Esmond's photos of the

see Heather's photos
see Amie's photos

with the
Achilles Track Club
on the
Peterborough Road Runners
Bus Trip led by Dave McConkey
November 3-6, 2000

The opportunity for me to go to the NYC marathon came up a month before the event when my friend Amie Chong of the Achilles Track Club told me that someone on the bus trip had pulled out and I could take her place.

My job in the race was volunteer Running Guide for a disabled participant with the Achilles Track Club, an organization that promotes the involvement of disabled athletes in Road Running.  I was assigned to help José Osorio from Venezuela who used an ordinary wheel chair, not a racing model.  I assisted his forward motion by pushing him up the many hills on the course as well as guiding him through the thick crowds in this marathon of 30,000 runners.  As he was not in contention for any awards, such assistance seemed to be acceptable.  Our finishing time was 5:44.

click any image for larger view,
more photos from other runners to come

Friday evening in NYC -
First stop was for Race Kits and the Marathon Expo
Amie & a stretching guru at the Expo   Amie running a 2:05
  The Trentway-Wagar bus dropped some of us off at Park Ave for the Canadian party  
  Wayne & Patty Witt at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel in New Jersey  
Saturday morning - International Friendship Run,
a 4 mile route from the UN building to Central Park
Runners gathered in national groups by the United Nations   Austrian runners
Some French mopheads Running on 6th Avenue Running on 6th Avenue - a minute later
Two British Belles patriotically display their assets In Central Park Many runners wore wild costumes
The British Belles again Amie and some Japanese Achilles runners Distributing the lunch bags from the flatbed truck at the finish
The T-shirt swap after the Friendship run Our friend Michelle Amerie, the last finisher, got a big police escort with sirens and flashing lights Michelle and her new found friends, NYC's finest
The NYPD boys got us in to the VIP breakfast at the Tavern on the Green Ray Cohen tries the posh facilities in the Tavern King Kong in the patio at the Tavern
 Saturday afternoon - Sightseeing in NYC
A stop in Greenwich Village A stop for coffee - the hat is from a Dutch runner On a Soho Street - shiatsu treatment was $10 for 10 minutes
  Subway station at the South End of Manhattan in Battery Park  
Sunday - Marathon Day
World's longest urinal (290 ft) - where all the dicks hang out Another view of the long urinal - marathon started on the Verrazano-Narrows bridge in background The Maintenance guy said the 25,000 gallon tank would be filled with urine
View from the Verrazano Narrows bridge   My Achilles marathon partner Jose, early in the race on the Verrazano bridge
At a Water Stop before the main pack caught us - wheelchairs started 25 mins early Lead pack of women with 2nd place finisher, Italy's Franca Fiacconi, in front On 4th Avenue in Brooklyn
Water Stop Brooklyn Pit Stop in front of vacant Brooklyn building
Another Water Stop Cute Hasidic Jewish girls watch the marathon Hasidic Jews in their distinctive garb
View from the Pulaski bridge entering Queens from Brooklyn More cops in front of a Water Truck Many bands played along the route
Mexican fans Runners ran under the train overpass I'm pushing Jose on the Queensborough bridge
Jose with Manhattan in the background On First Ave in Manhattan Much evidence of passing runners
The End

NYC Marathon
Achilles Track Club
Peterborough Road Runners