No, I did not run in it.
But I’m fortunate to live right where it ends, near Central Park in the ‘60s (not far from the Park’s Bethesda Fountain, hence my Kos name). Every year the streets are jammed with caped runners and their friends and families, carrying signs and celebrating finishing it.
Taking a break today, I had coffee at my favorite neighborhood hangout — Joe Coffee on Columbus Avenue, a block away from Central Park. As every year, thousands of blue-caped runners with friends and families were passing by, many of them with signs, some bearing giant images of their runner.
I asked a young couple (not runners) sitting next to me at Joe if they had voted. They said, “Thanks for reminding us,” and said they would send in their absentee ballots. (They were from out of NY.)
Then I walked home toward the Park and saw more waves and waves of blue-caped runners exiting the race walking toward Columbus, some already having met friends and families with signs.
I thought, “If only I had a sign reminding these thousands of runners and their families to vote.” (I made an assumption that runners and their families were a left-leaning demographic.)
Back in my apartment a half hour later, using packing tape, Scotch tape, cardboard and a cane, I had a sign.
I ventured back out to Columbus and stayed there for about two hours, holding the sign high for the runners and loved ones to see, turning to get both the uptown and downtown traffic. The reaction was great! Many said they already had voted, and I told them to make sure their friends and families also did. Many gave me a thumbs up as they walked by. Many thanked me. Some asked to take a picture of me with the sign! My “I stand with immigrants” T-Shirt (from NN19) also got some favorable comments.
No one was hostile. All of that perhaps confirming my estimate of the demographic. Yes, it was the People’s Republic of the Upper West Side, but the People here today were from all over, including out of state and out of the country.
I clocked about 35-40 people per minute seeing the sign, so the two hours reached about 3,000-4,000 people. Perhaps not as many the Freeway Blogger (one inspiration for doing this), but a bit more up close and personal.
I recommend doing it in any similar situation!