he Marathon Pasta dinner was held at Sambuca's on Thursday night prior to the race. There was a lot of good food and high excitement, as well as some serious inspiration as Matt Long told his story to the group. It is the story of his horrific accident while biking to work some 5 years ago, and the subsequent physical and much more difficult mental rehabilitation. From someone not expected to survive the through night of the accident, he eventually finished the New York City Marathon and subsequently, an Iron Man Triathlon. I highly recommend that you watch his video below.

High Hopes and Expectations

fter the meal, I talked to a number of the Flyers who were there. Their hopes and expectations for the marathon follow. I almost wish I could embed the recordings in this web page instead of transcribing them, but the sound is just too chaotic, what with the dinner going on in the background. The excitement in the room was palpable and I hope that it comes through to you as you read their words.

Ken Hill

This will be my 8th marathon, the 3rd in New York and I hope to do better than I did a month ago. The training has been going well.

The last one was a month ago — Mohawk Hudson — nice and downhill and flat and picturesque.

So right now I feel really good!

Siggy Torres

This will be number 16 overall and number 6 consecutive in New York so I’m on a streak. The training has been going pretty well — I just did Chicago.

That was supposed to be the last long run and I was going to drop out around mile 20, but I wound up doing the whole thing, and I wound up with a big PR! So Sunday, I’m just going to go out here and enjoy the course.

In Chicago I felt good and I stayed within my target range. The idea was to go out and do 20 to 23 miles. But at that point I felt really good, so I decided to just keep on going. With my number pinned on and feeling good it was very hard to consider dropping out of that race.

Jennifer Coyne

This will be my 13th marathon. It will be the 9th New York,

My training has been going very well. I’ve followed the JoAnn Program and that’s worked fairly well.

I’ve been a Flyer a long time, I just had my 10th anniversary.

Deirdre McEvoy

It will be my 5th New York and my 5th marathon. I've never gone out of the city. I know it’s recommended and I will — sometime. But I love New York.

My training has gone really well, really well. I’ve done the Flyer long runs but I haven’t actually followed the program — I follow my own program but I’ve been doing a lot of long runs. I’m hoping for an improvement — I’d love to break 4 hours. That’s my goal. My best so far is 4:04.

Charlotte Newbury

This is marathon number one! I’m excited to the point of obsession. I just hope I can get some sleep over the next 3 nights.

I know I worry about everything, but I’m just going to trust in my training and have a good time.

I’ve been training with the Tuesday night group with Toby and I’ve done some of the Flyer group runs. The group runs really help — it gets tiresome running on your own.

It went pretty well, but things got tough towards the end. It was getting to be too much and I really wanted to start tapering a few weeks early. But I got through it and now I feel like everything’s ready to go.

Mark Brobowsky

This will be my first marathon. Yes, I’m a newby. I’m beyond excited.

I’ve been injured over the last six months, but things are coming together. I’ve been able to do spin classes and work on cardio, so now I’m feeling pretty good. I did the 20 mile run 2 weeks ago and I’ve tapered off. I did the 3 bridges Flyers Run and that was a lot of fun.

My expectation is to do a 3:30. I’m 48 and I hope to qualify for the 2012 Boston. Yes, I've set my sights high and I'm going to go for it!

I know Boston is getting harder to get into, but I think I’m capable of a three and a half hour marathon, so that’s my goal on Sunday. I’ll worry about Boston later.

Lora Danley

This is my 4th New York and I also did Nashville. I enjoy New York.

The training has been OK, but I’ve had an injury. I may take it easy, but I have no idea what will happen. You never know.

Peter Spegnuolo

This is my 3rd marathon. I'm also a new Flyer, just joined about 2 weeks ago.

The training was going fine till I hurt myself in the Staten Island Half about a month ago.

So I have no clue as to what will happen, I’m just going to do the best I can and enjoy the day. New York is always fun.

Julie White

I’m feeling good and I’m looking forward to Sunday. This is number 9 and my 4th New York. I’m excited but I’m a little worried, because I haven’t been training like I’d hope this time. So we’ll see what happens. I got in three 20 milers, so that was pretty good.

I pretty much followed the “Train Less, Run Faster” program. You run 3 days a week and cross train 2 days a week. For me, I find less is more when it comes to running.

The plan is to have fun on Sunday.

Gary Zakarin

This will be my 14th marathon. And actually I’m very excited. I feel as excited as I did the first marathon I ran. It’s been 14 in a row and I can’t wait for 15.

Training has been going well. I got in all the long runs. I feel pretty strong except for the fact that I’ve been in China three times in the last six weeks. My first one was in 1996.

My times, fortunately, have maintained themselves around the 4:20 - 4:30 mark, so I’d be delighted if it stays at that level. It’s been rough to maintain my times — I just turned the magical 60 and I’m still trying to deal with that shock.

I’m not sure who was the president of the Flyers then, maybe Julie Geissler or Ed Altman. [Editor: it was Julie.]

Jennifer Boucher

This is my 2nd New York, but my first injury-free marathon, and that feels real good.

My training has gone well — I’ve done all my long runs and I did the Flyers’ 3 Bridges Run. But I what I really want is to win a muffin in Van Cortlandt Park! [Editor: you gotta get older, but not slower.]

I gotta get faster to get a muffin! I know Julie has won a few too.

Stephanie Pianka

This is my 9th marathon, the 5th in New York. I’ve also run Chicago, London and Montreal. I feel great about my training.

I ran Chicago a few weeks ago — that was supposed to be my last long run, but I had a PR. New York will be a recovery race. My goal on Sunday is to have fun.

Drew Guthrey

This will be the six-pack, the 6th beer in the pack. It will be my 4th New York and I’ve also done Boston once and Nashville once.

My training went really well this year. I would hope this will be one of my better performances — I would hope for a PR.

Leslie Lam

This is number 11 overall and number 5 for New York.

My training is going well. I would hope I’m still improving.

I ran Chicago 4 weeks ago and broke 3 hours! That was a good day. [Editor: That's great!] That was a race, this will be like a recovery run. New York is harder than Chicago

Elle Green

This will my 2nd marathon and I’m feeling good about the marathon — but right now, I’m feeling full..  I’m more nervous than excited and I’m staying upbeat and positive.

In training I did well this year. I probably got more strength training. I did a couple of 20s and all the half marathons this year. I love that distance — it’s the longest you can go and still enjoy it.

I have a few goals but I’d like to break 4, that’s the main one. I think my training was better than the first time — different — more mental training.

Jennie Cohen

This is my first marathon. I’m so excited, I think about nothing but the marathon. I’ve been able to sleep since I stopped drinking coffee. That helps. I may stay awake Saturday night worrying, but hopefully only a little bit.

I’ve been doing speed work with the Flyers. Tuesday night I was running with Toby. We ran down and around and across the finish line.

I feel good about training and I hoping to do well.

Wendy Jenks

This is also a first for me. Jennie and I just met tonight. My training has been going good. I’ve been following a program by Hal Higdon. It seems to work for me.

We’re supposed to get the Ferry at 6:30, but I’m not excited about that — I’d like to go later. [Editor: I think the consensus is that you can go just about any time.]

I’ll be in the 2nd wave and I’ll watch for the Flyers at the Power Gel station at mile 18.

Vicky Tiase

Hi Richard, how are you? This is number 13 New York. My total, not counting Iron Mans, is maybe 25 to 30. I really don’t remember at this point. I’m trying to get to 15 New Yorks to get automatic entries. Of course, when I get there they’ll change the rules! And if I qualify for Boston, I might want to do it in 2012.

My training has been going well and I’ve gotten considerably faster this year. I credit my fast running buddies in the Tuesday night workouts — like DJ and Christine and Gordon and David. We also do tempo runs Thursdays and long runs on Saturdays! It really helps to be pushed.

I’ve done two Iron Mans this year — one in July and one at the end of August, so I’ve had to take a fair amount of time to recover and I haven’t been able to train for a PR marathon.

DJ van Hoogstraten

Although I ran Amsterdam a few weeks ago, New York is becoming a tradition. Being a New Yorker, I feel like I should run it every year. And that is also why I was so happy to run Amsterdam, my original home-town marathon. The few weeks in between was not a reason to not do New York.

It’s an experiment of one to see if I can do decent back to back marathons with only a few weeks in between.

I’m not trying to run a particular time, but I will try to pace one of the other Flyers, who is in great shape, so if I can just hang on till 20 or 22 miles, then we shall see what we shall see.

My book went over really well at the Amsterdam Expo. But it felt weird being both a vendor, so-to-speak, and also a marathon participant. I would say the Dutch have a romance with New York City, which might explain some of the interest in my book. Even the Brooklyn Bridge photo on the cover helps give it that iconic New York flavor.