RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The New York Marathon is underway! I love this day. I sit in front of my TV every year on this day and yell “RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” for a few hours.
No word yet on whether my man Tesfaye Jifar (also indelicately known as “the one-eyed Ethiopian” in these circles) is running this year or not, but I’m hoping. Sucked to see him drop out last year. He’s awesome.
Update #1: I don’t think Jifar’s in. He’s not in the database on the site, or in with the top-ranked men. If I receive info that runs contrary to this, I will let you all know, but I think he’s out, kids. :\
Update #2: With that in mind, I believe that the man to root for is Staten Island’s Michael Michael Varriano, their representative in the Five Borough Challenge. I think he has a mullet. :D
Update #3: The runners are off!
RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Update #4: WNBC TV reporter Tim McLoone is running the race with a mic!
Holy god, female runner F104 is a hottie. Olga Romanova of Russia. She needs to run into the arms of The Wild Crawford. Yowza.
Holy shit, that guy in the wheelchair is hauling ass. South African fella. Frig.
Update #5: Best wishes to Julio Rey of Spain, the 5th-ranked men’s entrant, who is unfortunately out of the race with an ankle injury.
Update #6: Marla Runyan has fallen behind the pack of elite women due to a collision at around mile 8, if I’m not mistaken. Here’s hoping she gets it back together. Running a marathon’s tough to begin with, but this is one of the best long-distance runners in the world, and she’s legally blind to boot! Unbelievable.
Update #7: Krige Schabort of South Africa (the “hauling ass” guy) has just won the Wheelchair race. I’ll get that time for you ASAP. OK, got it. 1:32:20!
Update #8: Women are at the 24 mile mark, with Kenyan Margaret Okayo in the lead, at a record pace. Men are across the Willis Ave. bridge by Yankee Stadium, with Rodgers Rop and Martin Lel leading a 5 man pack right now.
Update #9: Margaret Okayo (Kenya) wins the Women’s race with a course record 2:22:30! Those Kenyans, they can run. Rop and Lel still in the lead for the men, just about dead even at 105th St., heading for the park.
Update #10: Lel’s got the lead right now…2:04 and change…Rop falling behind a bit…new record (breaking Jifar’s 2001 record, if so…) possible still, I think…2:06 now…Lel’s haulin’ ass! Rop’s out! Go, man, go! Yeah, motherfucker, give it hell! No course record, but Lel is doing great work! 2:08! 800 meters to go! It’s all Lel, baby! His first major marathon win over the favorite Rop! Go, man! 2:10! Sweet Jesus, home stretch! YEAH! 2:10:29!!!!!!!!
“I’d love to know what his thighs feel like.”-Al Trautwig
2:11 and change for Rop. More in a bit.
Update #11: HOLY CRAP! This guy’s been juggling for the entire marathon!
Update #12: Our mulleted guy from Staten Island finished second to the Brooklyn entrant (The Z Brothers must be happy…). Also, there are 2 guys dressed as the Blues Brothers running the marathon.
Update #13: For those who were wondering, because I’m sure he’s conspicuous by his absence…Sean Combs completed the NYC Marathon in 4 hours and 14 minutes. As some of you probably know, I’m not his biggest fan by a longshot, but regardless of what he’s done in the past, what he may do in the future, what his agenda was in running the race, and how he handled his “fans” running onto the course to meet him once he outran his security detail (one kid was met with a pretty serious shove on-camera), no one can ever say this guy didn’t deliver on his promise to finish this race. I don’t think he set a very good example for people looking to get into running by running 26.2 miles on a knee with bad tendinitis, but he said he was going to do this exceptionally difficult feat (which I would someday like to try, but it’ll be a while before I do), and he did it. Hats off to him for busting his ass to keep a promise and for finishing the New York Marathon. My hat also goes off to the approximately 34,000 others who either attempted or succeeded in finishing the race. You folks also deserve kudos, as you’ve done something that no one can ever take away from you!
See you all next year!