Hope Runs High In New York

Some of you may have heard that I have a place for the New York Marathon, later this Autumn.

My ambition is to run each one of the World Marathon Majors which consist of Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.  One down (London), four to go!  However, due to the logistics and financial costs involved (I’m running out of time to find a sponsor) it looks unlikely that I’ll be able to get to New York this year.

The New York Marathon is a special race for me as without it, the London Marathon wouldn’t exist as we know it today.   If you’ve read my post about the history of the London Marathon, you’ll understand why this great race inspired Chris Brasher and John Disley to create the London Marathon and turn it into the most phenomenal fundraising and sporting event.

The New York Marathon was, and still is, run by the New York Road Runners (NYRR).  It’s inaugural race in 1970 had a mere 127 runners, each of whom paid just $1 for the entry fee.  The original course is not the one we know today but instead it looped several times around Central Park.  In 1970 there were just 55 runners that crossed the finish line.

Fred Lebow was co-founder of the New York Marathon and it is him we have to thank for the modern course that runs through all 5 New York boroughs.  In 1976, just over 2,000 runners lined up to run through 26.2 miles from the start at Staten Island through Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and on to Manhattan.  This time there were television cameras, notable double Olympic Marathon medalist Frank Shorter and thousands of spectators lining the streets, cheering the runners on.

As the years flew by, so did course records.  Every year more and more people entered the New York Marathon and, by 1978, Norwegian Grete Waitz set a women’s marathon world record by finishing in 2:32:30.  Grete went on to win the New York Marathon 9 times!

The lifting of sanctions against South African runners in 1992 gave Willie Mtolo the chance to gain coverage from all over the world as he took the title.  And when Tegla Loroupe finished in 1994, it gave African women the chance to be taken seriously in the 26.2 mile distance race… very seriously indeed!

The official wheelchair division of the New York Marathon was added by NYRR in 2000.  Over the last 10 years, this has become an event in it’s own right with over 200 wheelchair and handcycle athletes competing amongst many other para-athletes.

Nowadays, you’re likely to find in excess of 2 million New Yorkers lining the streets to cheer on the thousands of runners… sorry, let me just say that again “2 million New Yorkers” .. Jeez, that must be one hell of a noise!!

But that patriotism, comaraderie, passion, hope and noise was never more evident than in November 2001.  Less than 2 months after the September 11 terrorist attacks, New York turned out in force to support their Marathon, their runners, their City and show the world their own brand of optimism and determination as they hosted the men’s and women’s USA Marathon championships.

ING became the official sponsor in 2003 helping to fund running and fitness programs along with the ING Run for Something Better program.

40 years on and the ING New York Marathon continues to grow in size.  But along the way, there have been triumphs born from sadness.  Fred Lebow died in 1994 from Cancer of the brain.  In 1992, he managed, whilst in remission, to run the marathon he had nurtured and developed and was accompanied by 9 times winner, Grete Waitz.  Fred’s Team was set up in honour of Fred Lebow and his dream of a world without cancer.  Since 1995, Fred’s Team members have raised over $38million for pioneering research at Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center.

Grete Waitz is now fighting her own battle against cancer.  In 2007, inspired by Fred’s Team, Grete and Helle Aanesen founded Activ Against Cancer.  Their goal is to generate revenue for cancer prevention by motivating businesses and individuals to increase physical activity through competitive sports and personal enjoyment.  An important part of the AKTIV Against Cancer mission is that individuals participate in one or more sports, with New York City Marathon being the most challenging.

From adversity, pain, sweat, tears and determination comes .. hope.  Carry that word with you always.