New York City Marathon Cancelled, but Runners Run Anyway

The much-hyped New York City Marathon was called off last minute by the Mayor amid howls of protest from the storm-affected residents. But hundreds of runners who were there in Staten Island for the race, used the opportunity to help the storm-hit people.

More than 47,000 runners from around the globe were expected to take part in the 26.2 mile event on Sunday. The world's largest marathon had been scheduled to start in Staten Island, one of the hardest-hit by the Hurricane.

"We spend a year on this," said Gisele Clausen of Munich, one of the runners to the Associated Press. "We don't eat what we want. We don't drink what we want. And we're on the streets for hours. We live for marathon, but we understand."

Others poured into the Central Park to clock in the scheduled 26.2 miles of the event anyhow. This year's runners all are guaranteed entry into next year's race, but not everyone was be sure that chance would come. "I'm in the military, and I could be deployed," said Ruben Arredondo, 36, of Los Angeles, who showed up outside the park at 6:45 a.m. to join a group called the Replacement Marathon, which had been organized online just hours before.

The NYC Marathon was called off by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to avoid controversies. There was mounting criticism that holding a race was inappropriate while the region was still recovering from Hurricane Sandy.

People blenched at the idea of police officers being assigned to protect marathon, storm victims being evicted from hotels to make way for runners, and big generators humming along at finish-line tents in Central Park when people were shivering without electricity.

The Mayor had given a go-ahead for the marathon, but opposition intensified quickly Friday afternoon from the city controller, Manhattan borough president and sanitation workers. Bloomberg backed down about three hours later.