NY marathoners can finally get refund on cancelled race

New York City Marathon runners can finally receive a refund of their entry fee after this year's race was canceled in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Officials of the ING NYC Marathon told runners after the race was called off last month that they had a no-refund policy but had not made a final decision what to do because of the unusual circumstances.

Now, the race organizer, the New York Road Runners Club, told runners Thursday that they had three options to choose from — one of them being a refund.

Runners can also go for a guaranteed spot in the 2013, 2014 or 2015 marathon.  They would have to pay the entry fee again but at the 2012 rate.

The third choice is accepting a spot in March's NYC half-marathon.

Costs this year ranged from $216-$347 and the refund only applies to runners who had not withdrawn before Oct. 24..  There is an $11 processing fee.

Hurricane Sandy swept through the New York City area six days before the race was scheduled.  Officials of the NYRRC and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg dragged their feet on making a decision about canceling or postponing the race while area residents cleaned up after the devastating storm which left thousands homeless.

 Frustrated runners — some who travelled long distances for the 26-mile race — were angered after the marathon was finally called off less than 48 hours before the race was going to start.

An ad-hoc alternative race was held in Central Park and other areas near New York.

NYC politician calls mayor's refusal to cancel marathon 'idiotic'

The number of New Yorkers calling for Mayor Michael Bloomberg to call off Sunday's ING New York City Marathon in the wake of Hurricane Sandy is growing.

Staten Island,  one of the hardest hit areas in New York City and the starting point for the 26.2-mile race, is still cleaning up their storm-ravaged neighborhoods and the anger in the crippled borough is so high, a local councilman has called the mayor's refusal to call off the race "idiotic" on his Facebook page.

"The notion of diverting even one police officer, one first responder, one asset away from this carnage is beyond irrational," Councilman James Oddo told The New York Daily News.

Staten Island is the scene of some of the most tragic stories and images to come out of the devastating storm.  Just yesterday, two young brothers' bodies were found, after they were swept away from their mother, and numerous photos of trapped residents being rescued from their homes on the South Shore were all over the news.  Residents are still pleading for help from the city.

The thought of tents, food, water and generator-supplied power catering to the perky 47,000 runners at the marathon's starting line — while despondent people go cold, wet and without power nearby — is just one reason Staten Island residents are joining a "Boycott the 2012 NYC Marathon."

Bloomberg, meanwhile, held firm on holding the race.

"This city is a city where we have to go on."

"Keep in mind by Sunday we'll have electricity back downtown," he said.  "That will free up an enormous number of police.  Also, a lot of the transportation needs that we have during the week aren't there on the weekends."

A lot of the registered participants, who have trained for the race, are having second thoughts about running through a course with a backdrop of destruction and despair.

The New York Road Runners Facebook page has been filling up with requests to cancel this year's race — or at least postpone it.

The NYRRC has promised to donate $1 million to the Sandy relief.

Ironically, the runners will begin their run with a carnival-like start at the entrance to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, then jog forward into Brooklyn leaving their disposable clothing and empty water bottles amongst the destruction Sandy left behind.

Maybe some will look back over their shoulders.

New York City Marathon could become obstacle course

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the ING New York City Marathon will be taking place this Sunday. The biggest challenge for participants might not be the actual 26.2-mile run — but the logistical obstacles facing the runners who are lucky enough to even make it to New York — since the storm has passed.

The mayor of battered New York, Michael Bloomberg, and marathon organizers both say the race is on — but with the possibility of a few changes from past races.

"It will go on as normal," said Bloomberg Tuesday. "As of now."

Forget the flooded, garbage strewn and tree-littered streets which runners may sporadically encounter during the five borough course.  Organizers are dealing with the logistical nightmare of flying 20,000 runners from around the world into already backed up New York airports and coming up with a way to transport the 47,000 runners to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge starting line with limited mass transit and  road access.

With the restoration of scheduled flights to local airports starting again and the New York City transit system hoping to have service suitably restored by Saturday — runners will have a fat man's chance of starting and finishing the famed race.

If runners have to dodge giant puddles, tree limbs and garbage,  this year's race could resemble some sort of urban steeplechase more than just a long distance run.

"The marathon has always been a special day for New Yorkers as a symbol of the vitality and resiliency of this city," said New York Road Runners President Mary Wittenberg in a statement.  "We will keep all options open with regard to making any accommodation and adjustments necessary to race day and race weekend events."

Getting out of town runners into New York, with three full days before the start on Sunday, is doable but getting the runners to Staten Island Sunday morning could take a lot more skillful planning.

Nearly half of the entrants take the Staten Island Ferry and the others mostly take buses through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel.  Both have been closed due to the flooding.  Normally city municipal departments lend a hand in clearing roads and help in getting runners to their destinations with police escorts but, under the circumstances, city workers have more pressing needs.

"The city is rightfully focused on assessment, restoration and recovery," said Wittenberg.

Runners who can't make it to New York have until Saturday instead of Wednesday to withdraw from the race.  They won't get a refund and will have to pay to keep their reserved spot in 2013.

Any runner who has hit the wall should be able to deal with a few pre-race nuisances and — even while coping with their own post-storm miseries — New Yorkers will still be out in force to cheer them on — maybe not as many as in the past.