You guys sound like the millions of New Yorkers who didn't want to host the Olympics because of the traffic.Ignorance.
Once again
1. Friday: 8 million more people in the city on a weekday to watch...generating sports interest for once.
2. As if it were easier to keep cyclists off the roads in all 5 boroughs rather than the park.
3. Running a course on a loop makes for great viewing, competion and great racing. As all of you know running a long run on a route you are familiar with is much easier than running blindly. The central park loop can't be all that difficult given that Meb has run 22:16 for 8k on it shortly after he raced a Marathon in 2004.
4. The sport of running is currently at the tail end of a downard spiral that it seemingly cannot recover from. Everyone's hopes of a "Great white athlete" on the medal podium at the Olypmics or World Champs will do nothing for U.S running or the sport in the long run. So all you white American guys saying prayers for a new Pre save your energy. As the poster of the Running Shoe thread is pointing out common sense and the elite competitive side of running has lost out to the cash money generated by overweight, half stepping, Sunday joggers. The only way to win is to get those half steppers interested in competitve running. This NYC marathon trials idea is a step in the right direction. It is a small and valiant first step in trying to pull out of this tailspin.
5. If you disagree with this you are either a sub-elite runner hoping and praying to get a PR at the Marathon national championship or somehow involved in the bidding process for another city. You're either for the sport moving forward or your against it for personal gain$. I'm calling all of you out right now!
BTW why should NYRR give a damn about elite running anyway? They make plenty of money off of the half steppers. Good for them for showing support for competitive running.