dude
21.10.2009, 21:15
This may be of interset to some of you, particularly those running the ING New York City Marathon:
Marathon course changes: because of construction along several
points of the NYC Marathon route, there will be some changes to the
course. Many of the changes, fortuitously, make the course a tad easier
because some of the sharp turns in Queens and Brooklyn have been
eliminated. What was shortened in Brooklyn and Queens was made up for in
the Bronx.
For anyone doing the last 10-mile run of the marathon, please check the
NYRR web site to get a map and details of the changes, in the Bronx,
particularly. Also, please be careful over the Willis Avenue bridge: they are doing
some construction there; it'll be done by marathon day.
2. Local competitive start: Anyone with a bib number between 500-999 has been
placed on the local competitive start. NYRR has contacted
runners with instructions for the race start.
3. Transportation: they increased the SI Ferry slots from 10,000 to
18,000. The NYRR cannot control who gets on any given ferry and when,
because it is a public space, but they will try to control the
transportation from the ferry to the start. So, they encourage folks to
take their assigned spots.
They will also tell runners not to congregate in the waiting areas upon
leaving the Ferry: there will be police and other officials ready to
guide everyone out.
Getting to the Ferry: they strongly encourage taking the subway,
because last year the mass influx of taxis caused major traffic delays.
Transportation by car: not encouraged, but if you're going to do it,
you should get there by 6:30 because they will close the bridge at 7:00.
Also, do not -- repeat -- do not get out of your car on the bridge,
or you will be taken into custody by the police. They were not kidding.
It's a safety and logistical hazard: if someone gets off on the bridge
and gets hit by another car, the bridge becomes a crime scene, which
means that it'll be roped off for several hours. So don't do it.
4. NYC Marathon entries for 2010: Mucho changes! To capitalize on the
excitement generated by the NYC Marathon, they will accept online
applications the day after the marathon, November 2. The lottery will be
held some time in February.
Two important exceptions, which will apply to a lot of us:
** If we know that we'll have guaranteed acceptance through any other
means but time, we should not apply on November 2. We will be given
instructions in early January about how to apply. So, if you made it
through the 9 + 1, deferrals, 15 NYCMs or more, or any other means but
time, you'll need to wait a bit. Once you get the application, there will
be a very short window in which you'll be allowed to register.
** If you know you'll make it in by time, your registration will open
some time in March or April. They will use the same 15-month time frame
that they used in the past, which makes it sort of tricky: let's say you
enter the lottery and lose. Then, in March, you run a race that would
qualify you for acceptance. Your application will convert from rejected
to accepted. By the same token, if you put off entering the lottery
because you think you'll run a qualifying time, and then you don't,
you're out of luck. So, if you're unsure (and you don't qualify under
the other rules), apply on November 2 and take your chances in the
lottery.
3. NYC Half: will be moved from August to March.
4. 9 + 1 program: December 31 is the last day that you can volunteer
under the 9 + 1 program. BTW, volunteering for the NYC Marathon does NOT
count as a qualifying volunteer gig. (This was not well received by the
assembled!) Rationale: the logistics are not there to track the comings
and goings of every volunteer. Plus, the police run background checks on
every NYC Marathon volunteer, which further complicates things.
5. Miscellaneous next steps, which may or may not happen in the not too
distant future, but are on the radar screen:
** an annual application/registry for all NYC teams, to be completed by
team reps (January 2010)
** a way in which team reps can track who on their team has registered
for races
** a way in which members can see which races they've registered for
Marathon course changes: because of construction along several
points of the NYC Marathon route, there will be some changes to the
course. Many of the changes, fortuitously, make the course a tad easier
because some of the sharp turns in Queens and Brooklyn have been
eliminated. What was shortened in Brooklyn and Queens was made up for in
the Bronx.
For anyone doing the last 10-mile run of the marathon, please check the
NYRR web site to get a map and details of the changes, in the Bronx,
particularly. Also, please be careful over the Willis Avenue bridge: they are doing
some construction there; it'll be done by marathon day.
2. Local competitive start: Anyone with a bib number between 500-999 has been
placed on the local competitive start. NYRR has contacted
runners with instructions for the race start.
3. Transportation: they increased the SI Ferry slots from 10,000 to
18,000. The NYRR cannot control who gets on any given ferry and when,
because it is a public space, but they will try to control the
transportation from the ferry to the start. So, they encourage folks to
take their assigned spots.
They will also tell runners not to congregate in the waiting areas upon
leaving the Ferry: there will be police and other officials ready to
guide everyone out.
Getting to the Ferry: they strongly encourage taking the subway,
because last year the mass influx of taxis caused major traffic delays.
Transportation by car: not encouraged, but if you're going to do it,
you should get there by 6:30 because they will close the bridge at 7:00.
Also, do not -- repeat -- do not get out of your car on the bridge,
or you will be taken into custody by the police. They were not kidding.
It's a safety and logistical hazard: if someone gets off on the bridge
and gets hit by another car, the bridge becomes a crime scene, which
means that it'll be roped off for several hours. So don't do it.
4. NYC Marathon entries for 2010: Mucho changes! To capitalize on the
excitement generated by the NYC Marathon, they will accept online
applications the day after the marathon, November 2. The lottery will be
held some time in February.
Two important exceptions, which will apply to a lot of us:
** If we know that we'll have guaranteed acceptance through any other
means but time, we should not apply on November 2. We will be given
instructions in early January about how to apply. So, if you made it
through the 9 + 1, deferrals, 15 NYCMs or more, or any other means but
time, you'll need to wait a bit. Once you get the application, there will
be a very short window in which you'll be allowed to register.
** If you know you'll make it in by time, your registration will open
some time in March or April. They will use the same 15-month time frame
that they used in the past, which makes it sort of tricky: let's say you
enter the lottery and lose. Then, in March, you run a race that would
qualify you for acceptance. Your application will convert from rejected
to accepted. By the same token, if you put off entering the lottery
because you think you'll run a qualifying time, and then you don't,
you're out of luck. So, if you're unsure (and you don't qualify under
the other rules), apply on November 2 and take your chances in the
lottery.
3. NYC Half: will be moved from August to March.
4. 9 + 1 program: December 31 is the last day that you can volunteer
under the 9 + 1 program. BTW, volunteering for the NYC Marathon does NOT
count as a qualifying volunteer gig. (This was not well received by the
assembled!) Rationale: the logistics are not there to track the comings
and goings of every volunteer. Plus, the police run background checks on
every NYC Marathon volunteer, which further complicates things.
5. Miscellaneous next steps, which may or may not happen in the not too
distant future, but are on the radar screen:
** an annual application/registry for all NYC teams, to be completed by
team reps (January 2010)
** a way in which team reps can track who on their team has registered
for races
** a way in which members can see which races they've registered for