Whether you’re a long-distance athlete or just someone who likes to cheer them on, mark your calendars for on Sunday, November 6, 2011—the day of the 41st Annual New York City Marathon, which will bring over 35,000 runners, thousands of volunteers, and an estimated two million spectators to New York.
Since its humble beginnings in 1970, when a mere 55 runners finished the race, to 2011, the first Sunday in November is reserved every year for this major sporting event, which has been aptly characterized on the Marathon’s official website as “a 26.2-mile-long block party.” That’s because the day tends to bring out a lot of positive energy in everyone involved—especially the crowds who cheer the marathoners on as they make their way around the city.
For the uninitiated, part of what makes the Marathon so special is that it encompasses all five boroughs of New York City. The course begins in Staten Island at the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge and wends through Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx before finally concluding, 26.2 miles later, in Manhattan’s Central Park. With so many potential locations to choose among, all Marathon fans have their own favorite spots for watching; in the morning, for instance, we’re partial to Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn, which offers plenty of elbow room and scores of official “entertainment spots” with live music and more to spur the runners on. In the afternoon, the long straightaways (usually known as avenues) of the Upper East Side offer good vantage points and apartment rentals, and of course nothing compares to seeing runners cross the finish line, in Central Park. (Although you need to arrive early if you want to claim a spot anywhere along the course’s final mile.)
If you haven’t watched the Marathon before, or would like to learn a little more this year, the official website’s excellent spectator guide has a mile-by-mile overview of the course and handy tips about what to wear and how to get around that day. (Hint: don’t even think about driving, because the Marathon plays havoc with New York traffic).
Will you be in New York City for the Marathon? New York Habitat has fully furnished rental apartments all along the marathon route. The following are just a sample:
– This spacious, tastefully furnished one-bedroom apartment in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (NY-12480) is located on the ground floor of a building , a residential area of Brooklyn not far from Manhattan and close to the subway, the Brooklyn Museum, and Prospect Park. Amenities include a fully equipped modern kitchen, a large bedroom and a back garden, which has chairs for lounging.
– A fully furnished 1 Bedroom apartment in the Upper East Side (NY-5193) is located 2 blocks away from Central Park, on the top floor of a 5 story building highlighted by prewar qualities such as hardwood floors and high ceilings.
– On Amsterdam Avenue, on the Upper West Side, another furnished studio apartment (NY-14770) features exposed brick, AC, and a kitchenette with mini-fridge, microwave, hot plate, and coffeemaker. The living space is furnished with a double size bed and TV. Central Park and the Museum of Natural History are only two blocks away, and the shops and restaurants lining Broadway are only one block away.
Do you have a favorite New York Marathon story you want to share with New York Habitat readers, or a recommendation for where to watch? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment in the field provided below.
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