Who knew that running would be a controversial hot topic? But the running of the 42nd New York Marathon is just that, extraordinarily controversial in the wake of super storm Sandy. By writing this post I hope to open up discourse on this topic and I don’t have any answers. Personally, my family and friends have been adversely affected by Sandy. As of this writing my mother has been without power for three days and her cellphone is not working. I spoke with her briefly yesterday morning on a borrowed cellphone. Her car was hit by a tree while parked in the backyard and her home has no heat, she has no fireplace and she is freezing.
My mother lives on the North Shore of Long Island and is above sea level so she was not evacuated but many in my hometown were displaced. And my friends on the South Shore have been in an uproar as homes in the area go up in flames because of electrical fires and government officials in their towns are not moving quickly. Water must be boiled because of the threat of e-coli and although power has been restored in some areas, this is not the case for everyone. I preface my post with this information so that you have an understanding of my perspective as a native New Yorker with friends and family directly in the path of the “perfect storm.”
Now, as a runner who just completed her first marathon when I heard that the New York Marathon was still going to be run this weekend I was ecstatic. The New York Marathon has always been a symbolic and uplifting event for me. Although I SWORE I’d never run a marathon myself, it was a wonderful feeling to cheer and support runners that I didn’t know on the day of the race for completing such a milestone event. I recall a day almost 20 years ago when I awoke on a Sunday morning in Brooklyn to the cheers of the crowd as the runners passed by my home. The New York Marathon! The largest marathon in the world and one that is on the bucket
list of many runners.
This Sunday the marathon is scheduled to go on. In the midst of the devastation caused by Sandy many are questioning the sense of this decision. Although the race brings 45,000 runners to NYC (20,000 international), which under normal circumstances would boost the economy, how will this work in light of Sandy? The transportation system is still not working, many areas are still without power, the finish line is under water and how in the world are people going to get to Staten Island where the race begins?
Apparently both the race directors and Mayor Bloomberg have taken all of these factors into consideration and decided to move forward. But now, I am reading posts on facebook about families who have been displaced and staying in hotels being asked to leave because runners with reservations are arriving. This makes no sense to me, in my opinion hotels should make accommodations for runners in other hotels or locations. Moving already displaced individuals simply adds insult to injury. If indeed I were being asked to move by a hotel, I’d go directly to the news media outlets. This type of decision is one being made by the hotel group and I don’t see that cancelling the marathon would keep this from happening. It is a crazy decision on the part of the hotel and I’d be fuming.
I do think that holding the New York Marathon on Sunday speaks to the resilience of New York City and may indeed uplift the spirits of people who live in the city. The resources being utilized are paid I believe by the EXORBITANT entry fee for the race. Yes at $250.00 this is the most expensive race I have ever heard of but the cost makes sense considering New York City and the major logistics of the race. And speaking of logistics, despite being cheerful about the race going on (I can’t help but think of the thousands of people who have trained for MONTHS in preparation) I still am skeptical about if this decision makes sense.
I know LaGuardia is still closed so that makes it difficult to get to New York for many people. And I’m sure Kennedy is operating on a reduced schedule. The transportation system that people rely on to get around is not functioning, how are the runners/volunteers/workers etc going to travel from place to place? The power is out in many places, how will this affect the race?
There are so many questions and I don’t have answers. I’m curious about your thoughts. Should the New York Marathon go on? Should it be rescheduled?
UPDATES:
So, some of the things I read online were in fact, not true. Here are a few additional facts that have been brought to my attention:
-The finish line is not underwater, nor was it ever. Central park is closed to pedestrians for clean up of fallen tree branches, etc. nothing more.
-Transportation to the start has been solved with buses running from midtown to the start which have been provided by NYRR using private contractors.
-Mass transit has been running since this morning(11/1), albeit limited, but its running and it more than likely will be running at full strength by race time.
-JFK has been running full strength as soon as the storm ended.
-Laguardia opened this morning with limited service.
-Statements from Hyatt and the bigger hotels advise they are doing their best to accomodate everyone and those arriving later do not necessarily receive preference because they’re running the marathon.
A big thank you to my friend Paul for fact checking. His discourse on facebook prompted me to write this post in the first place. Paul is a native New Yorker, who runs marathons weekly (yes, weekly) and although he can’t run Savannah RnR this Saturday he will be running the New York Marathon on Sunday (despite his disdain for NYRR). Good luck Paul!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Renee, I think you outlined both sides really well. There are a lot of devastated families still and I can see them thinking some sort of celebration would be really inappropriate.
I can also see from the runner’s point of view how hard they’ve trained and to lose the ability to race would be such a huge let down.
I do think, the marathon can become a rallying point for the city, something to remind them of how strong, powerful and resilient New Yorkers truly are. NYers should celebrate the running and show their tenacity and pride for their city. Because right now the city is on it’s heels but it’ll come back stronger than ever. It always does.
New Yorkers are nothing if not resilient!
I hope they move forward. I believe the people of that city could use a lift and a distraction. Plus, I see a lot of positive energy coming in and extra hands that just may stay to help out.
Good point!
People first, IMO.
Yes, it’s a symbol but it’s not worth it when people are displaced from their homes and resources are being diverted to focus on race preparations….
not to even mention will they be prepared for the election on Tuesday?
I’ve wondered about the election too. Trying times indeed!
I’m a native New Yorker too (well, Southern Westchester), and I know how resilient NY’ers can be. But I just think having the marathon is too much too soon.
It’s taxing an already stressed public safety system with the need for police and medical staff at the race. I’m heartbroken over the idea of people who lost their homes being relocated out of a hotel for runners. This just feels like we’re spending time, money and energy in the wrong places.
Renee, I see your points about the boost… but there are too many logistics IMHO that are not being addressed… like the need for hotel rooms, giving water and aid station supplies to runners when there are people hungry and thirsty in the same area, transportation, lack of power.
When runners sign up for races they sign something stating that they know that due to weather or natural disaster (or man-made disaster) a race could be cancelled without refund. I think if NYRR gave everyone a guaranteed in within the next two years that is all that has to be done.
I loved the race when I did it and being a NY (state) resident and have many attachments to the city I know that the residents are strong and will bounce back. BUT do we have to smack the open wound while it is still open. Let it at least scab over before the influx of tourists.
Sorry about the soap box… but as a runner this has been upsetting to me that people feel that they have a right to be there no matter what because they trained. Well, there are plenty of other events going on in the month of November who still have open slots and some (Thunder Road in Charlotte for one) are offering discounts to anyone who had planned to run NYCM.
Sondra I wrote this post to provide folks a place to talk about this. I see both sides of the situation and as I wrote above I don’t really know the answer. I appreciate you sharing your viewpoint and I think it is really cool that other races are offering entry to NYM runners as an alternative.
I am not a marathon runner but have friends who are and are teetering on their own decisions about whether to come and participate…some say that because it is not just them coming but others coming with them to support them who will pay for hotels, purchase goods and services and contribute to NYC’s economy it would be OK with them to come and are open to either decision of the powers that be…please know that they do have the option to postpone/reschedule to another year. The main thing I want to say is that any runners who are wanting to come are struggling with this decision too…for some it is the qualifying race that will get them into Boston next April, and for some it is their first marathon, and for others the wonderful experience that visiting NYC can be. No one is taking into consideration either that the race directors stand to lose a lot of money if it does not happen…they are a business too.
I am a marathon runner. I am a triathlete. I have lived in NYC, first on 16th and then (for a much longer stint) on 19th in Chelsea. My parents volunteered with the Red Cross Disaster Relief Service for over 15 years and they served thousands upon thousands of people displaced from their homes in disasters from floods in West Virginia, Texas, to hurricanes in North Carolina, Miami, Fla. and they even spent some months at Ground Zero and the Fresh Kills landfill after 9/11. They have shared with me tales of 30+ disasters they have been to. I understand what happens to the landscape, the people and the social atmosphere after something like this. I say all of these things to lay a foundation for the basis of my opinion of Sandy and the Marathon. I understand the suffering people go through during a natural disaster. Floods are particularly terrible because it doesn’t take much water to ruin everything you own and make your home uninhabitable.
I love New York. It is easily my favorite place on earth: the sights, the sounds, the cultures, the ease of meeting new people, the intimacy and harshness of it all draws me often. New Yorkers could live anywhere they wanted to, yet they choose to be there it is not a soft place. You do what you have to do to be there.
Run the marathon. Do it even if there is no power, flooding and little transportation. Do it because these are 40,000 people who are not traveling there to be comfortable, they are coming there to run 26.2 miles, they are expecting to be uncomfortable, hell, they WANT to be uncomfortable. It is a marathon, not a parade. These people have enough disposable income in a crap economy to travel for vain reasons. Yes, I am a runner and a triathlete and while I will sit here and sing the “great accomplishment” song about why I do these events, it boils down to an expression of vanity. Why do you run the marathon? Because you can. Why should New York run the marathon after this devastating storm? Because it is New York City and they can take it. We are not talking about some little town in EBF and this is not some little 5K put on by the local Lions Club. This is the New York City Marathon.
By running it, you get the short term fix of the runners who bring their check books. But you also get the exposure of the media who will bring attention to an area which needs the help. When Ma and Pa in Kansas see JR running on the internet feed they will also see the devastation he is running past, they are more willing to donate to the area who opened up and hosted JR to run his little marathon. New York gets a boost past the stigma of an angry New Yorker Ma and Pa will only ever see in movies.
Not running it makes New York look weak.
I hate to quote Nike because I am angry with them for personal reasons, but it fits better than anything else I can think of:
Just do it.