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Dear Readers,
Tomorrow is the big day! The New York City Marathon. How are you feeling? Nervous? Excited? Scared? I’m all three!
If you’re not running, you can watch the race live in a few different ways. In the New York Tri-State area, the marathon will be broadcast on WABC-TV from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you’re looking for pre-race coverage, a live stream will be available at ABC7NY.com starting at 7 a.m. You can also watch via the ABC app if you’re in New York.
For viewers elsewhere in the United States, the marathon will be broadcast on ESPN2, on ESPN.com and via the ESPN App from 9 a.m. to noon. ESPN3 will start its live stream early at 7 a.m. to cover pre-race events, and they’ll also have a view of the finish line from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
For our international running fans, here’s a list of how to watch from various countries.
If you are planning to cheer on the runners in person, here are the best places to watch the marathon.
Wheelchair races start at 8:30 a.m., followed by the professional women at 9:10 a.m., then the professional men (and the rest of us, in waves) at 9:40 a.m.
We’ve got a bevy of stories to keep you occupied until then, including a profile of the pro racer Sara Hall, a story on where the winners’ wreaths come from and Shalane Flanagan’s thoughts on retirement and the Nike Oregon Project/Alberto Salazar doping scandal.
If you’re running tomorrow, I’ve got your pre-race checklist too.
I am running the marathon with my mother. It’s my 11th marathon, and her first.
I figured that by now, I’d be used to pre-marathon jitters and have a better idea of how to stop them. But I strained my quadriceps muscle last week, so I have been staying off my feet to give myself the best chance to be healthy for tomorrow. This also means I haven’t had any physical activity beyond dog walking to burn off my frantic energy.
My quad injury wasn’t serious (I could still walk just fine) but it still sent my mom and me into a tailspin of worrying and wondering: If I completely tear my quad, can I start the race with my mom, then join her in Central Park for the finish? (No). Should I try tape to support the muscle? (No). I also got my flu shot this week, and since I’m allergic to eggs, I asked for the egg-free version, but I still looked up how long it would take me to recover from anaphylactic shock if they gave me the wrong one (which is a real nightmare I had) (also cripes, Jen! Don’t even link to it).
But now, the day before the race, my quad feels fine. Mom brought her crocheting with her to New York to try to help her relax. I also scheduled us fancy manicures and lunch (with pre-race-friendly menu options) today to keep us both occupied. My alarm will go off at 3 a.m. tomorrow. I’m about as ready as I’ll ever be, so there’s not much more to do now than wait.
If you want to know how things went, I’m planning to post about it on Twitter and Instagram right after the race. Then I’ll have a full write up about our race experience in next week’s newsletter. As much as I’ll want to write about it right away, I know that when I’m done I will want a shower, a cheeseburger and a Bloody Mary (and then maybe a second), so your patience is appreciated.
Our Sports section will keep you updated with other coverage.
Run Well!
Jen A. Miller
Author, “Running: A Love Story”