I'm listening to a NYRR teleconference with Brad Hudson, Keith Hanson, and Terrence Mahon.
Mary Wittenberg, the NYRR director, just said she expects a few hundred thousand people to come out for the Trials to watch.
I was pleasantly surprised by her numbers but am not sure I'm convinced.
The race starts at 7:30 am and does not run through the streets of NY. Will a couple hundred thousand people really turn out? I think a later start might help. 30,000 people plus relatives in town for the marathon should help.
Do you think that many people will turn out?
All along I thought a later start would be better (who does anything at 7:30 am on a Saturday) to pick up foot traffic. But if 200,000 are coming I guess I'm totally wrong as they don't need people just wondering into the park to watch.