| The New York City Marathon is the largest marathon | | | | end of the race. |
| in the world, swelling the population of New York City | | | | Everything is designed to not only get you away |
| with runners and spectators. In fact, the only time | | | | from bottle-necking the finish line, but to also get you |
| that New York City ever has more people within its | | | | walking some of the race out of your legs before |
| limits is when a SuperBowl is hosted there for the | | | | you can even get your baggage or realistically sit |
| NFL. | | | | down. I mentioned to a few folk that I saw falling by |
| If you get an opportunity to run the marathon, you | | | | the wayside that they'd be making things much |
| are in for an experience. Here are a few tips about | | | | worse. Your body doesn't have enough fuel to keep |
| what you can expect after the race, based on my | | | | you warm on its own no matter what the weather, |
| experiences when I ran it. Hopefully this will help you | | | | and getting a walk on is the best way to stretch |
| plan ahead so that you can best take advantage of | | | | your muscles before you stop. |
| what is offered in the area, while avoiding some | | | | Given our low bib numbers, my friend John's bus was |
| pitfalls for the things that can't be given the huge | | | | a bit over halfway down the line, and my bus was |
| number of runners crossing the finish line. | | | | one of the last few. Once you have gotten your |
| First, the way that New York sets up its baggage | | | | bag, look for somewhere out of the way of the |
| buses also facilitates quick recovery for the runners | | | | press of foot traffic where you can change into |
| by forcing everybody to move right along. After you | | | | some dry clothes and get warmed up. |
| cross the finish line, you enter an assembly line. | | | | We found a nice spot in the grass next to the |
| You need to keep walking, and then grab your medal. | | | | medical tent that had a bit of sun to warm us. After |
| Some more walking, and then you'll get a photo | | | | cleaning up we met with friends and family and took |
| taken. Yet more walking, and you are allowed an | | | | over a local restaurant about 2 or 3 miles from the |
| opportunity to grab a foil blanket. Now you need to | | | | finish line. The next day we took advantage of being |
| keep walking so that you can have your chip | | | | in the city to wander around town and get a good |
| removed. Up to this point you are being pushed along | | | | stretch in the legs, which helped us avoid the worst |
| from one station to the next through Central Park. | | | | of our delayed onset muscle soreness. |
| You are finally able to move at your own pace, a | | | | The advantage of the New York City setup is that |
| good distance from the finish line. You'll still need to | | | | you never really stop moving and you are forced to |
| keep walking, though. The baggage buses bring your | | | | cool down after your race by walking at a minimum |
| clothing from the starting line to the finish line, but | | | | another half mile to a mile, realistically quite further |
| the buses themselves are quite a distance from the | | | | than that. |