There was no rest for the weary in Brooklyn, but energizing music, like the Beastie Boys song mentioned above, as well as live entertainment from multiple bands kept runners moving to the grooves. With or without the tunes on Bedford Avenue, through Williamsburg and into Greenpoint, the extensive crowds fueled the marathoners. From the youngest to the oldest, supporters on the streets had cow bells, battle cries, and signature cheers to enliven the runners and keep them pounding the pavement for another 14.2 miles to Central Park.

Too cool!

The marathon can evoke feelings of intense elation or soul-crushing disappointment. This simple encapsulation explains why so many around the world become enamored by the mystique of 26.2 miles--good day or bad day, runners get hooked on the idea that they can always do better next time. This is the bond that unites all marathoners. Some reflections about today's race from the professional athletes:

Derartu Tulu: "I have raced with Paula many times and was looking forward to competing with her again today. But I was very disappointed when she fell behind, and I tried to encourage her to keep up, but she was unable to. Overall, I was very pleased with what I did today because it proves that if you work at it and are determined, you can accomplish anything at any age. I hope to run again with Paula in London [in 2012]."

Meb Keflezighi: "Eleven years ago during the summer of 1998, I wrote a letter to Alberto Salazar and said that we need to change USA running. I was asking for the opportunity to become a professional runner and to lead--I visualized becoming a marathoner."

Ryan Hall: "I think you learn a lot more from your disappointments than from your victories, and it's good to have a humbling experience every once in a while. As happy as I am for Meb--I told him that he totally deserved to win--I'm just disappointed because I knew I was in much better shape than what my performance showed. I wanted to bring home a big paycheck for the kids [of the Hall Steps Foundation] and I don't want to feel like I let people down."

Joan Benoit Samuelson: "With every finish line, there is a new opportunity. I've never dropped out of any race of any distance, and I've never run over three hours in the marathon, but I won't run marathons when it's not sensible for me to do so. I don't think I'll be here for the 50th running, but you never know."

  

You'll soon be seeing some amazing photos of the marathon's top performers. Many of these will be taken by our photographer Errol Anderson, who's at NYRR races shooting for us year-round. He's a familiar face to our local NYC runners.

Errol's tired smile today says it all: He loves what he does and he gives 100%. "Every muscle in my body hurts," Errol said today, "but it was an absolute privilege to see what happened in this race, and to record it."

 

The excitement of the marathon doesn't end after the finish line tape breaks. The ING New York City Marathon has several races within the race, such as the USA Men's Marathon Championship (this year), the Foot Locker Five Borough Challenge, and the Mayor's Cup--an annual battle between the New York Police Department team and the New York City Fire Department team for a trophy and year-long justification for tormenting the losing team. Who will win the Cup? FDNY says they've got it in the bag...