NYRR 8000

March 13, 2010

As the East Coast endured yet another stormy weekend, more than 2,600 runners came to Central Park for the NYRR 8000, a not-quite-five-mile race. Let’s give every one of the finishers—as well as the staff and volunteers who supported them through 4.97 soggy miles—a big round of applause. And let’s hope for a dryer day for the NYC Half-Marathon coming up this Sunday, March 21. [Results]

Hooray for the volunteers! They stayed as dry as they could under bright orange ponchos.
Clearly a veteran of many rainy races, Ronaldo Zamuco of Brooklyn had a solid stay-dry plan.
There’s always a good reason to hang on to your ING New York City Marathon souvenir HeatSheet™.
Ready to take on the elements, runners awaited the starting horn.
And they’re off, a long line of color and energy on a gray day in the park.
Mary Poppins would have approved of this runner’s ingenuity.
If smiles were umbrellas, this runner would be dry, dry, dry.
Men’s overall winner Trent Briney of Michigan broke the tape in 24:43; he will run the NYC Half-Marathon on March 21.
The overall women’s winner was Manhattanite Deborah Gaebler, 45, who clocked 32:17.
At 39 degrees, the temperature was mild enough to keep Mateas Cornel comfortable.
Natalie Kuhnert grinned her way to a 39:19 finish.
Rain, rain, go away!
Did these friends and teammates wanna be a little dryer?
Volunteers—most of whom had been on duty since before dawn—cheerfully handed out post-race refreshments.
Holly Farmer (left) and Colleen Mannion celebrated a well-run race.