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Jan 2012
12:12pm, 7 Jan 2012
218 posts
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mr guinness
London used to have 3 hours for full and 125 half for gfa,
I don't think London will go back again.
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May 2014
1:59pm, 17 May 2014
764 posts
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Scott S
Question:
Should I or shouldn't I go for the poncho option?
Got a choice of:
Check a bag and get no poncho.
Don't check a bag and get a poncho.
Other than a Metro card, hotel room key card and possibly some cash, I could get away with dumping an old fleece / pair of tracksuit bottoms at the start.
(Looking at the 7am ferry so hopefully not too much sitting around anyway - last time only had 20 mins to wait / check baggage etc due to subway problems after leaving my hotel at 5am!)
From things I've read, comments on these are fairly positive although for a lot of people, it didn't speed up the "up to an hour" convoluted exit process.
It's not something I would ever use again but is part of the experience.
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May 2014
9:25am, 19 May 2014
420 posts
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Shred Betty
The year I did it there was only the bag drop option - pretty much no queue at the baggage truck at the end, it takes so long to get out of the bag due to the number of people, not the bag drop! It was pretty cold too, so I was glad of something warm to put on for the hobble back to the hotel! You amy not even need a metro card - I think it might be free on race day with a race number?
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May 2014
12:32pm, 19 May 2014
4,030 posts
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Nightjar
Do they give you the poncho at the finish? Like SB says, it took me an age to hobble from the finish to bag reclaim but getting the bag itself was not really a problem. I guess with the Poncho they are trying to encourage people to go straight out of central park, which would also have the advantage of not having to walk 20 minutes North to get your bag and then have to head back south!! I'm sure the Poncho would serve as a 'badge of honour' for the walk back to the hotel!
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May 2014
3:14pm, 19 May 2014
17,661 posts
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JohnnyO
I did last year, and would go for the poncho.
It is freezing at the start, often sub-zero according to the guys I spoke to, and its a long time from bag drop to the gun, so you will need plenty of crappy clothes to throw. Dont take them off until the last second, the tannoy will tell you that it wont be collected from the side of the freeway where you start, but it must be because thats where most of it ends up.
Also, the bag is small. I crammed a duvet jacket in which was warm enough, but would have been screwed if it was raining as I had no more space.
The poncho is very high quality, ripstop nylon with fleece inside so will be warm and dry. Also, you can see the orange gnomes all over the city afterwards, and everybody will pat you on the back, you will be part of the gang and everybody in the city is your friend, you get free drinks in bars and whatnot. If you just hav a medal, you have to force yourself on people a bit more (but you do still get free beer!)
The big advantage to the poncho though is that you get out of the finishers area quicker. Poncho pick up is within 500 yards, I walked over a mile to get my bag, which you then have to walk back unless you are staying in central park west (which would be unlikely). But there are no bag queues (at least for a 3.30 finish).
And unlike other races, the actual finish line and finishers area is quiet. The security is tight and there are very few people there. The party is at Columbus Circle, on Central Park South and E59th St.
Also, I still needed a metro card for the 4am subway to the ferry. Walked on the way back, so I don't know if its free afterwards.
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New York Marathon 2020
Mar 2022