Rant - NYCM puts ~300 hobby joggers at the front of the race

it's ludicrous to do this, because it is a race. you have corrals divided by time for a reason. If you want to reward NYPD and NYFD, no problem, give them a guaranteed free entry and transportation to the race, etc. Just don't impede the race.

I hear ya, but unless you're an elite, the so-called marathon majors basically ARE the marathon equivalent of a color run. They are not the place for a non-elite but serious runner to try to run a goal time. After the elites, it's not a race; it's a parade. If you want to be in a race instead of a parade, don't run there.

stop being babies wrote:

Come on guys. It took a minute or so to weave through the slower runners in front of me. Made no difference whatsoever to my time. It is an epic event and course, couldn't care less if other courses are slightly faster.

You're lying. Unless you run a 1 minute mile. The whole bridge is a cluster f.

NYM has qualifying standards too. You can even qualify with a half marathon. Did you qualify or were you lottery?

The corral system is broken. How hard is it to make corral a-z. Break it down in 10-15 minute intervals until 4 hours and then lump them by 30 minutes.

I was watching on TV and saw all these fatties up front. Figured it was a fund raiser of some type. These were people that had NO business in the front of any footrace............. except maybe one to the refrigerator.

I am usually in favor of tributary and/or charitable displays in events, but I must wholeheartedly agree with Schiller on this one. I do not find this post wrong, nor insensitive because in giving recognition, one is essentially tapdancing on the efforts of those people who may have trained a lifetime for this one trip--the race of their lifetime.Furthermore, while I have the utmost respect for the first responders, our police, and our fire forces, I am not sure that a timed race is the place to display it, especially in corrals where you may have people who are trying for a 2:18, 2:20, 2:25, or even 2:35 marathon time.There are a few wave starts in New York to Sinatra's "New York, New York" and they could have been part of one where a huge time would not be at stake. If I was in a wave with that group, I would not mind the few seconds.However, I am also not a 5:30-6:30 miler at marathon pace. If I were, I'd know that I would need to be at the pacing I had set for myself and not be able to waste energy trying to get around people, even if it was NYPD or FDNY. This road racing is, and has always been, about spirit and personal achievement. It is conceivable that many of the top runners may decide eventually to scrap NY because the opportunity cost may very well just not be worth it. You may train for a 2:20 and get a 2:22 simply because of the time it took to get around people whom you should not have to get around. It may be the only possible 2:20 in that person's life. It may have been stolen forever.This is what road racing is about. We have corrals for a reason.Mike

If you're shooting for that once in a lifetime 2:20 or whatever, go to CIM or St. George or something. NYC is not well suited for such an attempt. Run NYC after you've achieved that PR and you're ready to be a tourist.

I would think any marathon could be -that- attempt if you are in the very first sub-elite corral, no?

[quote]Hello Newman wrote:

If you're shooting for that once in a lifetime 2:20 or whatever, go to CIM or St. George or something. NYC is not well suited for such an attempt. Run NYC after you've achieved that PR and you're ready to be a tourist.

San Marcos Mike wrote:

I would think any marathon could be -that- attempt if you are in the very first sub-elite corral, no?

Are we talking about what could be or what is?

If my mother hadn't met my father, I could be my sister.

I don't understand why any runner who is serious about time but not a true elite would want to run a zoo like NYC. There are a semi-infinite number of small to medium sized marathons that are well organized and have a strong enough field to provide competition for almost any non-pro, but don't have the horrible logistical problems of NYC. And cost a whole lot less to enter and run.

Not true. I have never run NY but I ran Berlin and London twice and they treat sub-elites as well as elites. Same corral, great access to the front of the race, warmup area, coffee, water, etc… It may not be easy to put everyone on the front of the race at a Major but don't make a mistake like this. It's not respectful and most of all it's not safe either for faster and slower runners.

amkelley wrote:

I don't understand why any runner who is serious about time but not a true elite would want to run a zoo like NYC. There are a semi-infinite number of small to medium sized marathons that are well organized and have a strong enough field to provide competition for almost any non-pro, but don't have the horrible logistical problems of NYC. And cost a whole lot less to enter and run.

So you are saying it's Ok for fatties and slow runners to be up front with elites? You are being obtuse.

I ran it and my problem that it was legit unsafe. I saw at least three people fall down at the start because of the bobbing, weaving and pushing. It just doesn't make sense.

rafarafa wrote:

Hello Newman wrote:

I hear ya, but unless you're an elite, the so-called marathon majors basically ARE the marathon equivalent of a color run. They are not the place for a non-elite but serious runner to try to run a goal time. After the elites, it's not a race; it's a parade. If you want to be in a race instead of a parade, don't run there.

Not true. I have never run NY but I ran Berlin and London twice and they treat sub-elites as well as elites. Same corral, great access to the front of the race, warmup area, coffee, water, etc… It may not be easy to put everyone on the front of the race at a Major but don't make a mistake like this. It's not respectful and most of all it's not safe either for faster and slower runners.

I am glad you had a good experience at Berlin and London. The thread is about NYC.

And my choosing not to run any of the "marathon majors" makes them unsafe and disrespectful? I don't understand that point...at all.

BlastedMaster wrote:

amkelley wrote:

I don't understand why any runner who is serious about time but not a true elite would want to run a zoo like NYC. There are a semi-infinite number of small to medium sized marathons that are well organized and have a strong enough field to provide competition for almost any non-pro, but don't have the horrible logistical problems of NYC. And cost a whole lot less to enter and run.

So you are saying it's Ok for fatties and slow runners to be up front with elites? You are being obtuse.

No, I'm just saying that if this is the way the organizers want to run the NYC marathon, serious runners should vote with their feet and run elsewhere.

It took me about 20 seconds to get through them all. I didn't see me losing any time because of them either. This is way overblown.

There is a corral without toilets? Most corrals have them, I thought all of them did.

Angryjohnny wrote:

I was there. It was ridiculous. To make it worse many of these hobby joggers, including one group of about 5-6 linebacker looking dudes, were running shoulder to shoulder creating a virtual roadblock.

It was also ridiculous how we were crammed into the corral like sardines and forced stand for a solid 35-40 minutes before the race started with no access to water, toilets, etc. And this was all after having to wake up at 5:00 to take the subway, then a ferry, then a bus, to Staten Island.

amkelley wrote:

I don't understand why any runner who is serious about time but not a true elite would want to run a zoo like NYC. There are a semi-infinite number of small to medium sized marathons that are well organized and have a strong enough field to provide competition for almost any non-pro, but don't have the horrible logistical problems of NYC. And cost a whole lot less to enter and run.

Here are my reasons: (1) running a race in the streets of NYC while more than a million people cheer you on is pretty freaking cool (2) NYC is one of the six majors (3) other than the Olympic trials, NYC is probably the hardest race in the US to qualify for (4) in small races I'm alone for much of the race whereas in big races like NYC there are others to run with or pull me along (5) I have family in NYC and there is plenty of touristy stuff for my wife and daughter to do there (6) NYC is easier for me to get to than say CIM or Grandmas (7) my PR is on course that is arguably more hilly than NYC and I'm in better shape now, so a PR wasn't out of the question (8) I was unaware of all the logistical problems when I paid my $255 entry fee. In fact, I was told at the expo on Friday by the person who gave me my bib that there would be no other corrals between Blue 1A and the elite men.

I'm glad to have checked NYC off the bucket list but probably won't do it again. It's just too much of a logistical nightmare. Chicago is so much better from that standpoint. And a ton faster.