Thousands of runners poured into
New York City's Central Park on Sunday morning to do what they had
prepared so long to do — put in 26.2 miles.
That's despite the abrupt
announcement Friday evening that the world's largest marathon had been
called off because of Superstorm Sandy.
Hundreds of other runners,
wearing their marathon shirts and backpacks full of supplies, took the
ferry to hard-hit Staten Island and ran to hard-hit neighborhoods to
help.
Shortly after dawn, groups of
runners started gathering on the edges of Central Park to warm up, take
photos and drop off clothing and other items for storm victims.
Italians stretched en masse near
the Plaza Hotel. The Germans started from Columbus Circle. Everyone
plunged into the park to pursue their own race. Some ran around the park
clockwise, some counterclockwise, taking over startled dog walkers with
a riot of color.
"A lot of people just wanted to
finish what they started," said Lance Svendsen, who organized an
alternative marathon called Run Anyway. By 8:45 a.m., his group had sent
off five waves of runners from the marathon's official finish line,
which had not yet been taken down. "It is amazing. My guess is about 600
people have left so far."
It was a throwback to the
original New York City Marathon in 1970, which was run ragtag with 127
people and stayed completely within Central Park.
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