Should the NY marathon go on as planned for Sunday?

[Xavier]

Should the NY marathon go on as planned for Sunday? I have not problem with it as long at the infrastructure is there.

[CeaBee]

dem can turn it into one a them obstacle course race...jump over tree...wallow thru mud etc.

but as long as them will refund the money for the people that can't/don't want to do it this year, i don't see the problem.

eta: but me not there in NY, so me not really sure how bad it is there..if it gwine mek things hard on police and fire dept; if the money it brings in will outweigh any complications that it causes now...etc etc

[Gen]

NO. but they are concerned that participants were already here in the city, or on their way here so might as well.. they may alter the course a bit.

hopefully they avoid ANY and ALL parks because all parks right now are disaster areas.

last time I checked the race was on as planned.

[kia027]

make it into a bi athalon?

[Tulip]

I really don't know. I guess it depends on the route.

I have talked to a couple of friends in Upper Manhattan and everything is pretty good there, but obviously all areas have not fared that well. Looking at the CNN footage, I lean towards probably not. Whatever the route, it's looks too chaotic right now for people to be running about the place.

[Gen]

something else to consider is that first responders are usually needed for the marathon, and right now, not one single neighborhood wants to send any of them to the marathon.

there has been some looting on coney island, and a few other places and police officers are patrolling hoods that are without power, so sending amublances and officers to the marathon course is just nuts right now.

NO. but they are concerned that participants were already here in the city, or on their way here so might as well.. they may alter the course a bit.

hopefully they avoid ANY and ALL parks because all parks right now are disaster areas.

last time I checked the race was on as planned.

[RichD]

make it into a bi athalon?

skiing and shooting?

[WitchyOoman]

NO!

I understand Mayor Bloomberg's decision to want to try to help the already-financially-strapped merchants of the City... but, really, the City DOES NOT have the resources, right now, to deal with it. (police, EMS, fire, DPW)

Is it disappointing? Sure! You bet!
But it's gonna be one hell of a lot MORE disappointing if there are injuries or if crimes occur elsewhere in the City because of this going forward!

It should be postponed. That's the ONLY sensible thing to do at this point in time.
(And *I* am in the area. And I *have* seen what's going on in the City right now.)

[CeaBee]

ok. good thing i never do early voting . me change me mind to agree with Gen and Witchy

[WitchyOoman]

ok. good thing i never do early voting .

BOAL

[ILP]

Many things have to be considered:

1) As the planner (from the hosting city): will runners (who paid to run) still show up? Will hotels, businesses be ready to receive them? Will the people selling at the EXPO still want to come (most are out of towners and make most of their money at EXPOs), as the host city will lose their cut (in profits) if they don't? I need Medics, Police, etc. While it is overtime for the actual workers...can the Depts still afford to send them giving that they may be needed to do other things in their respected areas? This year NYC Marathon is providing runners the option to defer to 2013 (if they choose)
2) As the planner (from the Race Directors): It takes thousands of volunteers and suppliers to do their part in order to pull off a run. Ie: I need X amount of port-a-johns, will I still get them? Will the supplier (out in X borough) still have all what I ordered? Will my fuel (Gatorade, GU) suppliers still show and if they do...will the volunteers and all that I need to make and distribute the fuel still show? Food (and Beer) suppliers...will they still be able to provide/show? Then there is the matter of Year Licenses (YL's). This race is called NYC Marathon 2012. Advertising, Charity Partners (who biggest fundraisers are race runners), Swag expenses, Elite Runner Hosting and Purses, etc...that are all but a wash if a race is canceled. The race can't be called NYC Marathon 2012 again...so ALL YL's would have to be scrapped.
3) I think for a runner, it is up to the individual...but from the perspectives of the race directors...lots have to be considered. And race organizing is a huge business.

Welcome to ILP world, ya'll. This is what mi muss lissen most nights of the week.

[Yuriatin]

The marathon should absolutely NOT go on. Bodies are still being found - EVERY - SINGLE - DAY - since the end of the storm.

People are missing, still missing.

There are people - hoards of people who have no sanitary facilities - packed into shelters - have mortgages with no way to pay them - have no HEAT. No hot water. Eating cold sandwiches for breakfast lunch and dinner.

People STILL (some by their own fault, some not) trapped in their houses.

People who are waiting in lines for HOURS, waiting for gas. Getting none. Most gas stations are now rationing gas. My next door neighbor here in NJ, just went to pick up her parents in Brooklyn yesterday. Her elderly parents - who live in a non flooding area but were still affected. The mother is wheel chair bound; they had no telephone service, no heat, no hot water - she couldn't traverse the roads to go get them until yesterday.

Many areas have YET, to see a FEMA rep in their neighborhood - they have no CLUE what's going on because they have no phone, no internet, no comm. at all.

Many, MANY are struggling to figure out how to vote.

People are in dire straights - and Mayor Bloomberg thinks its best, to use the City Resources, Medical Personnel, Police, Firefighthers, GENERATORS, etc - to have the flippin' marathon?

Sorry but there's nothing more important than life and limb.

[Yuriatin]

None of this trumps human life.

Many things have to be considered:

1) As the planner (from the hosting city): will runners (who paid to run) still show up? Will hotels, businesses be ready to receive them? Will the people selling at the EXPO still want to come (most are out of towners and make most of money at EXPOs), as the host city will lose their cut (in profits) if they don't? I need Medics, Police, etc. While it is overtime for the actual workers...can the Depts still afford to send them giving that they may be needed to do other things in their respected areas? This year NYC Marathon is providing runners the option to defer to 2013 (if they choose)
2) As the planner (from the Race Directors): It takes thousands of volunteers and suppliers to do their part in order to pull off a run. Ie: I need X amount of port-a-johns, will I still get them? Will the supplier (out in X borough) still have all what I ordered? Will my fuel (Gatorade, GU) suppliers still show and if they do...will the volunteers and all that I need to make and distribute the fuel still show? Food (and Beer) suppliers...will they still be able to provide/show? Then there is the matter of Year Licenses (YL's). This race is called NYC Marathon 2012. Advertising, Charity Partners (who biggest fundraisers are race runners), Swag expenses, Elite Runner Hosting and Purses, etc...that are all but a wash if a race is canceled. The race can't be called NYC Marathon 2012 again...so ALL YL's would have to be scrapped.
3) I think for a runner, it is up to the individual...but from the perspectives of the race directors...lots have to be considered. And race organizing is a huge business.

Welcome to ILP world, ya'll. This is what mi muss lissen most nights of the week.

[ILP]

None of this trumps human life.

And I don't recall posting that it did.

[Yuriatin]

ILP I was not accusing you of saying so - I was replying to your thread with my viewpoint.

And I don't recall posting that it did.