New York Marathon Still On for Sunday Despite Hurricane Sandy Flooding

by Doug Kyed on Tue, Oct 30, 2012 at 11:34PM

Despite flooded streets and subway stations, New York City should be cleared up enough in time for Sunday's New York Marathon.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the marathon is still on, though the race could face some changes from years past according to The Associated Press.

Fortunately, the 26.2 mile race that weaves through the five boroughs of New York mostly avoids the most heavily-flooded areas of the city. Unfortunately, airports are still closed, as are both methods of transportation that would take entrants to the starting line in Staten Island. The ferry and Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel are both closed due to flooding, which would make getting to the starting line the biggest issue the city still faces. Subway stations may not open for four or five days, which could overlap with the race's start.

The race organizers were expecting almost 50,000 runners to participate before the hurricane crashed down on the east coast. With 20,000 runners expected to fly in for the marathon, and airports closed, that number may decrease.

Photo via Twitter/@TheAtlanticWire