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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 91 to 101]
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H. B. from San Francisco, CA
(12/10/2010)
 "Great, Must-Do Marathon!" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Best marathon I have ever run. I can't say enough great things about it. The crowds are unbelievable; the only moments when you are not being cheered on are on the bridges, simply because the spectators are not allowed there. Expo was good, with tons of people; make sure you get there early so you can get the size of shirt you need; I arrived pretty late and ended up with a male's shirt. Race day, bring extra layers and blanket; this was the best advice I followed. I stayed in Manhattan so I needed to take the subway, ferry and finally the bus. Everything went smoothly and I got there with plenty of time to eat my breakfast and enjoy the atmosphere. When the first wave started, it was pretty exciting to see everybody running on the bridge; it is just a very exciting moment and then the nerves start going crazy. I truly enjoyed every mile of this race. There were plenty of aid stations, and every neighborhood has its distinctive energy. At the end, be advised that you will have to walk for a pretty good distance before you can exit the park. I would recommend it to anyone. You will have a great time! | |
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B. H. from USA
(11/30/2010)
 "Amazing experience!" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The NYC marathon is quite the experience. I got injured the summer before the race and I rehabbed very hard in order to run the NYC Marathon, and I was not disappointed. It's a wonderful 26.2-mile tour of NYC. The crowd support was absolutely amazing; they made me forget I was running with an injury. The aid stations were plentiful and resourceful. The only negative things I could say about the experience is that the race really is about the 26.2 miles that you run - the expo was lacking in booths, the medals were not what I was expecting either, and there was no finisher shirt. However, these things are all fluff, and they did not take away from my experience at all. I enjoyed every minute - well, except for the parts of the run on the bridges (there were no spectators allowed there, and no one running was talking, so those parts were kind of boring). Other than that, I loved my NYC RUN! | |
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M. S. from Cape Cod, MA
(11/22/2010)
"The death march post-finish ruined a great day" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Everything but the post-finish was fantastic. Even the waiting before the start was not bad. The course was entertaining and fair but a little crowded. Expect to spend extra energy dodging people. After running the 26 miles the last thing you want to do is have a painful, slow march to exit the park. I don't understand why they can't alter the course to have an open area. It makes no sense, and because of this, I would strongly recommend that you wait to run it until this is fixed. It leaves a sour taste from an otherwise great day. | |
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m. m. from philly
(11/21/2010)
"Fantastic!!!" (about: 2010)
2 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Everything about the race was great. Everything is great, from the start villages/corrals, to the weather (perfect), the course, spectators, water stations and finish area (I like to walk after running that distance but if you are injured it's far). The only surprise I had was the amount of concrete there was as opposed to asphalt (along First Avenue and some bridges). I can't wait to run it again. If you plan on running this race, make SURE you start in a fast enough corral/wave or you will be disappointed because of the large number of runners; it really didn't open up until First Ave. (Mile 16). | |
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m. m. from NYC
(11/16/2010)
"A fantastic marathon - recommended!" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a great experience (but painful!). The course is actually great because it is both challenging and at the same time interesting. Going through the NYC neighborhoods is a really cool experience. Even though I've lived here for almost a decade, it's still exciting to see all the boroughs. For a beginner who's not in great shape, this is a challenging course. The bridges are definitely tough, and the tricky thing is that it takes a while before one feels it. The organization is really top-notch. There is going to be some crowding and there will be some mishaps, but when you consider that close to 45,000 people participated, it was nearly flawless! Beware that NY can be really cold in early November. Bring warm clothes to cope with the long wait at the start. The crowds were fantastic. I especially loved the Brooklyn crowds, but they were all great. I really don't have many negative things to say about his race. If you have the chance to participate, TAKE IT!!! | |
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Jeff Harmon from Pittsburgh, PA
(11/16/2010)
"The best. This is THE marathon." (about: 2009)
3 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Glad to have run this as my first marathon. The course and the crowd are beyond words. It was the thrill of a lifetime. Traveling to the start and waiting at Fort Wadsworth aren't nearly as bad as many report - the time will fly. Big word of advice - get to your corral as early as possible because this is where all chaos ensues. As anyone will tell you, the post-race death march through the park is terrible, but this is pretty much unavoidable unless the course is reconfigured. Enjoy this once in a lifetime experience! | |
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C. A. from China
(11/14/2010)
"Fan-tabulous" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is it. This is the one. It was my first marathon by design, and if I never do another I will remain thrilled and content. You just get carried along by the enthusiasm and wit of the crowd. And if you love NYC, this is the cherry on top. Do it. Find a way. | |
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A. T. from Keller, TX
(11/13/2010)
"Really Only Needs A Better Finish Line" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My 2nd NYC, and I love it. Considering the logistical challenges of a race this big, you can't ask for much more. Very exciting to own the streets of New York City for a day. The weather was near-perfect. The diverse crowds of spectators and volunteers are out in force all along the route. A few things that could be better: First, there were about three sections outside of the normal starting line crowds where the congestion impacted your speed, especially where the waves converged around Mile 8. Second, I would like to see a better finish line. They shuttle you out of the park as quickly as they can to make room for more runners crossing the finish line. I'd like it better if they would put aside a large portion of the park for a more "traditional" post-race. After attending last year's party at the ballroom that evening, I passed on this year's. Would I do it again? You bet!!! | |
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H. M. from New York
(11/13/2010)
"An Epic Experience" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ New York City Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Cons: - Pre-race you sit around for up to 4 hours - Logistical hassle to arrive at the start areas - Post-race walk of about an hour - Short water stations (possibly due to wave starts) - Need much more toilet facilities in the wave corrals - Javits Center Race Expo is a pain to travel to - Race expo - VERY CROWDED Pros: - Strong organization - Largest expo, with plenty of boutique race items - Enormous race support, community involvement and fan crowds - Incredible course and scenic views - Unrivaled energy throughout the day Comments: Having done Boston, Chicago, Miami, Austin and all other large-city marathons, NYC has by far the most incredible running experience. It's the one day of year that all of NYC comes out to celebrate runners and life in general. The course is tough. This year, it seemed that winds on the Verrazano Bridge were particularly tough to start with. In addition, water stations seemed "shorter" and bit more chaotic (take a look at Chicago, which has longer water stations and a bit more racer-friendly). I'm used to the long march at race end and still hoping racing organizers can fix it one day. But the day belongs to the runners. The fellow runners' support and the crowds are unmatched. Chatting up fellow runners from France, Italy, and GB prior to the race added to the festivities. Lots of anxiety before the race, but once it started, everything went pretty much as expected. If you want to race, do Chicago. If you want an experience, do NYC. Both races are really well run and the two best large0city marathons in the world. But there is a reason why NYC has a lottery selection: because everyone wants to run it and run it more than once. | |
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Allen Babaran from Belmont CA
(11/12/2010)
"Fantastic Course, Fantastic Fans, Organized Fine" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New York City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 There's not much more you can ask for in a marathon. The course was fantastic that provided inspiring views of the NY and a great passage through all 5 boroughs. The fans were seemingly everywhere (except the bridges) and gave amazing energy and support to us runners. The organizers did a fine job in providing detailed instructions, and the ferry transport to Staten Island was a true pleasure. The expo had all the things you can ask for to gear up before race day, although for such a large place, the Javitz Convention center still seemed cramped with the sheer number of people. The worst part, although it has nothing with the course or run itself, was the long, painful bag retrieval and walk out of Central Park. They had all thousands of us runners go through an additional half-mile (I think) in the frigid cold in a pathway no wider than an alleyway. By the time you got out of the park, you were frustrated at being put through that. Certainly other large-city marathons such as Chicago provided easy exits and reunion areas for the runners. Strange that though NY is well organized, they didn't note the ire people may feel at being put through that. But overall, the race is an amazing experience that is among the best marathons I've experienced. |
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