NYC EVENTS: 37th Annual NYC Marathon

*Yawn.
Woke up last Sunday morning to the sound of loud commotion downstairs. Why of course - it's Marathon Day!

Scrambled downstairs with S just in time to see a few ingenious guys settling down on their own prime viewing spot.
There was a jazz band playing (courtesy of Central Park Conservancy), people lining up the streets, enthusiastically waving long, orange inflatable wands, a firetruck in one corner on stand-by for any emergency, people cheering and yelling...

Soon enough, the leader of the pack came into view - and everyone did a double-take.

Who the heck is this stranger?

For the past 2 days, the TV Marathon coverage was all about last years' winners - Kenyans Paul Tergat (2005 Winner) and Hendrick Ramaala (2005 1st runner up) and speculations on who would take the top spot this year. No one has ever seen this guy before. Before anyone could close their gaped mouths, he was gone in a Speedy Gonzales flash.
In less than two hours, everyone knew who exactly Brazilian Marilson Gomes dos Santos was. Finishing the race in 2:09.58, he is the first non-African man to win the NYC Marathon in 10 years. He also made history for being the first South American champion ever!

He opened a half-minute lead by Mile 20 and surged past the elite pack on First Avenue. Kenyan Stephen Kiogora came second at 2:10.06, while world-record holder (and defending champ) Tergat came in third at 2:10.10.
Olympic gold medalist Stefano Baldini (in gold, above) came in 6th.

But the most popular runner wasn't the fastest. The person who drew the most cheers was none other than 35-year-old cancer survivor Lance Armstrong (above in green shirt, shades) who placed at 856th.
The seven-time Tour de France winner barely made his personal goal of completing the race in 3 hours - finishing with a time of 2:59.36. Wow, that left him with only a few seconds to spare!
Which reminds me - I would never ever place a bet against Lance.
After the race, he stated in an interview that "In 20 years of endurance sports, triatlons, cycling, even the worst day on the Tour, nothing was as hard as that, and nothing left me feeling the way I do now."

More than 38,000 runners participated in this years Marathon. Senator Pia Cayetano and successful businessman Fernando Zobel De Ayala were among the handful of Filipinos who also joined the race that day. MABUHAY!!

While most came on foot wearing typical running gear, some opt to run sans tops. Brrrrrr.

Some came in wheels...

... while a few thought skateboarding was the only way to go.

LINK: http://www.philstar.com/philstar/index20061108.htm