NYC Marathon Meeting With Pros At 11 am Today

What about my $260, Wejo? I am dead serious, please try to get some answers about our entry fees. Are they going to charity? Are they going to be rolled into next year's race? Can we run for free next year?

Please look into this as it is a big deal to me, that is a lot of money to some of us and, personally, I hope it goes to charity if they cannot return it.

Does it not seem odd that they would just keep the money? That does not seem right.

Especially when the ostensible reason for the $60 increase in the entry fee this year was to pay NYC for police OT.

So that's $60 right there that should be knocked off your 2013 entry fee.

The contract stated that there would be no cash refunds, so I guess I am SOL. Sucks, but in the grand scheme of things, it is not much to lose as a result of Sandy when others lost so much more. I guess I can live with it. I will not do any more NYRR races though. I know that they couldn't care less about me, but whatever.

Any updates on what is being said at the meeting?

I would really like to know what the elite athletes are going to do now. If it were up to me an elite only race would be held. I think making the race elite only could actually help to promote the sport of distance running. People would see the competition side not just the hobby jogging side of the marathon.

Im thinking class action law suit against NYRR and NYC. While yes i agree they have the right to cancel the marathon and even keep your money they do not have the right to mislead people about it. That is fraud. The situation on friday was better in every measure than it was on wednesday yet they said it would go on on wednesday and canceled on friday. All those runners who arrived in the city by now have lost thousands. While you do agree that the marathon can be cancels there is an understanding not specifically laid out that it will only be canceled in case of extreme weather or other circumstances. While this situation i feel meets that criteria the Mayor and Mary W. both said this was not the case on wednesday, that things were ok. If things had got worse i could understand but they got better.

Quenton, there are a lot of quite good sub-elite runners entered who are not "hobby joggers" and leaving them out of the action would be a bit unfair. Plus, the average spectator has more interest in fiends and neighbors who are running than in skinny foreign visitors who happen to be fast.

I am not saying it is fair that sub elite guys do not get to race but I do think there could be an upside to an elite only race. I think it could generate more interest in the "skinny foreign visitors who happen to be fast" and the real competition.

An article at runnersworld.com by Amby Burfoot points out that the idea of a ten-mile run for elites, from the QB Bridge to the finish in the park, perhaps, has already been considered and discarded. There's not going to be an elite race in NYC this weekend.

updates???

??

There is no chance for a New York City Marathon this year.

The race will try and help find other races for the runners. Some of the Japanese races may fly runners over but likely without appearances.

Mary Wittenberg, head of the NYRR, said it would take a week to figure out how much the runners would get paid of their New York appearances.

She said the thinking was the race would unite New Yorkers and once that didn't happen it was decided it had to canceled.

I hadn't thought of this but I don't see why they couldn't have a "Race to Recover" ie New York City Marathon in a month.

Legally it might present some sort of challenges with the race cancellation insurance.

So what about the World Marathon Majors women's series?

Nothing was said officially at the meeting but we heard from a a source it was decided Mary Keitany is the winner. If she wants to split the money that is up to her.

wejo wrote:

Mary Wittenberg, head of the NYRR, said it would take a week to figure out how much the runners would get paid of their New York appearances.

If she keeps all of the "hobby jogger" cash then the elites better get paid all of there appearance cash.

wejo wrote:

I hadn't thought of this but I don't see why they couldn't have a "Race to Recover" ie New York City Marathon in a month.

My first guess would be that there just isn't the money for it. The projected income from the 2012 NYCM has already been spent, and organizing another Marathon in a month's time would require everyone to basically pay again, which could indeed cause some legal problems (but I think the chance of lawsuits would be remote). Also, many recreational runners were from overseas, and would not be able to return next month. The logistics including road closures and volunteers would be very difficult, such events normally have to be scheduled a long time in advance.

On the other hand, demand for entry in the past has been so great that they could probably fill the vacant spaces quite easily. The "Recovery" theme could really work, especially if there is a large amount of charity involved - of course, that was also the plan on Wednesday, but (some) New Yorkers thought differently. I guess the announcement would have to be made this weekend, and perhaps they still feel that the atmosphere is too hostile.

I think the Philadelphia Marathon given the timing & proximity should make an all out push to get as many of the elites as they can. For the US guys, Meb, Abdi, Gotcher, Arcianga, Hartman etc it would be the best bet I would think.

Why would any runner from outside of NYC want to help with the recovery after many of the city's citizens threatened to spit on, throw rotten food at, trip, boo... you get the picture... marathon runners? This was the real reason the race was cancelled. The city was worried that some crazy, nut-jobs would assault the runners and open up the possibility of major lawsuits, against the race and city, since they should have seen it coming.

If I have any money to donate to suffering people, it's going to Africa, or somewhere where the affected aren't entitled, whiny brats.

Who cares what the elite runners are going to do.