New York City Marathon

You won't find a bigger cheering crowd than in NY. This year's record heat/humidity didn't deter anyone. Biggest advice: this is a BIG race in a BIG city--pack your patience and prepare accordingly. You and almost 50,000 of your friends do have to navigate through pre-race transport and staging. There were some lapses with the ferry/bus options but the bus-only option at the library was easy as always. Uncharacteristically, they ran out of cups at 3 water stations--most likely because runners used water to cool themselves because of the heat. All waves started on-time, plenty of water stations/medical aid along the way, course marked in KMs and miles, and the music and party never stopped until post-race. Great medal, recovery bag, thick poncho, and easier exit out of Central Park this year. Expo had huge New Balance area but the rest still underwhelming--likely due to economy and supply-chain challenges. Medal engraving and finisher's stuff available on Mon and Tues in Central Park. Online pics and results came quick, app very helpful and updated. NYC checks all the boxes--plenty of hotel options, too. Come early, stay afterwards, and enjoy the camaraderie of 50,000 runners and millions of the locals--you don't want to miss this fall tradition!

Trained and Trained but nothing could have trained me for the atmosphere on race day. Staten Island Ferry past Statue of Liberty with NYC skyline and hundreds of runners on board.

This is my 15th NYC Marathon, 13th consecutive. I just ran Honolulu (a mess), which motivated me to write a review for NYC. If you are considering doing this race as a destination, you should do it. It is a world-class marvel. This year's race lacked the clocks and tracking detail of 2018 and 2019. The expo was much smaller. Sponsor involvement was less prominent. A lot fewer international participants. But the essence of what makes this race remained, and for me it was even better than usual. Getting to the start was easy. Take the subway or a taxi/Uber/Lyft to the ferry terminal. Go to the bottom-most level of the ferry (no one is there). Look right and take a photo of the Statue of Liberty. There are restrooms in the SI Ferry terminal. Bus ride can take 30 minutes or more, so be aware of that. The village can get cold. Bring more clothes than you think you need. A hat is important. I also bring a cardboard box to sit or lie on. Most people stay in the orange or blue village because it's closest to the drop-off. The green village is very spacious and less crowded. Keep some clothes to stay warm in the corral and on the bridge. Feel free to discard some in Brooklyn. Some residents pick up the clothing to donate or use. The start is a true spectacle. Enjoy the view of Manhattan to the left as you cross the bridge. The crowds are amazing. It's hard to not be moved by people who go out there, year after year and cheer for strangers. You will see the same spectators a few times on the course as they follow their loved ones. The course gets super narrow in Brooklyn because of the outdoor dining huts and the blue, green and orange groups merging. It's irritating at water stations because people cut you off or stop completely to get water. Don't let it bother you. The app tracking is very accurate, so people can follow you on the course and your out-of-town fans can track you as well. The last few miles down 5th Ave and Central Park are awesome. Then you turn right on Central Park South. It will feel like forever until you hit the next right to the finish. I always wish for a great time but it never happens. The bridges and the long wait at the start make this a tough race. But it's still the best in my book.