NYC Marathon....yay or nay?

[Trip]

What's your opinion about NYC still having their Marathon on Sunday? I have heard many celebs on tv today, saying, it's not the right thing to do, right now?

I think, NO.....!! Postpone it. Let the city get back to at least a tiny semblance of normalcy.

[anniegb]

Viewing it from my side of the pond - cancel it. There has to be too much debris lying around??

Annie

[Manuel]

If the city authorities think that it can go on. It should not be postponed. New Yorkers are a tough bunch and the city needs to get back on it's feet ASAP.
This event can be a morale booster for the city.

TM

[Trip]

Oh I so disagree Manuel...If I was a NY'er without power,and maybe not be able to be in my home. I would not be happy seeing police, power workers, etc, being used in places to make the marathon a possibility.

People are still looking for hotels to stay in, and runners from out of state are at the moment taking space away, from some people who may need it. I heard someone say this am, if some of these gas lines blow, there won't be a hotel to be had for miles....

No one is disputing that NY'ers are of hardy stock, and will get through this in time, but postponing this event, in my mind, make the most sense

[ToddDH]

I can see plus and minuses on both sides of the questions. But when stacked up, I personally don't think it will be a morale booster for the people who need it the most. There is no gasoline, there is little food but no way to get through to the grocerywhen there is. People, thousands of people are living in emergency shelters and are worried sick (as we all would be). The police even did a welfare check on Adelaide because a close friend couldn't contact her and knew she lived close to some of the worst examples of the disaster.

Money is starting to flow in and that is the most important morale booster at this stage and because of the damage, building and other related trades as well as additional supply help will soon begin to expand, unemployment may well for awhile at least, drop like a stone and to those needing employment, that will be a God send, not to mention they'll have income to clean up and rebuild!

Therefore I have to agree with Trip that while New Yorkers are a hardy bunch, I can't see how the Marathon could raise morale as that will be the last thing people in tragic circumstances will think about, especially since most won't only be unable to watch it even on TV, but have far more important things on their minds. As Trip also pointed out, the security and housing will have to even a small degree, an effect two of the things the people who live in New York need the most; food and housing.

[Aerogirl]

I’m on the fence with this one. My first instinct would be to cancel it but when you think of what’s invested in it like all the people who come from around the world to do the marathon I can see why they would want it to go on. I believe the city make good money from the event so maybe the money could do some good? I don’t know like I said I’m on the fence with this one.

[Manuel]

Originally Posted by Trip

Oh I so disagree Manuel...If I was a NY'er without power,and maybe not be able to be in my home. I would not be happy seeing police, power workers, etc, being used in places to make the marathon a possibility.

You can disagree. I love you anyway.

I do admit that it's a tough call.

TM

[Luanne Russo]

I am also not sure. One side says yea, because of those who have trained and made reservations, but I truely don't see how they can do it.

I guess it will work if they don't require water, food, housing, transpartation, or security.

[ruthlessboss]

I think it will be a morale booster for many, a diversion. But then, those affected by the storm are in self preservation mode and can't see it on t.v. anyway. Apparantly they stay in the outskirts of the city. Someone said they use up rooms that survivors could use. I doubt it. Unless one has a bundle of money, not too many could afford it for any length of time.

[Kuki]

I don't consider it a tough call... though I waited a couple of days to get a better handle on the damage from Sandy.

The NYC Marathon should be postponed. Better to improve the morale of the people directly affected by the storm, and in dire need, than the parts of the city that were left whole.

Dollars in income may be lost, but helping people to deal with the immediate aftermath, like finding housing, and helping them to figure out how to deal with their futures should take precedence.

[Trip]

This runner,and NY native states his case.

Kris LoPresto: Screw the NYC Marathon

[Luanne Russo]

I just heard on the news that the hotels are full, and instead of kicking out the homeless, the hotels are not honoring the runners with their reservations.

I like some of the suggestions on line. One said the race would be okay, if all runners carried a 5 gallon bucket of water, brooms, and body bags.

[Trip]

Mayor Bloomberg, has nothing to lose, as he is a lame duck mayor, so he made a grandstand gesture, which will send him on his way out of office with a bad taste in many NY'ers mouth, overshadowing the many good things, he did throughout his days in office.

[Aerogirl]

I just came on to say I’ve totally changed my “on the fence” position. After seeing the poor helpless people inside dumpsters looking for food and water on tv what in the heck is NY thinking by continuing with the marathon. They showed tons of food and water in Manhattan for the runners and you have your own people starving?

[digitcamera]

I think it should be postponed until the city has a chance to get back on its feet and regain some semblance of normalcy.

[Kuki]

They must read my posts

They have rightly cancelled the NYC Marathon

[ToddDH]

I got the call from Adelaide and they made the correct decision, late thought it may have been. The Marathon can always be run in the Spring, By then at least basic normalization should occur but it will definitely be a "new normal" for so very many.

[aerospace]

Initially I was for it as it does force them to bring back some normal but I can also say it's dumb to take police and firemen away from helping the locals.

My solution(if I were mayor), would have been to allow them to run if each person volunteered for a day. Want to run on Sunday then spend 6 hours helping out on Saturday. Don't want to to, then feel free to go home. We get 40k volunteers, they don't trek halfway around the world for nothing, eveyone wins.

If you train for a year, spend $5k to travel, use up your vacation time, and can't participate I can see that sucking.

[ToddDH]

When Fran was alive and we sailed with her Niece Adelaide on cruises, we stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn on Staten Island. The man who owns it, a guy named Nicostra, is a friend of my wife's niece and we've talked with him and his wife on several occasions.

I saw him interviewed this morning on TV (I think it was the Weather Channel but I'm not sure). It turns out that he, I guess, was the first hotel owner to stop the incoming reservations for the Marathon Runners and put people who were homeless in those rooms. It's a beautiful place and he is almost always full. He also owns a another beautiful hotel within walking distance (I forget which one but it's one of the chains that ends in "Suites"). He said that the people of the community (with whom he filled those rooms) were more important than anything else in the face of the current emergency. He obviously has lost a lot of money but then again, he can afford it. Nevertheless I for one, applaud his decision. I wonder how many other hotels on Staten Island, Manhattan, etc., that are not locally owned, are doing the same. I hope a lot of them are.

[Lakers Fan]

My area is a disaster .The American Red Cross Disaster team was here . The Army Military Police and National Guard are here .
We were totally against the marathon .They would have been running through areas in NYC where people died .

I went to a rally last Friday that was covered by NBC ,ABC ,CBS ,CNN and local networks .If any of you see the pictures in newspapers or on TV you have to realize there could not have been a marathon .
This was Katrina without the dead bodies .