Race Scoring? Yes!

With each year comes new technology and this one is no exception. Here are some highlights from Race Scoring:

Athlete Alert – E-mail alerts sent to the subscriber’s address that enables family/friends to select up to four runners and receive updates on their progress from the course. Registration is now open at ingnycmarathon.org and will also be available at the Expo.

Race Day Tracker – web tracking program that enables family/friends to select up to five runners at ingnycmarathon.org and see their progress on the course with live updates of splits and an interactive map. Available on race day only; no pre-registration required.

ChronoTrack & D-Tag – all runners will be timed by the ChronoTrack System. This system utilizes a single-use RFID D-Tag that each runner must wear on their shoe. This disposable D-Tag needs to be attached correctly, so please go through the instructions that are included in your runner packet!

Additional Splits – we will be timing all runners at the start and finish, each 5km mark, half-marathon and new for this year, the last half-marathon of miles. This means that miles 14 & 15 have been added for this year.

Over one million times! – With the additional splits and an expected 42,000 starters, we will be providing each runner with 24 times; that means we will process over 1 million times on race day!

I’m very excited about the technology we are utilizing for this year’s race, which will be the largest marathon in history. Our goal in race scoring is, “Every runner, every time” and we are striving to achieve that.

Tom Kelley
Race Scoring

Visit ING New York City Marathon Daily

It’s the blog all about race week.

Feel the Energy

I went running in Central Park well before dawn this morning, which isn’t as impressive as it sounds with sunrise at 7:15 these days. Anyway, it was dark, pitch dark, but the roadways and the Reservoir path were packed. Some folks were plodding, but plenty were hammering. With the marathon just 12 days away, now’s the time to get in those final speed workouts, hill repeats, and tempo runs.

It was a great morning to run. Crisp but not nippy, breezy but not gusty, pretty sunrise (finally). I’m sure not everyone out there was a marathon entrant, but the energy was all about this great event coming up just a week from Sunday.

As my training partner and I jogged home after our mile repeats, I remarked that it was a shame that the week after the marathon, when Standard Time resumes, it’ll be glorious daylight an hour earlier—but the marathoners won’t enjoy it—they’ll be taking their downtime. But when I thought about it, I realized there was something very bonding about the energy of the park this morning, shrouded in darkness. Everything looked so calm, but beneath the surface…vroooooommmm!

-Gordon B.

Greetings from Hunts Point

Greeting from Hunts Point, all of us here at the NYRR Warehouse hope that your training for the 2009 ING New York City Marathon is going well. We are currently in the early stage of marathon execution (editor’s note: this is posted is two weeks late. Mea culpa.) That’s right, we are already working toward this fantastic event. Sure we still have some planning to finalize but we have already begun getting equipment and signs ready for the race. Today for example we are checking through the cots used at each medical station. We want to make sure they are clean and serviceable; additionally we want to make sure we have enough for all the aid stations.

Of course we also continue to plan and execute other events.

I could go on at great length and in detail here but I should get back to work. Besides, our web master & championship softball coach is pretty busy too…and he so graciously edits my ramblings (another tough task). For all you Scarlet & Belle fans, they are both still here and doing well.

Thanks and we look forward to seeing you all on November 1.

Watch the Race on WNBC in NY and NBC Sports Nationwide

9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in NY and 2:00-4:00 p.m. nationwide.

Most coverage ever.

Join in. Take part.

Discover the ING New York City Marathon 2009.

Read Your Daily Tip

They’ve begun. Every weekday from now until October 30, get the tips, info, and advice you need to succeed in the ING New York City Marathon.

Yup, it’s less than a month away.

International Translations

NYRR is pleased to offer ING New York City Marathon website translations in the following languages: Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. [More]

The Season Approaches…

It’s late August now and hot (and humid) in NYC. Central Park got hit with a strange thunder/wind storm that felled hundreds of decades old trees. And the just completed NYC Half featured dominating performances by Paula Radcliffe and Tadese Tola.

As a backdrop to all of this, preparations for the ING New York City Marathon continue. If you haven’t been lately, visit the official website, ingnycmarathon.org. We’ve posted new information about the start, the course, the expo, and lots more.

The participant handbook is here; the TV/Internet broadcast schedule here.

As we head into the Labor Day, brush up on your marathonese and start to get excited. Fall is almost upon us. ING New York City Marathon season approaches…

Get Guaranteed Entry When You Run for Charity

There is no better feeling than crossing the finish line of the ING New York City Marathon having run your 26.2 for charity. Register now to raise money for the charity of your choice (including NYRR’s official charity, Team for Kids) and guarantee your spot on the starting line on November 1.

Review charity options here.

June 1 Lottery Deadline Approaches

U.S. residents must apply for the ING New York City Marathon lottery by June 1.

Don’t miss your opportunity to run the ING New York City Marathon 2009! Apply here.

Run the ING New York City Marathon for Charity

There is no better feeling than crossing the finish line of the ING New York City Marathon having run your 26.2 for charity.

Register now to raise money for the charity of your choice and guarantee your spot on the starting line on November 1.

Guaranteed Entry Deadline is May 1

If you qualify by time standards or by having completed one of the other guaranteed entry options, you must still apply by May 1.

Don’t forget!

Visit here to find out about guaranteed entry options/qualifying standards.

ING New York City Marathon 2009 Application

The application launches today at noon.

Good luck!

Save 50% on 2008 Marathon Gear

Official stuff. Nice selection. All seasons.

Very good deal.

Shop here.

Join the Official ING New York City Marathon Facebook Group

It’s here.

A place to meet-up with other runners, ask questions, join discussions, etc. Good fun!

Look for a New Website in 2009

The ING New York City Marathon website is here.

We’re going to bust out a new design this year around the time when we launch the marathon lottery application in mid-February or so. Don’t hold me to an exact date…

At any rate, we’ve got a lot of good stuff planned, but at the moment it’s all under wraps. More info soon. In the meantime, enjoy a few of the videos from last year’s race.

Follow NYRR on Twitter and Get Healthy in 2009

We’re simply asking 30 minutes a day.

Follow NYRR as we twitter our way into a healthy 2009. Visit www.twitter.com/nyrr_challenge for 31 days in January and get in the habit of being healthy! Just follow our lead and you’ll have a great start to the new year!

Critique Week

Here at NYRR, we truly try to improve everything we do, particularly with the marathon, by examining and thoroughly critiquing what worked and what didn’t. That’s why we asked all of our marathon runners to fill out a survey about their race experience.

This week, we’re taking that information and breaking it down in a series of meetings that address virtually every part of the marathon experience.

There are a lot of exciting ideas being floated and a number of areas where we are striving hard to improve.

In any case, rest assured that we’re on top of it.

Thanks to all of the runners who make this race the world’s greatest. Your feedback helps us improve every year.

9+1 Guaranteed Entry Volunteer Deadline Extended

Attention runners attempting to qualify for the marathon through our 9+1 program. We have extended the volunteer deadline.

During the month of January, participants may continue to volunteer to receive credit toward their 2009 entry. Please note that no January volunteer activity will count toward 2010 guaranteed entry eligibility. As always, all nine races must still be run in 2008.