Bret

If you can get there (no easy task, most likely), I wouldn't feel bad about racing at all. The show is going to go on no matter what. Its always tough to know what call to make in these types of situations. But remember than for every person posting online about how much they don't want the race to happen, there are probably a hundred who are fine with it, and just aren't wasting their time complaining on the internet.

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't run. I'd look for a half/full somewhere else and then focus on London.

I'm gobsmacked that the race is going ahead in light of the turmoil and devastation. It does, in my book, seem more than a tad inappropriate and insensitive to be zipping around the streets of NYC in skimpy shorts and a singlet, while families rummage through the destruction and try to piece together the meagre remains of their lives.

On the opposite side you've got the spirit of a nation in a crisis and all that jingoism. "Can we do it? Yes we can." ...

So long as we don't have a conscience and don't think too much about the cold and the wet and the hungry homeless citizens strewn across the city.

Your call...

2012 Marathon Update

This is a very challenging time for the people and City of New York. The City is rightfully focused on assessment, restoration and recovery. At NYRR, we stand with our City agency partners and support their efforts. The Marathon has always been a special day for New Yorkers as a symbol of the vitality and resiliency of this City. NYRR continues to move ahead with its planning and preparation. We will keep all options open with regard to making any accommodations and adjustments necessary to race day and race weekend events. We will provide an update and more detail as information becomes available.

I have to be honest, I didn't quite realize the extent of the fallout. My younger sister lives in Brooklyn and she said she was fine, has power, etc. But then I just read what you wrote Bam, pulled up CNN, and it looks really bad. Hopefully my original comment doesn't make me look like a total jerk... I guess I should do my homework before saying anything.

Thanks guys - I will play things day by day - for now and await more information. And Jake, I cannot imagine anyone thinks you're a jerk. :)

Jake, you don't look like a jerk. It's a tough call. Do you go ahead and show the world the spirit of the city etc or do you focus on sorting out the mess? Not an easy one to answer.

From a running point of view, I think it'd be a nightmare trying to get there and then, what will the weather be like? Do you want to put all that training into a race that could be problamatic?

On the other hand, you've trained exceptionally hard for this...

9/11 happened when I was a senior in high school. We had a cross country dual meet after school that day. It was a tough call whether to cancel it or not... my coach decided to hold the race, and he pulled me aside before the gun and told me to go out and give people something positive to think about for a few hours. I took about 20 seconds off the course record that day.

But, we were 4 hours from NYC. The resources we needed to host a small race around the soccer fields weren't the same as what NYRR needs for the marathon. So its a much different situation.

If you end up going, Bret, make it count.

And hopefully you won't be running through knee deep water. Now THAT would slow you down :-)

Great post, Jake.

I think Jake's nailed it, Bret. If you go, 'make it count.' Make all that hard training worth the effort and do the city proud.

Tough question.

One the one hand, I think it's a question of timing. How soon is too soon? Post 9/11 the NFL and MLB helped unite people and made us feel okay about gathering and celebrating--the Mets played in NY 10 days after 9/11, the NFL rescheduled games. The crisis on the east coast is still very much in process and it feels too soon to be running through those streets. (At least running not from tragedy but in-spite of it.)

On the other hand, consider the economic impact of 45,000 runners and their friends and family cancelling flights, hotel and restaurant reservations, etc.

NY has just suffered a major blow to its city and economy. Do we honor the City and those affected by the recent events by cancelling the race or only hurt it further?

I imagine that people were saying the same thing after 9/11 (and 9/11 has been brought up a few times in the above). I assume, but do not know, that the race was run that year and I am sure economic reasons were cited in favor of running it. I know the timing is different, but still.

I wonder if the organizers could be pressured to squeeze a few bucks toward the recovery effort. Seems like a good move, but I have no idea what they might already do with what is likely a ton of cash with an immense amount of overhead.

If local people have a problem they should be directing it at those who are in a position to cancel it (though it makes sense that in a time of turmoil they would direct it at you and other racers). Of course, you can make a decision not to race, but I don't think that position will be a majority one (of course, it doesn't make it the right one either).

Here are some other reasons that make sense to me, aside from the rather patriotic ones: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/sports/new-york-city-marathon-may-cancel-opening-ceremony-and-5k.html?ref=sports&_r=0

Basically I have provided a bunch of text and offer no real advice. From what I gather, most of the destruction is in lower Manhattan and New Jersey (I could be very wrong) so I don't think it the case that you would be running with the families of now-homeless people with their houses under water looking on (they won't be too far away though).

Best of luck.

Certainly appreciate everyone's input. I think someone said 'there's no right answer' - and so as a result I am resolved to move ahead with competing on Sunday at this point. Flights are not cancelled (at least not yet) and the city (not sure all of the citizens, necessarily) appears to want us there - so I will do my best to "make it count."