New York Marathon 2009

What mess L'a? Everything looks tidy to me

Hi Everyone.

I've been lucky to get a ballot place for the NYM 2009 on my second attemp. I've been running for a couple of years now. I'm gradually getting faster but still enjoying it which is perhaps more important. I've just "done" London and found it tougher than I thought i would in 3:24. I've also ran the Berlin marathon in 2008 in 3:16.... so my target for NY - whether realistic or not - is 2:59:59.

I've been looking through the forum which has given me a bit of insight in to what i have to expect at the NYM. I'm looking around for budget (but hopefully not low quality) hotels. The issue of transport and the time we set off for the start is something that comes up quite a bit....I'm definetly staying in Manhattan so there's no getting around it. What do you do with yourself if you're at the start area by 7am with over two hours to kill??

Thanks TortieT. 5am!!! Blimey, it hardly worth going to bed. MMmmm, I'm thinking I'll have to sort out some warm clothes and depending on the weather forecast maybe some waterproofs. At least, with so much time to kill i'll feel more inclined to have a good chin-wag with fellow runners. I found everything at the FLM on the day to be like clockwork, baggage, starting pens etc - should I expect NY to be less organised generally - which is something I can relax about if I expect it in advance? (I'm sure I'll still be excited and nervous anyway)

Paul. Welcome. Nearer the time, if we are all (or if any of us are) still 'talking' to each other, 'someone' will, I am sure, suggest that those who want to meet up to help pass the time away, either on the Island before the race, on (or "en" if you're posh) route to the Island, or even a couple of days before for drinks, etc. I believe it's called an FE around these parts, for, I think, "Forumite Exchange". Until then, best of luck with your sub-3. Oh, word on the US threads is that organisation at NY is definitely NOT as clockwork as London. So now you can relax. Oh, P.S. Do have a look at the "Greg's" link shown on the very first post of this discussion. It has as much info as you can get about the NY marathon in one place (if you use the tabs).

                                               Goal

• Champagne          3:30
• Chowster                3.59.59
• Dave101                 3:50
• Djwolf                      3:29
• Gary Jones             2:44
• Hudds Dave           3:50
• Kiwidave                 3:29
• Iain Harrison           
• L’ardvark                 3:05
• Legs in Pain           5.30
• NotCat                     3.10
• Over the Hill            3.45
• Paul Ward              2:59:59
• Steven S                 3:30
• Tiptree                     3:45
• Tony Hodge 6        3:30
• Tortie T                    3:35
• Tricia Hurst             3:59

Good NY Times article about how useless most 'scientific' running advice is, posted by "Footloose" in the US Boston Martathon RW Forum:

Hi L'ardvark. I'm now looking forward to meeting up with a few of you guys enroute to Staten Island. Thanks for the info regarding Greg's helpful links...

I've done 4 marathons so far in my running "career" but i think i suffered a little fatigue prior to the FLM after over 4 months training. How much training will you guys put in for NY and does training through the summer months make any difference??

The NYtimes article just confirms what i've been reading more and more about - runner's folklore being mistaken for gospel. All runners - including myself - have their own ideas as to what helps or prevents injuries. But that's all they are until proven - just ideas. I've realised i'll just have to listen to my own body as much as possible which normally "tells" me when I need to protect against more knee pain, calf strains, general fatigue etc......

Running is simple isn't it!   

Hi Paul. If I were a mature grown-up, I would dearly love to drop my mileage and improve my speed at shorter distances prior to starting another marathon schedule 'from scratch' 18 weeks out from NY. However, reasonably high mileage training through the summer months is, for me, essential to stop me from eating and drinking even more than I will anyway and sleeping even less, i.e. going completely to seed. Thus, I will be depriving my body of a rest I think it would possibly greatly benefit from. Fatigue is definitely a danger - but if you are still gunning for sub-3 in NY I would say your motivation is still pretty fired up and therefore you can't be too fatigued just yet. Me, I did Berlin 2008 in 3:11 (and Boston [downhill] this year in 3:09) but am saving my realistic sub-3 attempt for London and/or Chicago next year. I think the crowds and challenges of late uphills in NY make even my goal 3:05 quite ambitious. So, like I said, it doesn't sound like you are as jaded as I am yet!

That's good to hear TortieT. I started the FLM in pen 2 but still found I was being held up for about 6 miles - by then I was way down on my target so it sort of went down hill from there. Hopefully I can start with a sub 3 hour pace group in NY. Are they easy to spot?

I didn't see any at the start but I missed the call for my pen due to the baggage cock up. I think you're supposed to sign up for them at the expo and the ones I saw out on the course had a stick with balloons on it and a sign to say what time they were aiming for.

They operate a wave start now but if you've put a fast time on your application then you should set off in wave 1.

........but do they have she-pees like at the FLM? 

Hi there, hope everyone is having a good day. I saw the she-pees at London this year.

I have a question, one of my friends who did not get a place. He needs to get a place, here works over in New York a bit of the time. He has a place to stay and is over there so does not need a flight. He was looking in getting a place though a travel company, and sell me the hotel and keep the entry(lifes not simple). I was shocked how much the hotel was, even with my brother coming over its expensive. If you booked one without the company its alot cheaper, want my mate to get a place but prefer to spend my money else where.

 Can you get a place though a charity?, like you do in London. Which ones?, is it easy. I guess you have to raise a certain amount.

Sorry for the questions, hope you can help lifes never easy.

hi steven

my friend and i are running for the CYSTIC FYBROSIS TRUST  who ask a minimum donation of £1200

there are a few others like BEATING BOWEL CANCER and the  INSTITUTE OF CANCER RESEARCH who have or had places.

the other charities mostly want you to sign up through a sports tour company .

 Tortie. I'm persuaded. Thanks for your help.

 All. It can be nice to know where people are staying and when, e.g., to arrange/share travel, meeting up, etc. If you are happy to let the world know, please either remind me or enter your details after cutting and pasting the table below.

                                               Goal                          Hotel (Dates)

• Champagne          3:30
• Chowster                3.59.59
• Dave101                 3:50
• Djwolf                      3:29
• Gary Jones             2:44
• Hudds Dave           3:50
• Kiwidave                 3:29
• Iain Harrison           
• L’ardvark                 3:05                           Ramada, NJ (29 - 2)
• Legs in Pain           5.30
• NotCat                     3.10
• Over the Hill            3.45
• Paul Ward              2:59:59
• Steven S                 3:30
• Tiptree                     3:45
• Tony Hodge 6        3:30
• Tortie T                    3:35
• Tricia Hurst             3:59

 Just don't blame me if it's a sh*thole! Anyone else finding it far too hot to run today? I was planning to do my long run this morning but have put it off until tomorrow just in case it's cooler. I also bought some bottles of gatorade yesterday so will be trying them out. Last time it wasn't a common brand over here so I had to buy a tub of powder on ebay and it did dreadful things to me when running. Hopefully the bottled stuff will be a bit kinder. 

I've changed my goal time back to 3.30 'cause that's what I'm truthfully aiming for.

                                            Goal                          Hotel (Dates)

• Champagne          3:30
• Chowster                3.59.59
• Dave101                 3:50
• Djwolf                      3:29
• Gary Jones             2:44
• Hudds Dave           3:50
• Kiwidave                 3:29
• Iain Harrison           
• L’ardvark                 3:05                           Ramada, NJ (29 - 2)
• Legs in Pain           5.30
• NotCat                     3.10
• Over the Hill            3.45
• Paul Ward              2:59:59
• Steven S                 3:30
• Tiptree                     3:45
• Tony Hodge 6        3:30
• Tortie T                    3:30                       Ramada, NJ (30 - 2)
• Tricia Hurst             3:59

Tortie. I would never blame you. I thank you for your advice but take full responsibility for the decision taken. (That said, not a good start that they said they would send me an email confirmation and didn't, and then when I tried to send the page to myself it failed, and when I tried to save the page it saved another one - but, hey!) We can search out a stable together if we need to.

My NY buddy says if you can't get to the Expo on the Friday (which you presumably can't), go FIRST THING Saturday if you want to avoid long lines/queues.

I have also shelved the long run till tomorrow, but mainly because I slightly hurt my foot training for the South Downs Way Relay (sorry Trin) - which the team has since pulled out of! Nothing but road running and gentle off-road for me for a while.

Well, I booked a pre pay room that has no refund if you cancel but they've yet to take the money off my card. I have the e-mail confirmation and if, god forbid, there is a cock up and they don't have room at the inn then I shall be taking my credit card and am impulsive enough to flash it about for 3 nights at a mega swish hotel.

I'm still paying off my trip to run it in 2007 (at a rate of £50 a month into the joint account (which I pillaged to pay off my credit card at the time)).