It's always a thrill to see the athletes who are not only doing the marathon, they're doing it from a wheelchair. I missed the shot of the woman who used a hand driven chair, and whose feet were encased in...yup...ruby red slippers!
The first batch of gazelles are the professional women. They pass in seconds. You see them coming...
then they're right there..
then gone!
I always wonder about the couple of stragglers who follow the professional packs. They must know they're behind. Are they plotting feverishly to catch up or are they having a bad race? We onlookers cheer madly of course!
The first sign the professional men are coming is the truck with the timing sign. Notice it's under an hour. I'm standing at mile post 11. These guys are running 5 minute miles...and have been doing so for nearly an hour. And they're not even half way through the course. Holy MOLY!
NYPD motorcycles clear the onlookers from the street before the pros come by. They really don't mess around. If you're in the street, you're told "step back" in no uncertain terms!
This is the start of a sea of people that will fill the street for two HOURS! I made the mistake of leaving my bike on the OTHER side of the street so I not only had to cross once, to get it, I had to cross back again to ride home. Boy, I learned my lesson!
This musician brought out her keyboard and gave the runners some musical oomph to help them keep the pace!
And the one shot I missed, darn it all, was our very own FPLM deputy godsend McKenzie who ran, and finished!, the marathon. This may be what she'll look like today in the office:
For an amazing look at the start of the race, click here.
(thanks Rejectionist!)
12 comments:
I really admire anyone who can run--or even walk that far. I know I couldn't do it!
Good Dog, Good Dog, Janet Reid.
McKenzie gets my vote for the Wisest of Them All.
-- Tom
Rode a shuttle to LAX last Monday with two New Zealanders headed to NYC to run. Hope they fared well.
Thx for the pics! 'Gazelles' is the right word for the women professionals. Many years ago I had the luck to be standing on 5th Avenue when the Mercedes Mile was run. I'd never seen pro runners in person, and I was stunned at how freakin' FAST those people were! TV does not do them justice. Kudos to McKenzie! Quite an accomplishment.
Congratulations, McKenzie! I hope the runner's high is still with you today.
The best part of watching a marathon (other than the fact you're not running in the marathon) is watching the professionals boing by.
Because they really do boing. They seem to spend all their time in the air; their feet only dab the pavement.
I used to run in highschool, and again in my twenties for boxing, now I'm McKenzie! Cool Photos. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! Congrats to everyone who can run like that! I certainly know I'm completely unable to do so!
To quote a co-worker, I don't even like to drive 26 miles.
Running one is an amazing act of physical bravery.
I'm in awe--I can't even imagine running that distance! Thanks for posting so we non-NYers can appreciate this, too.
I have done 2 marathons and have sworn nevermore! I do a half each month now. All the fun, all the glory (medal, tshirt, cheering spectators) and you can still function in the afternoon. Did the US Half in San Francisco this weekend. POURING DOWN RAIN. The Golden Gate Bridge was like running through a carwash. Next day, gorgeous sunshine.
Congrats to McKenzie!
Thanks for such a great photo spread of the race! I love that your blog just bleeds NYC pride. You, of almost all people I know, embrace where you live with passion.
Marathoners amaze me. I ran three miles at the gym this morning and thought I was going to die.
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