Marathon!

This Sunday was one of my favorite New York events: the Marathon! Amazingly, the route runs right down my street and this was the first year I was able to enjoy a little bit of the race from my window.

The first round is the wheelchairs...

...then the Elite Women...

...then the Elite Men. 

Eventually all the regular people got started, so we moved down the street in hopes of spotting our friend Majo who has been training for months! Our friends, Erin and Paul, have a great ground floor apartment a couple blocks from mine. They have a large parking area in front where we hung out with Bloody Marys and Mimosas while cheering on the runners.

Their block was super fun! There was a DJ across the street pumping out dance music to motivate the runners. Everyone, I'm talking onlookers and runners, got really into YMCA. It's such an amazing day where so many New Yorkers unite for this one cause. Thousands of people take on this incredible challenge and their neighbors, friends, and strangers come out offering nothing other than love and support. Our outpost was at about the 8 mile mark so it was great to see the runners relatively early in the race. I hope they were just as chipper towards the end! 

At times the crowd of runners was pretty dense and nearly impossible to spot one person. We nearly missed Majo! We didn't see her until she was right upon us and was gone in a flash. At least she heard us cheer her on for a moment. We saw her later on in the evening for celebration drinks. Apparently she didn't pace herself well enough in the beginning and had to walk a bit towards the middle of the race. She finished a little slower than she had hoped. But seriously?! She finished! I give her major kudos for that!

While we were a cheering support post for Majo, she had other friends set up along the route supplying her with water and fuel. Erik and Silvia were kind enough to take a bike expedition to meet Majo at a couple crucial points in Manhattan when morale can be at its lowest. Luckily their signs and happy faces made it worth continuing. {Image thanks to Silvia.}

I was amazed how many runners take part in the marathon. The crowd of athletes was thick for hours but eventually thinned out at our 8 mile mark. The cheering sections dispersed a bit too, so we decided it was our job to cheer on the remaining slowpokes (and the people in crazy costumes). 

Mets and Yankees.

Ladies in bras (only). I think they power walked the whole thing.

Not even sure what to call this one.

Staying to watch the stragglers was a little sad. Eventually they have the Sweep Bus come and pick up people who are obviously not going to finish. You want to cheer them on but if they are struggling that much at mile 8, the rest of the race doesn't look too promising. Regardless, it was a great day (lovely running weather too) and I'm so proud of all the runners. Congratulations!

I fell in love with this little guy.