2012 ING New York City Marathon

The 2012 New York City Marathon has been Canceled

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Saturday meeting between Elite Athletes and Mary Wittenberg after canceling New York City Marathon 4800 views

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Uploaded by Ryan From Flotrack | November 3, 2012

On Saturday afternoon Mary Wittenberg and George Hirsch met with the elite athletes who had travel to the Big Apple to run the 2012 New York City Marathon. The cancellation of the marathon on Friday left athletes with questions, which were address here.

Speakers: Mary Wittenberg, George Hirsch

Categories: marathon reaction

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13 comments

The perfect leader 7 months ago

It's blowing my mind that anybody would attack Mary Wittenberg. She's been through it this week, she's struggling because of that, and she is letting her guard down a bit to talk with the athletes She's almost always the image of professionalism and her contributions to the sport of running speak for themselves.

Please resign Ms. Wittenberg 7 months ago

She can be emotional and show empathy, that obvious is human, but that alone doesn't make her an effective leader.

Leaders, in the face of adversity, make sound, convicted, good decisions. She dropped the ball so badly this week that it showed a glaring weakness on her ability to lead. Adversity is when a leader's true character comes out, and is able to pull through it with a viable, effective solution.
Additionally, to have no contingency plan (which she should've made sure was in place) for a race of this magnitude is arguable negligent.

qsuriname 7 months ago

All who placed a negative comment about Mary, stop the mess! She's emotional about having to deliver the bad news. As leader of NYRR, she feels responsibility and empathy for what the athletes are going through.

John P. 7 months ago

She keep saying the same thing over and over! I'd expect a better speech from a high school student.

Florian75 7 months ago

Mary Wittenberg should leave the P.I.O. duties to George Hirsch. His message was candid, eloquent, and spoken from the heart. His perspective on the history, purpose, spirit and meaning of the race was spot on! Class act.

Walter Whitfield 7 months ago

Being from south Louisiana, knowing what my family and I have been through with natural disasters, anyone saying they feel bad for the athletes needs to seek counseling. The only thing they are guilty of is waiting to late to cancel. It should have been done sooner, I give you that. But trust me a marathon aint helping the city, or an NBA game or NFL game this close in time to the disaster. What we went through with the Saints was a year after the disaster and the real threat of Tom Benson moving the team away from NO. God Bless the people of the NorthEast. I promise you things get better. Patience and Pray is the absolute best medicine.

naw 7 months ago

I don't care how well this speech went. If other events went on this weekend (NBA game on Firday), then why Sunday is a problem and wait so late to cancelled it. both of these speeches. I feel bad for the athletes.

Mama Dorni 7 months ago

It sure is a learning experience for other cities if natural disasters appear there. I totally understand why it was cancelled. Dear God help the victums of this storm. NYC has been through enough.

Boulder 7 months ago

I agree that was an excellent speech by George Hirsch, giving some good perspective on things and acknowledging that fhe decision to not cancel the race sooner was worthy of criticism. Hopefully, this won't undermine efforts to attract top talent to the race next year.

TD 7 months ago

This wasn't an easy, "no brainer" decision. A lot of businesses will be adversely affected by cancelling it. Many of those businesses have already been hurt by the storm. It wouldn't have been good to divert public services (police, fire, medical) from tending to the victims of the storm to supporting a race. It does seem the disadvantages of running it outweigh the advantages, and with hindsight to say it should have been cancelled sooner. In the end the right decision was made. That's most important.

Ryan Hagen 7 months ago via Flosports for iOS

don't worry. the giants are still playing at home this weekend

Go George 7 months ago

George Hirsch should be CEO of the NYC marathon. That was a great speech by him.

Mary is still clueless. She should resign.

Andrea 7 months ago

Right choice but should have been made a lot sooner. It was a no brainer.

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