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| drop off point at a local restaurant |
I have a super snack to tell you about but I’ll hold off until Thursday because there are a few things about the whole NYC marathon fiasco still bugging
me. The marathon is one of my favorite events, I love the stories, the challenge involved and of course New York is my home. The conspicuous generators and
finish line are right across from the Foodtrainers offices and as I walked to
work post Sandy the signage and set-up seemed so inappropriate. It
all hit close to home. While, in the end, the marathon was cancelled there are
important lessons to be learned.
Don’t Let Others Make Your Decisions
Before the city cancelled the race, I heard from clients slated
to run the marathon. Each of these
runners, who trained long and hard, came to the conclusion that they would not
run. Many said things like “it doesn’t feel right” and others hadn’t had power or
had been relocated. Regardless of what the city said they were out. In the blogosphere
and on Twitter and Facebook there was another sentiment. “The city decided the
race was on and they must know what’s best.” Really? If the city thinks it’s ok
to gas up thousands of buses while people wait in line for hours, they know
best? If the city thinks it’s in good taste to start, as planned, on Staten
Island blocks from where people lost everything, they know best? If the city
thinks we should close roads and bridges for a road race, while trains are
still out of order and traffic a mess, they know best? The Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics tells me artificial sweeteners can be part of a healthy diet
(don’t get me started). I understand if
you’re not seeing the news coverage or live in another country but if you were
here in the city, as I am, you know better than that. In the end we all make our
own decisions.
Hobbies are Hobbies
For many, the marathon is an incredible journey that takes commitment and dominates your life for months. There’s a
part of marathon training that forces you to be selfish. I’ve trained for races
that didn’t happen because of weather or injury and though initially upsetting,
you realize that it’s just a race. For the vast majority of those scheduled to
run Sunday running isn’t their profession. I tweeted that running for most
people is a hobby and received some replies “no to me it’s so much more” and in
all of these tweets “me” figured prominently. People didn't want to let go of their
training and their mission to see what was happening around them. This advice is
coming from a prodigy in petty but there are times when that’s all trumped. The
New York Post said, “In the long haul you can always go for a run. You can’t always
have your dignity and your life.”
Let Voice Be Heard
The mayor’s “the race
will go on” mentality was challenged by writers, politicians, police officers
and publications who knew it wasn’t right and made their voices heard. I’m sure
those who follow my tweets or FB posts may have been annoyed by my
marathon-related messaging but it bothered me until the word “cancelled”. Whether
it’s related to Sandy or Prop 37 good things can happen when you really believe
in something and speak up. Some people, even some good friends, didn’t like that I
suggested running was selfish or that resources, despite NYRR’s claims, were
being diverted (and proof of that was Mary Wittenberg’s announcement that port-o-potty’s and generators would be redistributed to storm victims not that they were diverted). I hope that
once you get over the personal disappointment you see the bigger picture, the
sad picture that endures for so many in this area.
Lessons for Children
It shouldn’t take a national disaster for our children to
learn some things but in our case it did. I wish I could tell you my boys were
excited to make packages for firefighters, clean up the park where they play
soccer or walk bundles over to donate. Initially they weren’t but they soon
realized this is what you do. We’re also talking about what we can do for our
planet and the weather we experienced. The thought of another Sandy should remind us that climate change is real, despite what many people have told us. We now know better.
What do you feel were the lessons learned from Sandy? Other than The Red Cross, any organizations helping out others should know about? Any thoughts on the marathon fiasco?
Some ideas:
