New York Today: What Does the Marathon Mean?

How do we find out how Alex’s experience went? Or do we have to wait until morning? I’d looked into trying to be a snack or drink hander-outer, but then our dog got very lethargic and actually his surgery ended up being last night (Saturday night). He got home late this (Sunday) afternoon, but I still had such lack of focus on the Marathon while we were waiting for the Blue Pearl angels to call as two whether he'd be home today or tomorrow. Our corgi and his appetite are now back. (A corgi not caring about food for two days is scary; Joe Garagiola in the dog show once called the corgi such a loyal dog, unless someone else is offering a piece of bacon, or was it liver.) But as I can again hand out snacks to our loving four-legged food vacuum cleaner, I worry that I may not have the proper level of stamina a year from now (I think I still would have now at 58) even to help hand out snacks to runners by next year. I was told when I started checking it needs giving off a positive energy for the runners, not just standing and handing over goodies.

As a retired from running, proud, two timer finisher, (1981 and 1983) with sub 4 hour bragging rights, back when there were merely 8,000 and 10,000 participants, now I look forward to watching the televised highlights. There is just nothing like the NYC Marathon. Fun fact: 1981 was the first year it was televised nationally.

My husband was supposed to run the 2012 NYC Marathon to celebrate his 50th birthday. We accepted our American friends invitation to stay with them in Elizabeth, NJ for a couple of weeks before the marathon and we booked a hotel in Manhattan near the finish line to stay from Saturday (marathon’s eve) to Tuesday. Then Hurricane Sandy hit. After many days without electricity, eating only bread (our friends own a bakery), the Marathon was rightfully canceled. We returned in 2013, stayed a couple of weeks before the marathon at our friends house in Kenilworth, NJ (they had moved) and stayed at the hotel we had booked in 2012 from Saturday to Tuesday. When my husband ran through Central Park South he looked for us in front of the hotel, he kissed me and I handed him the Brazilian flag. He crossed the finish line: 4 hours, 40 minutes. Happy end!

For Roy Martin's Metropolitan Diary item, if he's reading here, and his neighbor Catherine hasn't mentioned seeing the story already, here's my thought: When the print edition with the Diary item comes out on Monday among the five NY stories, just show her the page, and bring the $5.50 with the Times page. (If she needs or wants the money, she'll take it. If she doesn't, she'll likely say "no, but this is great - and I appreciate your looking for the owner" or something like that.)

Wow! First-time run?..KUDOS!!! -- and I'm sure all of us here on these pages will be rooting for you! Enjoy!!!

These were in bold type on the screen, like they demanded to be sung: “we cheer for every stranger” “It’s the best party New York City throws.” Tune of “Some Enchanted Evening” Some resplendent morning You will cheer a stranger Then another stranger! Your cheers go on and on. Though someone comes first Once that person’s won, By afternoon, you’ll cheer for all who have run. (“once you have found her, never let her go” ending - it actually scans!) It’s the best party New York City throws! It’s the best party New York City throws!

Good luck with your first marathon! Will be cheering you on from 4th ave!

The New York City Marathon gives us all a chance a sense that we're on city, even those of us who've never run and can't imagine we ever might. A welcome relief both from our snarling mayor -- someone should tell him to uncurl his lip when he's blaming others (and then pretending to shoulder the blame) -- and from our glaring, slit-eyed president, who seems bent on imitating a bad poster of Big Brother. Demagogues on the right and the left. Thank God for the runners.

Forgive my first sentence, an utter mash. We're all living in the same city. We get the chance to feel our unity. Or something like that. Oy.

I love my city! Thank you for touching my heart and uplifting my spirit this morning. I love NY! I love New Yorkers!

The marathon is one of the bits of good that came out of "The Bad Old Days" of the 1970s. We have milestone markers from other decades (notable ticker tape parades, sports championships, ground breakings for buildings, bridges, fairs, roadways, monuments, etc. etc.), but the marathon survived the Bronx is burning era, and built us back up.

Every one of the marathoners is inspirational. And you're running too? RENAISSANCE WOMAN. Best of luck to you, Alexandra. We'll be the ones cheering loudest on the sidelines.