Marathon Officials Determining Storm’s Effect on Race

[SidDithers]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/31/sports/new-york-marathon-officials-determining-storms-effect-on-race.html

As the region assesses widespread storm damage, organizers for the New York City Marathon began work Tuesday morning to determine how Sunday’s race might be affected by flooding and power outages.

“We’re assessing today with the city what the damage was and the ability to recover as quickly as possible,” said Richard Finn, a spokesman for New York Road Runners, the group that organizes the marathon. “The New York Road Runners is moving ahead with everything we can do to be on the way to putting on a great marathon this Sunday.”

With nearly all of the city’s bridges and tunnels closed early Tuesday, and many roads still impassable, race officials had yet to determine whether any part of the 26.2-mile course was flooded. Typically, race officials drive the course several times in the days before the race to ensure that nothing is blocking the roadways, and to determine if necessary equipment, like mile markers and water stops, is in place.

The marathon’s course does not pass through Lower Manhattan, which lost power Monday night and experienced significant flooding. But about half of the nearly 50,000 runners take the Staten Island Ferry, which leaves from the Battery, to get to the starting line early Sunday morning. While the ferry may resume service, subways leading to the Battery could be affected.

We were in New York for the Marathon a few years ago. I can't imagine trying to get around the city, and to the start area on Staten Island, without public transport.

Sid

[frazzled]

1. Holy moly, the Marathon

I forgot about that. I've been there during Marathon weekend, too. It will be a nightmare, I should imagine.

But as long as the streets are dry and the hotels have electricity, I'm guessing it will go on. Can you imagine how many millions of dollars will be lost if it is canceled? Hotels, restaurants ... it's a huge deal.

[abbyg8r]

2. My husband is running it

My husband has been training for 6 months to run the race and we have friends flying in from Florida to run it with him. I really hope they can find alternate, safe routes.

The race brings 350 million into the NYC economy.

[geckosfeet]

3. Race on Sunday - with people from all over the world arriving during the week.

[central scrutinizer]

4. A marathon crossed with the steeplechase

runners will have to leap over broken chunks of buildings. But Paul Ryan will finish in 2-fifty something.

[gkhouston]

5. Can't they just declare Ryan the winner and be done with it? n/t

[obamanut2012]

6. If it can be done safely, it should definitely go on

It brings a huge amount of money into the area, and is a huge morale booster/civic event.

In between the election and Sandy, I completely forgot it was Sunday.