How to Run the New York Marathon

The ING New York City Marathon, one of the world's largest 26.2-mile races, is held in early November each year. The marathon winds its way through all 5 boroughs of New York City and is witnessed by huge crowds before its dramatic finish in Central Park. Like the Boston Marathon, it is an event that every runner should experience at least once.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Plan well in advance for your first participation in the ING New York City Marathon. You can train for a marathon in less than 4 months, but you will need almost a year to give yourself a good chance of being accepted as a New York participant.

2. Run a qualifying marathon about a year before the New York Marathon to try for a qualifying time. A fast qualifying time will guarantee that the New York Marathong will accept your entry. The marathon annually publishes the qalifying standards by January 1.

3. Sign up with one of the marathon's official charities to raise funds and receive a marathon number for your efforts. Participating charities are announced by the marathon early in the year.

4. Visit the New York City Marathon website in late December or early January to get entry information and file your application and entry fee (see Resources below). If you are not guaranteed entry with a fast qualifying time or official charity participation, your application will be entered in a lottery for the remaining runner numbers.

5. Participate in a training team or informal group of runners who are setting their sights on New York. Many of the participating charities offer the added benefit of providing training teams, coaches and logistical support.

6. Devote at least 15 weeks to training for any marathon. Gradually build up your mileage so that it peaks at over 40 miles a week for about a month before tapering down in the last 10 days before the event. Include two long runs of 18 to 22 miles in your training at about 2 and 4 weeks before the marathon.

7. Cover the last 10 miles of the course in a training run. If you live in or near the city, run the last 10 miles of the New York Marathon course 2 to 4 weeks before the race. This experience will help you to visualize and prepare for a strong finish on marathon day. The last 10 miles are entirely in Manhattan, beginning on First Avenue near the Queensboro Bridge and ending in Central Park.

8. Make a tight logistical plan for travel, lodging and meals on marathon weekend. The last 48 hours before the marathon start should be a period of relaxation.

9. Triumph on race day by sticking to your marathon race plan. Start out at an easy pace, adapt to the weather conditions and let the crowds keep you focused and energized.

Tips & Warnings

• The New York Marathon receives over 90,000 runner applications each year.
• Don't make the mistake of thinking that you can run the ING New York City Marathon as a "freeloader." Unlike Boston and some other marathons where you can just walk up to the back of the pack on race day, the ING New York City Marathon begins from a very secure starting area on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

Resources

• Apply at the ING New York City Marathon website

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[lahi]

on 6/22/2009 If you were not able to get entry to the New York City half (Aug) or full (Nov) marathons, you can get guaranteed entry through a great charity organization, Lend a Hand India. Its RUN for a DREAM marathon training program provides customized training, weekly group runs, and more!Click here to learn more about their marathon training program and the organization's mission to provide vocational training and job opportunities to impoverished youth.http://www.runforadream.org