Happy Halloween

I hope it's spooky!!!!!!

Wish Me Luck

On Sunday Morning, I will be one of the thousands of people running the 2008 New York City Marathon through the five boroughs of New York! I am so excited and I will be sure to post more about it next week.

More Celebrities

As the marathon is this weekend, this is really all I can talk about! I just saw this on the New York Times website:

30 Seconds
With Kerri Strug
By PATTY LA DUCA

Published: September 27, 2008

Kerri Strug will be remembered as a member of the Magnificent Seven, the United States women’s gymnastics team at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. She stuck her landing on her second vault despite an injured ankle to secure the team gold medal. Strug, who made her Olympic debut at 14 in the 1992 Barcelona Games, is now 31 and works in Washington for the Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. She has run four marathons and plans to run her first New York City Marathon on Nov. 2 as part of Team ING Run for Something Better to fight childhood obesity. Donations to sponsor Strug and the former soccer star Brandi Chastain in the race can be made at orangelaces.com/nyc.

A Chance to Win a New Car

The New York Road Runners and Toyota are giving you two chances to win a new Toyota Prius. All you have to do is pick the top three male and female finishers for the marathon. Click here to sign up. Good Luck!!

New Website

I just found this blog, Marathon Moments. They say they are "the official insider blog of the ING New York City Marathon." So click on it and read up on next week's big event!

Totally Not Work Related

But did I mention the Phillies are going to the World Series! Yesssssssssssssssss!!!!!
Now Back to Work!

Susan B. Komen Foundation

This weekend the Susan B. Komen 3-day walk will visit the city of Brotherly Love! Starting today, the women will walk from Willow Grove to Fairmount Park, tomorrow they walk through Manyunk and the city and finally, on Sunday, out the Main Line to Villanova. Come out and show your support. Click here to see a list of Cheering Stations.

VIP Toilets

I think this is really exciting. Not just as an employee of a portable toilet company, but as a runner as well:

If You Want a Royal Flush, Buy Brooks

Sunday, October 12, 2008; From the Washington Post

Every runner has been there, usually just before a race, standing in a slow-moving line while waiting to use a cold, dirty porta-potty -- with or without toilet paper.

"I thought, 'Wouldn't it be cool for runners to have a nice bathroom experience instead,' " said Dave Larson, vice president of marketing for Brooks shoes.

Larson's outside-the-pot thinking will result in a unique promotion near the start of the Oct. 26 Marine Corps Marathon. Runners wearing 2008 Brooks MCM apparel sold at the race expo or simply Brooks shoes will have access to a VIP porta-potty with partitioned stalls, climate control, hot and cold running water and plenty of TP.

An attendant dressed in a mock tuxedo will provide assistance along a velvet rope line on a red carpet.

"Come in and you'll get the full treatment," Larson said. "Just like on the movie sets."

That is pretty accurate: When Oprah Winfrey famously ran Marine Corps in 1994, no one saw her waiting in line with the hoi polloi, because she had her own trailer parked near the start with complete toilet facilities. "Oprah doesn't do porta-potties," her publicist sniffed. With the proper gear on marathon day, neither will you.

Paula's Back

Since the marathon is so close, you will notice I am devoting a lot of this blog to that subject. Along those lines, I was so excited to hear that Paula Radcliffe (last year's winner) will be returning for this year's race:

Paula Radcliffe to Defend Title at ING New York City Marathon 2008

New York, October 1, 2008—World record-holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain will return to the streets of New York to defend her title at the ING New York City Marathon 2008 on Sunday, November 2.

A year ago Radcliffe, 34, amazed the world with an inspiring victory in New York just 10 months after the birth of her first child, daughter Isla, on January 17, 2007. She pulled away from Ethiopia’s Gete Wami in the final mile to capture the title in 2:23:09.

Unbeaten in New York, Radcliffe captured her first crown in 2004 in dramatic fashion when she out-dueled Kenyan Susan Chepkemei by three seconds in the closest women’s finish in race history.

A third win would lift Radcliffe into second place for the most New York victories, behind the legendary Grete Waitz of Norway, who amassed an astounding nine New York City Marathon wins.

“We never stop being amazed by what Paula is able to do; she is the all-time greatest, and New York always seems to bring out the best in her,” Wittenberg said. “Paula’s participation makes this our best women’s field ever.”

Radcliffe returns seeking a bit of redemption at the 26.2-mile distance following a disappointing performance in the women’s marathon at the Olympic Games. Injuries plagued Radcliffe’s preparation for the race and resulted in her 23rd-place finish (2:32:38).

“I am really looking forward to returning to the ING New York City Marathon,” said Radcliffe. “New York has always been very special to me and every time I return it becomes more special. Grete Waitz has always been an inspiration to me, and getting a small step closer to what she achieved in New York City would be amazing to me.”

Radcliffe owns the women’s marathon world record of 2:15:25, which she set in 2003 at the Flora London Marathon. Her marathon debut of 2:18:56, which she ran in London in 2002, is still the fifth-fastest time in history. She holds four of the five fastest women’s marathon times in history, and has won seven of the eight marathons she has finished, including three victories in London, two in New York, one in Chicago, and one at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki.

Radcliffe joins previously announced World Marathon Majors champion Wami, 2007 Boston champion Dire Tune of Ethiopia, and marathon first-timers New Zealand Olympian Kim Smith and American Olympian Kara Goucher. The women’s race for the second World Marathon Majors crown and the $500,000 prize purse will once again be determined in New York.

Don't worry, if I get to meet her, I will be sure to tell you all about it!!!!!! Can you tell I am excited?? Only 22 more days to go....

Marathon, Again!

In my countdown to the NYC marathon (only 24 days left!!), I thought it would be helpful to share all the ways you can watch the big race:

Television and Web Broadcasts

Television

In New York: In New York: The race will be broadcast live exclusively on WNBC 4 New York for five hours. Telemundo Channel 47 will have live cut-ins during the race as well as segments leading up to the marathon. The WNBC 4 New York broadcast will begin at 9:00 a.m. with the pre-race warm-up and will follow the race through the five boroughs, across the bridges, and over the finish line until 2:00 p.m.

In the United States: NBC Sports will broadcast a one-hour highlights show nationwide beginning at 3:00 p.m. EST on November 2; check your local listings for details. In the metro New York area, it will be on WNBC 4 New York.

Around the World: A one-hour highlights show will be broadcast in nearly 125 countries worldwide. Check your local listings for details.

Internet Streaming

United States
On Sunday, November 2, it's the world's race -- the ING New York City Marathon. Catch all the action LIVE, only on NBCSports.com/Marathon!

Coverage for the ING New York City Marathon begins at 9:00 a.m.

The ING New York City Marathon will be available on demand after the live broadcast.

International
Watch the entire race live on the Internet at WCSN.com for FREE! Viewers will get the entire race broadcast from 9:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

www.ingnycmarathon.org

The official website has complete information about the race and will include extensive coverage on race day.

• Our Athlete Alert program, presented by Road Runner High Speed Online, will send updates of your progress to up to five pre-registered email addresses. Athlete Alert is available in late October.
  
  
• Race day coverage will include stories, photos and videos.
  
  
• The Athlete Tracker will allow anyone with an Internet connection to check your latest splits.
  
  
• After the race, look for results, photos, analysis, and motivation for 2009.

In Honor of...

The upcoming New York City Marathon, this book is being released tomorrow:

You can click here to read the New York Times review of it. Hopefully, it will get you pumped for the big event. I know I am excited!!!

Avon Breast Cancer Walk

This weekend is the Avon Breast Cancer 3-day walk in New York City. In honor of the event, here is a video of one woman's experience at last year's walk. Also, as a bonus, at about 3:50 there are some shots of our toilets. Very exciting!!

Johannesburg hosts FIFA Tournament

More public loos planned for 2010

Written by Ndaba Dlamini
Thursday, 02 October 2008

Getting the city shipshape for the two FIFA tournaments includes focusing on details such as sanitation - and making sure there are enough conveniences for visiting fans.

GIVEN the thousands of football fans expected in Johannesburg in 2009 and 2010, the City plans to provide more public toilets to cater for the influx.

The 2009 Confederations Cup South Africa™, otherwise known as the Festival of Champions, will take place in June and is expected to attract a mainly South African audience to the four host cities.

Johannesburg's Ellis Park Stadium will host four matches during the tournament,
including the opening and final games.

Then, more than 500 000 people are expected in South Africa the following year for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ - and a large number of these people will be in Johannesburg, which is hosting the opening ceremony, closing ceremony and first and final matches.

On top of this, Soccer City and Ellis Park will host 16 of the 64 World Cup
games, adding to its expected visitor numbers.

"It is for these reasons that the City must ensure that there is adequate provision of sanitation for residents and visitors during the 2010 tournament,"says Malcolm Mogotsi, the deputy director of operations in the City's 2010 Office.

According to FIFA guidelines for public toilets, there must be one toilet for every 100 people. To comply with these guidelines, the City needs to construct new public toilets, upgrade existing public toilets and hire temporary portable toilets.

It plans to upgrade 20 existing public toilets, build eight new public toilets and hire 20 temporary mobile toilets for the duration of the two football tournaments at a cost of about R4-million, according to Mogotsi. The upgrades are over-and-above the existing facilities around the city.

"The number of public toilets that may be built or upgraded may change because we are still busy doing feasibility studies."

Those that are to be upgraded are mainly located at taxi ranks that will serve as major transport hubs during the two events.

The eight new public toilets will be built in the south of Johannesburg, an area that was previously under-serviced, especially around Soccer City Stadium, the proposed public viewing sites and fan parks, Mogotsi explains.

"Due to unavailability of public space around the city centre, no new toilets will be constructed and instead, temporary mobile toilets will be hired during the Confederations Cup and the World Cup."

Mogotsi says the City has identified Elkah Stadium in Soweto and Innes Free Park in Sandton as the official fan parks for the tournaments, "and this is where most of the mobile toilets will be deployed".

To date, Johannesburg has built new toilets and upgraded old ones around Ellis Park, Mary Fitzgerald Square and at other venues. These toilets are secure, modern public conveniences that cater for both genders and disabled people. They are also hygienic, Mogotsi says.

"The construction of new toilets, upgrading of existing toilets and provision of mobile toilets will assist the City to deliver the best World Cup in 2010. The toilets will ensure that the city [has] good sanitary conditions during the tournament and also will ensure the health of the public and visiting fans is not negatively affected."