Just another day in the neighborhood...

Well, it was just another weekend on Manhattan's Upper East Side... save the fact that I just caught both the front- and tail-ends of the ING New York City Marathon! And, I also just caught the story of the Marathon -- Lance Armstrong -- inside Central Park:



I watched the top runners finish the race on TV, then made my way over to Central Park to catch the action. At first, the path was rather empty with the serious marathoners at the beginning, but as I sat there and enjoyed cheering folks on, it started to become more and more full. I was at the Central Park entrace on 90th and 5th and you could see the joy in the runners' faces as they entered the final stretch inside the Park.

I also decided to head over to the tail end of the race to cheer on the slower marathoners -- many with some amazing stories. I was at the 18th mile on 92nd & 1st as the time clock passed four hours. The crowds and the field were both much thinner, but the spirit in the air was just as thick. Plus, many of the bars were letting the crowds swell on to the sidewalk -- beverage in hand -- to cheer on the runners. It was something to see!

This marks the second year in a row I've been able to enjoy the NYC Marathon. I will run it someday. I will. But for now, I'll blog about the idea and consider the October 2007 Portland Marathon. :o)

p.s. Happy Birthday, Stacey Dozono!