Port-A-Potty service's NYC marathon run cut short

From Saturday’s CT Post

Rob Varnon

A particular view from the starting place of the New York City Marathon on Fort Wadsorth, Staten Island. Bridgeport-based A Royal Flush worked around the clock to get set up for the race on Sunday, Nov. 4, only to learn that the premier event had been cancelled as the city stuggled to recover from Hurricane Sandy. Photo: Contributed Photo / CT

For the last two days, a Bridgeport company crammed in almost a week's worth of work lining the storm-battered streets of New York City with thousands of portable toilets in preparation for the world's premier road race -- only to hear that it was canceled just 39 hours before the start.

Debbie Russo, one of the owners of A Royal Flush, headquartered at 14 Andover St., Bridgeport, was confident Friday her employees were up to the challenge of providing the 40,000 runners and thousands of volunteers and spectators with a service that often goes unnoticed when it's done right. A Royal Flush appeared to be on track, she said, despite losing three vital prep days and having to navigate debris and blocked roads in New York. The company had placed 1,700 of its units at the starting line at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island before Hurricane Sandy struck and A Royal Flush crew secured them through the storm on Monday.

The New York Road Runners, which organizes the event, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the decision to cancel on Friday night.

Earlier press reports indicated the New York Road Runners has insurance to cover cancellations, but details as to what that means for vendors and participants who paid to run were not clear at presstime.

It is a dramatic letdown for a company whose presence at the event might have been one of its greatest moments since it began providing units for the New York race in 1996.

The company was asked to provide the portable toilets just a few days ago, when the New York Road Runners and Mayor Bloomberg had declared the marathon would go on. Supporters of the decision to run said the 26.2-mile race would serve as a symbol and metaphor for the recovery effort. But many others said the hardships felt around the city were too great to hold the event.

"My heart (was) telling me not to run," said Ronnie Behringer, a Norwalk resident who had picked up her race packet on Thursday. "I would just like to see all that energy and all those resources go to helping people who are still underwater."

A veteran of 27 marathons, three of which were in New York, Behringer was appreciative of the service provided by A Royal Flush.

"Under normal circumstances resources like that are primary," she said. "The first thing you do at the start of a race is look for the Port-a-John."

She said nerves and hydration get the best of all runners. And, she said she's seen what happens when there aren't enough of them.

"Not to be indelicate, but I have seen large marathons where there aren't enough Port-a-Johns and runners will go anywhere," she said.

Marty Schaivone, owner of Stratford-based MS Running Productions is a race director and longtime runner, said he saw both sides of the argument about holding the race. Race organizers spend the better part of a year preparing for an event like this. It's an tremendous effort to bring together vendors, volunteers, equipment and runners, he said. Then to have to cancel it is "a brutal call," he said.

Schaivone had to make that same decision this weekend for two races in the area, the Southport Racquet Club 5K on Saturday and the Weston Reservoir Run Half Marathon on Sunday. But those races were postponed until later. He said he can't see that for the City's marathon.

"There's no postponement date for New York," he said.

But Schaivone also said there was a tremendous outcry in the running community against holding the event while people in New York went without power, heat and water.

For Russo, the Marathon usually marks the end of the company's season of events and construction, but she believes the units will be put to more use as a season of restoration begins and the region moves to rebuild.

"We are proud to be a partner in such a great event, but happy that the resources will go for useful purposes," she said.