Universal Sports has an interesting interview with the race directors of the three U.S. marathons that are a part of the World Marathon Majors. Included in that group is Mary Wittenberg, race director of the New York City Marathon. In the interview, she discusses promoting elite athletes, rising entry fees, appearance fees and prize money.
The Bronx Half Marathon made an appearance in the New York Times Metropolitan Diary yesterday:
On Feb. 8, I ran the New York Road Runners half marathon in the Bronx.
At Mile 6 a group of three middle-aged women run up next to me. Upon seeing the six-mile marker, one announces, “It looks like I might actually make it!”
One of her friends replies, in a strong Long Island accent: “What do you mean, ‘might actually make it’? What are you going to do? Stop? You’re in the middle of the Bronx! Where you going to go?” Maisie Breit
Earlier this week, The New York Times wrote a profile of the Queensboro Bridge, which recently celebrated its 100th year of service. While some considered it an “ugly duckling,” others called it “graceful” and “unassuming.” In a letter to the editor, Tim Strane of Wisconsin points out the bridge’s significance to runners in New York City:
The Queensboro Bridge has a special appeal to a select group of people. In the New York City Marathon, the bridge comes at about 16 miles. It’s a long, steep climb to the top, but the descent is easy, and nothing can equal the unique experience of descending to First Avenue with the huge crowds cheering you on at that point.
Of course, First Avenue is uphill for a long time at that point, but I’ll remember the turn onto it for as long as I live.
This past Wednesday afternoon, a runner was mugged in Central Park. From the New York Post NYPD Daily Blotter (cached link):
A 22-year-old jogger had her iPod stolen in Central Park by four young women on the East Drive near 106th Street, police said.
The quartet of black and Hispanic girls pounced on the victim at 1 p.m. Wednesday, took her music player and fled, cops said. The victim was not injured, police said.
Liz Robbins (author of A Race Like No Other: 26.2 Miles Through the Streets of New York) has an article in the New York Times about the rising entry fee for the 2009 New York City Marathon. From the article:
“As much as we’d like not to raise the prices, it was necessary at this time,” said Mary Wittenberg, the president and chief executive of the Road Runners.
Wittenberg estimated that the organization’s cost per runner “is easily more than $250.” The entry fee was increased even though organizers realized the economy could worsen, Wittenberg said, and the marathon’s costs — such as cancellation insurance, liability insurance and special promotions for the race’s 40th anniversary — could rise.
The article also cites some interesting numbers:
Of the approximately 83,000 people (including automatic qualifiers and charity group runners) paying the $11 fee in 2008, 53,146 gained entry to last year’s race. After cancellations and deferrals, the 2008 race had 38,832 starters.
The article goes on to note that other races, such as the Walt Disney World Marathon and the Boston Marathon, raised prices as well.
The Norwalk Advocate has a piece on the New York City Marathon with some new information about this year’s race. First about the date the application becomes available:
Applications for the 2009 edition of the race will open on Thursday, [February 19th] at noon at www.ingnycmarathon.org
On pricing:
Entry fees for runners accepted through the lottery (as well as guaranteed entrants) will be $138 for New York Road Runners members and $171 for non-members.
Mary Wittenberg speaks about this year’s marathon being a special one:
“First timers and long timers alike won’t want to miss the 40th edition,” New York Road Runners CEO and marathon race director Mary Wittenberg said. “The marathon ‘class of 2009′ will be treated to an experience of a lifetime as we celebrate both our legendary champions and the nearly 788,000 participants who have crossed our finish line with a race week filled with unique events.”
This morning, The New York Times has an article about Salome Kosgei, a Kenyan runner living in New York.
Latvia’s Jelena Prokopcuka and Brazil’s Marilson Gomes dos Santos will return to the 2007 ING New York City Marathon on Sunday November 4th to defend their titles of the female and male winners of the 2006 NYC Marathon. Prokopcuka will be vying for the honor of being the first to win three consecutive NYC Marathon titles since Greta Waitz in 1986. Gomes dos Santos beat out defending champion Paul Tergat at last year’s race in a surprise upset and became the first South American to win a New York City Marathon.
Saturday’s New York Times has an article about New Yorkers training for the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon which starts tomorrow in Death Valley.
The New York Times today has two articles about marathon training. The first article is about the trend of runners training less in preparation for a marathon as well as an increase in the number of finishers every year:
“The expectation has changed,†said Bill Pierce, the chairman of the health and exercise science department at Furman University in Greenville, S.C., and the creator of a popular three-day-a-week program. “It’s O.K. now to walk. It’s O.K. to finish over five hours. People have a completely different approach to the marathon.â€
The second article discusses a specific marathon training program which requires less time running. It’s called the First Program (First stands for Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training) and it’s outlined in the book, Run Less, Run Faster.