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I realize this is now an old topic, but I have not seen anyone describe watching the Trials from roadside, so I am describing my experience for anyone interested in the spectator experience. I flew in the night before and took a taxi to the start line at 50th & 5th. I did not want to chance missing the start and so I actually got there at 6:30 for the 7:30 start. There were only a handful of spectators at that time, most wearing yellow "Friends and Family of Brian Sell" sweatshirts,which quickly became a familiar sight (rivaled only by the ubiquitious Hanson/Brooks harlequin shirts.
I quickly hunted down a Starbucks to achieve minimum daily caffeine requirements. During my search I saw many runners out warming up. returned to the start line at 7:00. By then there were lots of spectators lining the block.There were friends, family and fans.
The start went off a few minutes late. Everyone cheered as the runners headed west on 50th, past Rockefeller cennter and Radio City. Then hundreds of people jogged or walked down 50th or 51st ot 7th ave as the runners went down 6th ave. We got to 7th ave and waited for them to come up the street. At that point it was Mike? someone who I later watched on the on-demand broadcast but don't remember his name.
After the runners went up 7th all the spectators continued up 7th to the park.
I headed up the Park loop on the East side. I had printed the course map and had it with me. Unfortunately, I did not realize the first loop was a shortened 4 mile loop that did not include the south end of the park. I was waiting at 66th st but the runners turned west on 72nd and I missed them. When I realized I missed them I headed up toward 72nd to cattch the next loop.
I saw a Lenox Hill Hospital ambulance enter the park, always a worrisome sight.
I waited just south of 72nd and at about the 50 minute mark , I saw the 5 man pack of Hall, Ritz, Geb, Abdi , Browne go by, all looking good. I watched the first 20 or so good by and then turned and ran across the 72nd st traverse. It is only about 1/2 mile and the runners have about a mile to loop southward so it is easy enough to watch for a while and still have time to run across as it will be about 5 minutes before they come around. There were literally hundreds of fans doing the same traverse. It was exciting being part of this pack of enthusiasts, shouting out encouragement to runners by name and then running across Central Park to do it again. 5 minutes later the same 5 pack ran north on the west side of the loop.
At that point the crowd has almost 20 minutes to head back to the east side. At the next sighting (about 1:14) into the race it was the same 5 pack, then KK by himself and then Sell & Lehmkule running together. Someone getting updates on his phone said the 1/2 was run in 1:06. 5 minutes later, back on the west side things had not changed.
People in the crowd were generally of the opinion that things would not change until the last lap as we drifted back to the east side for the next lap.
We stood lined up on the east side waiting for the runners, wondering if anyone had dropped off or joined the lead pack. It is hard to describe how amazed I (and the people around me) were to see only one runner reappear on the east side. We immediately recognized Ryan Hall , but could not believe there was no one with him or even in sight behind him. It is impossible to describe to any non- distance running fan how those moments of dawning realization that he had put the hammer down somewhere on the northern loop and left that elite pack in the dust could be so exciting to a fan. Those seconds made the entire trip to NYC (air, hotel, taxi,running back and forth in the park) completely worhwhile. 30-45 seconds later Ritz went by followed by Brown, Meb, KK, Sell, Lehmkule. It was about 1:39 int the race and I turned and ran back to the West side. 6 minutes later on the west side it was still the same top 3 but Sell was ahead of KK & Meb.
At that point I went to the finish line. The bleachers were full and I found myself in a crowd watching the big screen as Hall continued his unbelievable run. By then Sell had taken 3rd.
Hall looked so easy coming home, waving and high-fiving , I could not believe how fast he was going. We cheered them all home.
In all I spent more time going back and forth on the 72nd St travers then I actually spent watching the runners speed by. Yet for me it was a great morning of spectating. To watch the US manage a field of that quality was heartening. I feel we will be well represented in Beijng. Watching these elite runners do laps on the same course I have run (okay, I mean jogged) hundreds of times was both wonderful and a little sad(too many years, too many pounds).
During the race, I first heard rumors that someone had collapsed, then that someone had a heart attack. I thought this highly unlikely. It was not until after the race that I heard the tragic news about Ryan Shay. I realized that if I had not misread the map I would have been close to where he fell. I am glad to hear that aid was immediate or else I would have wondered if I(an MD) could have been of assistance if I had not misread the map.
My excitement over the wonderfull perfomances of the top 3 gave way to sadness over the loss of this young athlete and sympathy for his family.
Watching the NY Marathon the next day from the finish line bleachers was icing on the cake. Great races by Radcliife and Lel.
If anyone has hung in there this long, I apologize for rambling on, but think there are not many places where the logic of running in circles to watch athletes run in circles might be understood.
I quickly hunted down a Starbucks to achieve minimum daily caffeine requirements. During my search I saw many runners out warming up. returned to the start line at 7:00. By then there were lots of spectators lining the block.There were friends, family and fans.
The start went off a few minutes late. Everyone cheered as the runners headed west on 50th, past Rockefeller cennter and Radio City. Then hundreds of people jogged or walked down 50th or 51st ot 7th ave as the runners went down 6th ave. We got to 7th ave and waited for them to come up the street. At that point it was Mike? someone who I later watched on the on-demand broadcast but don't remember his name.
After the runners went up 7th all the spectators continued up 7th to the park.
I headed up the Park loop on the East side. I had printed the course map and had it with me. Unfortunately, I did not realize the first loop was a shortened 4 mile loop that did not include the south end of the park. I was waiting at 66th st but the runners turned west on 72nd and I missed them. When I realized I missed them I headed up toward 72nd to cattch the next loop.
I saw a Lenox Hill Hospital ambulance enter the park, always a worrisome sight.
I waited just south of 72nd and at about the 50 minute mark , I saw the 5 man pack of Hall, Ritz, Geb, Abdi , Browne go by, all looking good. I watched the first 20 or so good by and then turned and ran across the 72nd st traverse. It is only about 1/2 mile and the runners have about a mile to loop southward so it is easy enough to watch for a while and still have time to run across as it will be about 5 minutes before they come around. There were literally hundreds of fans doing the same traverse. It was exciting being part of this pack of enthusiasts, shouting out encouragement to runners by name and then running across Central Park to do it again. 5 minutes later the same 5 pack ran north on the west side of the loop.
At that point the crowd has almost 20 minutes to head back to the east side. At the next sighting (about 1:14) into the race it was the same 5 pack, then KK by himself and then Sell & Lehmkule running together. Someone getting updates on his phone said the 1/2 was run in 1:06. 5 minutes later, back on the west side things had not changed.
People in the crowd were generally of the opinion that things would not change until the last lap as we drifted back to the east side for the next lap.
We stood lined up on the east side waiting for the runners, wondering if anyone had dropped off or joined the lead pack. It is hard to describe how amazed I (and the people around me) were to see only one runner reappear on the east side. We immediately recognized Ryan Hall , but could not believe there was no one with him or even in sight behind him. It is impossible to describe to any non- distance running fan how those moments of dawning realization that he had put the hammer down somewhere on the northern loop and left that elite pack in the dust could be so exciting to a fan. Those seconds made the entire trip to NYC (air, hotel, taxi,running back and forth in the park) completely worhwhile. 30-45 seconds later Ritz went by followed by Brown, Meb, KK, Sell, Lehmkule. It was about 1:39 int the race and I turned and ran back to the West side. 6 minutes later on the west side it was still the same top 3 but Sell was ahead of KK & Meb.
At that point I went to the finish line. The bleachers were full and I found myself in a crowd watching the big screen as Hall continued his unbelievable run. By then Sell had taken 3rd.
Hall looked so easy coming home, waving and high-fiving , I could not believe how fast he was going. We cheered them all home.
In all I spent more time going back and forth on the 72nd St travers then I actually spent watching the runners speed by. Yet for me it was a great morning of spectating. To watch the US manage a field of that quality was heartening. I feel we will be well represented in Beijng. Watching these elite runners do laps on the same course I have run (okay, I mean jogged) hundreds of times was both wonderful and a little sad(too many years, too many pounds).
During the race, I first heard rumors that someone had collapsed, then that someone had a heart attack. I thought this highly unlikely. It was not until after the race that I heard the tragic news about Ryan Shay. I realized that if I had not misread the map I would have been close to where he fell. I am glad to hear that aid was immediate or else I would have wondered if I(an MD) could have been of assistance if I had not misread the map.
My excitement over the wonderfull perfomances of the top 3 gave way to sadness over the loss of this young athlete and sympathy for his family.
Watching the NY Marathon the next day from the finish line bleachers was icing on the cake. Great races by Radcliife and Lel.
If anyone has hung in there this long, I apologize for rambling on, but think there are not many places where the logic of running in circles to watch athletes run in circles might be understood.
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