Rough maths:
Let's say each person takes up 2foot x 1 foot while viewing, that's roughly 2600 people per mile times both sides equal 5,200 people permile one deep.
Call it 2 miles of city streets and a 6 mile loop in the park that is 8 miles of 'grandstands'if you will.
8 miles times 5,200= 42,000 fans one deep 80,000 two
deep 120,000 three deep,160,000 4 deep and 200,000 five deep.
How can the crowd size estimate be enlarged? The buildings on the city streets over looking the park would give a group of folks a passive view of the race should they look out the correct window. (Please note this when estimating NYCM crowds also). People walking to work, sight seeing, shopping and dragging home from an all-night party might catch a glimpse of the race in the mid town area.
CONCLUSION ; FOUR DEEP EVERY STEP of the way BOTH SIDES of the course and adding 40 thousand passive views(they ran by a person who had no idea that those guys in shorts were racing for an Olympic berth) would total the 200,000 folks Ms W. promised.
Assignment; A-Count how many ranks of viewers actually appear at dawn.
B- Identify and quantify places along the course with more/less than 4 deep.
C-Prepare you own estimate and submit it to the this thread no later than noon.