me!

The BEST part of the whole experience was the crowds. Early on I made the decision to enjoy the race and the entire experience. As such, my time was not a concern. (I finished at approx. 4:20). It was also my first marathon, so I did 'just want to finish!' Along the route, I must have interacted with tens of thousands spectators. I must have given 45,000 'High Fives' along the route. The crowd was spectacular! They cheered us and encouraged us! The crowds were the best in Manhattan and Brooklyn, but were supportative the entire way. In spite of being in the middle of the pack, the crowd made me feel like a professional athlete. They were great.

Of course, with any large scale event, there were negatives. Yes, the wait at Staten Island was long, and cold. The lines for pre-race refreshments and the port-a-johns were very long. Yes, it's true that the Pasta Dinner the night before wasn't great. But, these minor negatives do not by any stretch dimish from the overall positive experience of the event.

The Expo was terrific. It was extremely well organized. And the race itself. Ahhh, the race itself.

The New York City Marathon. 5 boroughs, 5 bridges...What an experience!

I WISH IT NEVER ENDED! It was the experience of a lifetime.

I plan to run many more marathons, but I am sure that none will ever compare to this. My first New York City Marathon.

'Love it!' I did!

NYC is a must! You just need to think of it as tour more than a race. I have visited NYC many times but I had never been to all the boroughs and it was a great opportunity to get a taste of all the city?s neighborhoods. Yes you do need to get there very early for an 11:15 start but we were warned in the literature the organizers sent out. And it is not hard to do the math! You did have to walk a lot at the end of the race and I didn?t appreciate the hill but it is understandable with the number of people. My family commented how easy it was for spectators to get around (unlike the Boston Marathon). I do have a few complaints the beginning was not organized as far as letting people into the respective corrals. Many of the fueling stations were out of Gatorade or if they did have it you actually had to stop and get in line to get it. Overall if you prepare yourself properly bring warm clothes and a blanket to throw away at the beginning of the race, use the UPS bag for warm clothes at the end, and do NOT expect a PR!! I didn?t feel that I ever got to run my pace because there were so many people and I was ?bobing and weaving? for at least the first 5 miles. ! I still prefer Boston were the city basically stops for the marathon, in NYC there is some much going on the marathon is one more addition. But NYC comes in a close 2nd!

If you are an elite runner and going for money and ellusive time, then join the race as such and you wont run into troubles like some have mentioned. Everyone else should join this race as well, for the pure enjoyment of the race and the sport - forget the times. I have never had SO much fun and CRIED so much on a course in my life. Granted I jog a standard 6 hour marathon, but even in the back of the pack there was no 'sorry, I am out' or lack of ANYTHING, certainly not fan support. For this reason alone it is by far my favorite marathon to date. It is also an easy race to find a 'running partner' along the way, as I did for half the race (thanks Cleah). NYC, argueably the greatest city in the world, made the race one to remember FOREVER. The sights, smells and sounds of the great city kept me going MILES longer than my mind wanted to. The peaceful hush on the bridges (no spectators allowed), and the sight of hundreds of little girls (OH THOSE LITTLE GIRLS), lining the streets of Bedford Sty all added to the memory for me. I couldnt even imagine doing this race and only pushing for time and missing THE RACE. Go ready to run, but also ready to be in awe. Sure there were minor 'inconveniences', but in a race this size they are to be expected. The 4 hours prior to the start were some of my favorite hours. I took that time to look around and to meet a few other first time NYC runners (way to go Michael and Mary, I saw your times!!!). The race is what you put into it, so take your patience and a heap of humbleness and you will run away with the best experience of your life - bar none.

Crowds pinching in without any security control, under staffed water stops, 3- 4 hour wait outside prior to the race, confusing starting groups, long crowded walk after the finish to get to your duffle bags. I finished in 4.5 hrs. and won't be going back to NY for that kind of treatment. Good luck Olympics.

The best advice is to avoid the buses to the start and take the Staten Island ferry in the morning around 7:30. It's way too cold at the begining corrals to be there so early when the buses arrive. I was so cold (30) that for the 5 1/2 hour wait for the start, it was stand around trying to stay warm. Race is great! Wonderful crowds! But be warned!!! Place alot of your pre race planning on what to do before you actually get up to the start! That wait for the 11:15 cannon can really worsen your times! But the great view of the Empire State building as you head toward central park will definately make you smile! Also, if you're from the West Coast, be ready for the early arrival of darkness, so if you're over 6 hours its really cold and damp and DARK! Don't forget your NY Times newspaper the next day!!

Before: The 3hour+ wait before the start was long and cold (bring a set of decent warm-up sweats to pack in your UPS bag and also a set of throw-away sweats to wear to the starting line that you can discard).

During: The course is very tough due to the hills after mile 12. This will test your endurance and will to finish. However, if you can enjoy the route, the scenery of the 5 boroughs is great - what diverse neighborhoods and people! The crowds are extremely enthusiastic and really do help motivate you to make it to the finish line, especially after mile 21. Good fluid and aid station support as well. (Incorporate several long-distance runs with lots of hills into your training for this race).

After: The worst part of the race was the long walk uphill to the family reunion area after I finished and started cooling down. I was actually shivering by the time I met up with my wife. Being able to grab your UPS bag with the decent warm-up sweats you packed at the start will pay off here. (I would recon your designated family reunion area the day before with your family/friends and pick out an easily identifiable meeting spot - you are too tired to go looking for them in the crowd when you finish).

Overall: A must-run marathon for the experience of 'New York' but not for a PR.

It is a great course. It was the first time i ran in NY marathon. I guess the idea of running through the five bridges kept me excited. I have to admit that the start left much to be desired. For the frist 4 min could not run at my normal speed. It was sort of a random zigzag run through the people. However without too much trouble quite easily i finish with the time 3:04. I really enjoyed the course.

I had the pleasure of walking..yes I am a marathonwalker with my son-who wore a pin stripped NY Yankee uniform #10 and my daughter in law who never entered a race in her life. Cold day..this was my 3rd NY Marathon so we were prepared for the 3 hour wait with extra clothing before bridge start. In the red group there were so many marathoners we never made it up on the bridge for the start. Spectators this year for the 'back of the pack gang' were sparce-but those that cheer are loud and great to have along the avenues. Due to the early elite women's start other marathoners were delayed 1 hour. By 5 PM it got dark and chilly for our final miles in Central Park. There is nothing like the joy of New Yorkers in each borough. Bands fewer than the previous years but still great, volunteers..many thanks to them all and police and firemen who support everyone for how long it takes. After race our UPS clothing bags were being consolidated somewhere? and it was a 45 minute wait in cold Central Park. This race is a must for marathoners.