Spectator's Guide To The New York City Marathon 2010

It's Marathon Sunday, which means it's going to be impossible to get around the city, which means you might as well join the chaos and participate as a spectator in the New York City Marathon. Click below to find out who to cheer, where to watch, and where to carb-load.

[via]

Race Jargon (So You Know What People Are Talking About)

Lead Pack: The group of Elite Runners who run ahead of age group participants.

Pace Group: a group of runners who are running to finish in a certain time. Pacers literally run with signs that say "3:30" or "4:15" to keep runners on pace.

Fartlek: the Swedish word for "speed play". Speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down - that's fartlek training. It puts the heart rate at about 60-80% below max and is meant to offer continual exercise without major stress or discomfort. It's especially helpful for runners who know their desired pace and tempo and want to speed up without measured intervals. --By Cary Randolph

Who To Cheer On:

Sports Stars: Tennis Pro Justin Gimelstob, and New York Giants Wide Receiver Amani Toomer

Television Personalities: Al Roker (!), Robin Quivers from the Howard Stern Show, Ethan Zohn from Survivor, Anthony Edwards from ER, Jared Fogle (from the Subway weightloss ads...)

Famous Foodies: Joe Basitanich, Joe Campanale, Bobby Flay

Techies: Caroline McCarthy, Foursquare's Naveen Selvadurai and Dennis Crowley (who's running for Camp Interactive, and tracking his race on Runkeeper.)

Where To Cheer The Runners:

First Cheer Zone located in Bay Ridge (between Bay Ridge Parkway and Gowanus Expressway)

Mile 06-07: Time Warner Cable Spectator Zone, 4th Ave at 7th Street

They'll be specially set up computers here so you can check on a runner's progress.

Mile 13-14: ING CHEER ZONE, Digital Message Board

Entertainment and giveaways by ING, as well as a jumbotron showing messages and photos family and friends

Mile 16-17: 59th Street and First Ave

Digital Message Board

Mile 17-18: Time Warner Cable Spectator Zone, 1st Ave and 83rd

Giveaways, Computers to check runners progress

Mile 22-23: 5th Ave and 124th Street

Digital Message Board

Mile 22-23 Emerald Nuts Cheering Zone, 5th Ave and 90th

Snack teams distributing snacks to spectators

Where To Eat Along The Way, Because You Might As Well Carb-Load, Even If You Aren't Running.

Mile 2: Bay Ridge

Where To Go: Pegasus Diner

8610 3rd Avenue

What To Eat:  Waffles!

-

Mile 3-8: Fourth Avenue

Where To Go: Palo Santo

652 Union Street (Just Below Fourth)

What To Eat: The Brunch comes with sangria, but if you want something a la carte, get the Duck Hash and eggs.

Mile 10-12 Williamsburg

Where To Go: Marlow & Sons

81 Broadway

What To Eat: Scone with Devonshire Cream.

-

Miles 12-13 Greenpoint

Where To Go: Peter Pan Bakery

727 Manhattan Avenue

What To Eat: Red Velvet Donuts.

-

Mile 13-16 Queens

Where To Go: Sage General Store

24-20 Jackson Ave

What To Eat: Bacon Pizza as part of their bacon brunch.

-

Miles 16-19 First Avenue

Where To Go: The Coffee Inn

1316 1st Avenue

What To Eat: Grab a coffee and croissant to go, and cheer on the runners as they head to The Bronx.

Miles 21-23 Harlem and North Central Park

Where To Go: Sisters Caribbean Cuisine

E. 124th Street, at Madison

What To Eat: Jerk Chicken, Guyanese Masala Curried Chicken.

-

And for people who actually RAN the race:

Macelleria, on 38 Gansevoort, is offering unlimited pasta servings for the price of one to all runners who show their bib number.

Millenium Hilton is offering a special pasta prix-fixe for runners on November 6th, and 20% off brunch on the 8th.

Where To Tailgate

MIckey Mantels Restaurant: 42 Central Park West

East End Tavern: 1589 First Avenue

The Bull Pen: 1678 First Avenue

East End Bar and Grill: 1664 First Avenue

Becky's Pub: 1156 First Avenue

Baker Street: 1152 First Avenue

AND DON'T FORGET TO SET BACK YOUR CLOCKS ON SATURDAY NIGHT!