Tim Muckell waits to hop into the 2009 ING NYC Marathon
BAY RIDGE, BROOKLYN — At the 10-minute countdown on race day, marathoner Tim Muckell, 26, is not at the starting line. Instead Muckell sits at the bar-counter of a Bay Ridge café, clad in red, white and blue American flag short-shorts and a 2008 ING New York City souvenir shirt.
“I’m a vegetarian, so I have spinach, carrots, broccoli,” said Muckell. “I have time until I run so I’m going to load up on food to get me through the race.”
Muckell, who ran in the Marathon last year, was not selected for entry into the 2009 NYC Marathon. According to Muckell, only one in four people are chosen to run in the race through the lottery system.
So Muckell took another approach. As many other runners frequently do, he planned to jump into the race just on the other side of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, two miles into the 26.2-mile marathon.
“I’m just going to hop over the barricade when the runners come by. You’re not really supposed to, but I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity,” said Muckell.
The New York Road Runners Club, the race’s governing body, disapproves of these kinds of tactics. According to its website, course marshals are fierce and relentless about removing “bandit runners,” who don’t qualify for the race or pay for entry. If there is no visible race bib, a runner is subject to removal.
Keith Kenton of the New York Police Department stood on the corner of Bay Ridge Avenue and Fourth Avenue prepared to prevent unregistered runners like Muckell from racing in one of the world’s largest marathon races. About 40,000 runners, out of an application pool of more than 100,000, participated in this year’s marathon.
“My job is to not let other people into the race,” said Kenton. “There are already so many people and if you don’t belong we don’t want you in there.”
Thousands of registered marathoners streamed down Fourth Avenue with two miles down in the 26.2 mile race
But despite the presence of police and race authorities, some spectators slipped into the stream of runners. And not all of them were unauthorized racers like Waples. Some simply wanted to support a loved one for part of the route. David Chase, one of the expected 2 million people who will line the marathon course throughout the five boroughs, stood and waited for his friend to pass.
“I’m going out there to support a friend by running 5 miles with her,” said Chase. “I imagine a lot of people would do that.”
For many “bandit runners” the experience of running in the New York Marathon is worth the risk of getting caught.
“When you run into Central Park, that’s when you know this is the best marathon in the world. It’s just remarkable,” said Muckell, as he tied up the laces of his Asics running shoes. “It’s just so surreal.”
Muckell then casually slid over the barricade and took off.
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