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ING NEW YORK CITY MARATHONNovember 4, 2013Marcel HugPriscah JeptooTatyana McFaddenGeoffrey MutaiMary WittenbergNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK MARY WITTENBERG: Good to see everybody. We have a lot of people to congratulate and thank today. We had a simply amazing week and weekend and day yesterday. From the beginning, our measure of success was going to be smiling faces on the streets and at the finish line, and we saw an abundance, I would say, in both cases, more than we've ever seen before. Streets were‑‑ as with the men's race through the First Avenue, the streets were absolutely packed in Brooklyn and Queens, and the reports we've gotten‑‑ Peter was with me and kept going on into Harlem and the Bronx, just incredible city support. And looking at the faces of our neighbors of New York and people having a lot of fun meant everything. Early in the miles, that was a clue it was going to be an incredible day. And to have such great races up front and to have our finish line honored by having these amazing athletes cross first was the beginning of an incredible racing day for a record number of finishers. So I want to welcome Tatyana, winning the women's race, Marcel, the men's wheelchair race, Priscah, the women's running race, and Geoffrey. They led the way for, as I said, more happy faces than we've ever seen, over 50,000 finishers. I would say that, as you know, what really‑‑ it is all these stories that make this so extraordinary. And there were so many moments I'll remember forever. In addition to the great races. I'm looking up and seeing member Keflezighi finish with our top Staten Island runner, and someone who represents the best of New York, mike Cassidy, was a moment to remember. Welcoming our millionth finisher, Julissa Sarabia, who was so excited, and started running, and it helped her lose weight and feels really good about her fitness. She was just ecstatic. She lives in Queens, originally from Miami. That was just a moment to remember. Just talking to Jen Correa from Staten Island, many of you heard that story, she lost everything and said, I wasn't prepared for how incredible those fans are and how much‑‑ she just said it was a moment of a lifetime. So those stories go on and on, and we all that were out there have the benefit of having personally seen and heard many of them. And those are the stories that make me conclude that I think we may have seen our best week and day ever. To date, of course. I just want to take the moment. We're happy to answer any questions. That's why we're here today. I am so fortunate to work with an incredible team. Our team at New York Road Runners works very closely with the city of New York, with New York State, and the federal government across this event. The city agencies are extraordinary. We work with individuals who‑‑ some of whom have worked on this event longer than anyone on our staff. It's incredible team effort that's required. I think we need to find a way that the volunteers will wear a medal on Marathon Monday too because they deserve to do it. Our team at New York Road Runners, this is a day that has a lot to feel good about, and they are the ones who should be standing especially tall and be congratulated. In this room, it's always risky. We have 160 people. So it's every single one of the full‑time and the 700 part timers that I want to thank, but I do want to call out a couple. We handled 50,000 people yesterday, had everything we needed for them, and I've never seen the operation go so well. I want to congratulate Peter Ciaccia, who heads our event team. He's the technical director of this race. Peter is one of those guys where, if something went wrong, everybody would know about it, and luckily you don't because his team do‑‑ I think are the best at what they do. They do an incredible, incredible job. So I want to congratulate Peter and his team. He's responsible for a lot more than logistics. He's a huge part of the vision of this event and what we do year round in events at New York Road Runners. I want to thank Bob Laufer and Doreen for their efforts in recruiting amazing pro athlete fields in the wheelchair division and constantly helping us elevate the game there. David and Sam are just unbelievable with pro athletes and recruiting and nurturing our relationships with them and helping ensure that we're always connecting our best efforts in the world with what this is all about and bringing people here who will give us great races and represent the best of our sport. I just want to congratulate them as well. I finally want to just thank each of the area heads that have deep teams below them. Ronnie Tucker on communications, Chris with his team, does an amazing job on the PR team. John Gassner here on the Business Development team. Cliff Sperber, who heads the youth programs, Michael Rodgers, who heads the development and philanthropy efforts. Maria Note, who heads the HR team, Linda Franken, who heads the finance team. Mike, we had 145,000 people use the TCS app yesterday, and it worked really, really well. And the list goes on. To the entire team, it's really hats off to all of them today. But it's a city that should be proud of itself today. That's what makes it the race and athletes that I hope are flying high based on their success from the front of the pack to the back of the pack. Thank you. Q. Congratulations to all the winners. It must be an amazing feeling today. A lot of just being there as a spectator yesterday, a lot of people were talking about Boston, and I wanted to see from a runner's point of view if there was ever some sort of concern with security. It seemed like it was amazing yesterday and went off without a hitch, but did that ever cross your mind? Was it ever a concern? TATYANA McFADDEN: I ran in Boston, and then I headed over to London six days later, and then I ran Chicago a couple of weeks ago. There was no concern for security, especially here in New York. I mean, they stepped up the game, and the security was everywhere. But from an athlete, there wasn't a concern. New York was really just about a good closure, and especially after everything that happened this year. So I think people were excited to come out. I don't think that people were worried. It turned out to be a fabulous day yesterday. Q. I wanted to both of you ask the question, how much did the wind bother you yesterday? I experienced it myself as I ran also. It bothered me a lot. GEOFFREY MUTAI: First of all, for me, or for us as an athlete, it was the toughest win for me yesterday. Of course, I try even to lead or to push it, I tried to continue in the front, but no one was coming. Everyone was waiting me to lead. When I go back, everyone is waiting. So it was all the wind, it was facing me because no one was allowing each other to come to lead. So the wind was tough. I tried to go, but after your step, you lose your step again. It was tough. Actually, I've never won a race as tough as this. MARY WITTENBERG: Afterwards the athletes were all talking together about it. Geoffrey was talking about how you feel the wind on the bridge, and then for the wheelers, it's just to another level. Tatyana or Marcel, I don't know if you want to comment on the wind from your perspective. TATYANA McFADDEN: Well, for me, the wind, headwind was actually an advantage for me, being a little bit bigger and stronger. So I really tried to hit that first climb as hard as I could. I ended up dropping the entire pack. But the wind did have a factor, especially on the first bridge, because it kept shaking our front wheel, and at one point it just picked up our entire chair and shifted it over, which can affect your time, it can affect your stroke. So you have to go a little bit slower just to keep your chair straight and steady as it's moving back and forth on the bridge. But for me, I try to use that as a huge advantage and use the power that I have to run in the wind. I dropped the pack because of it. PRISCAH JEPTOO: For me, I can see it was a tough race of all the marathons that I've run because those two ladies took off fast, and after crossing 30 kilometers, I started thinking I have to move because they're about to reach close to the finish line, but then we are not together. But I was having a feeling that I'm strong enough and I trained well. So I must fight and leave them. So they are going to win, but near the finishing line, I keep up with them. But I have to fight the wind until the last minute. MARCEL HUG: I think for me the wind was also a very big factor. We were a pack of five athletes. We changed the lead so we could have a good drafting. And I think it would be very difficult to go away for one athlete. So an athlete tried to go away, just the other athletes work together and catch them. So it was very difficult with the wind, also with the wind from the side with the wheels, they moved a little bit. So it was really difficult. Finally, the time for us, 1:40, is really slow. I think it's because of the wind. Q. Priscah, for your race, it was a very different competition. You're three minutes behind at halfway. Usually, in a race, you're worried about how to beat the competitors that are right next to you. In this case, you had to worry about a competitor that was far in the distance. How did your mind handle that competition? PRISCAH JEPTOO: After a certain point, I decided that I must go and catch her because there is not much left and they are very fast. So I was really prepared mentally for this race, and also I have trained well. When I was coming, I was coming for the win. Q. Also a question to Priscah. Was it a little bit of a revenge for 2011 when Mary Keitany lead by so far. I think at Second Avenue, she was completely out of sight of the two Ethiopians, and now you caught two Ethiopians before the finish. PRISCAH JEPTOO: I think it was a great achievement for me because I ran past the two Ethiopians because I was testing myself. Also, from 35 to the finishing line, I know myself that I am strong and I'm moving because the way I'm training myself. I trained to run the last part well. Q. Geoffrey and Priscah, it's been about 24 hours since you won. What have you done, and how have you celebrated? GEOFFREY MUTAI: I think I have not yet‑‑ I'm still so happy, and I know I will go out and celebrate. I'm still fixing my pain. After pain, I know I will. MARY WITTENBERG: A note of appreciation to all the athletes. Last night we had a youth benefit supporting our youth programs, where we had lots of people come out for a night of champions celebrating our champions, all the runners, and raising money for our youth programs, and it really was extraordinary to have these guys there. All the runners were‑‑ and all the people that were there just really were so excited about all of you. I just want to say thank you because that made a difference to us and our efforts with our youth programs. Priscah, you were asked how you've been celebrating, I don't know if there was anything in addition to the youth benefit and four of us were at the New York Stock Exchange. Did you do anything to celebrate? PRISCAH JEPTOO: I went to the event that we did yesterday, and I am very happy. That's a date I will not forget for the rest of my life. MARY WITTENBERG: Did either of you do anything else? We keep them pretty busy. You're sort of on through Monday night if you do the race. Did you do the Today show? TATYANA McFADDEN: I was on it, but I didn't do it. Just ate a lot of candy because I missed Halloween. I tried to be as good as possible, then candy, candy, candy. MARY WITTENBERG: We have something in common. What kind of candy did you eat? TATYANA McFADDEN: Sour XTremes to M&Ms and all sorts. That was a good celebration for me. MARY WITTENBERG: Did you get that as a gift? TATYANA McFADDEN: My family brought it because I was so sad I missed Halloween because I love to sit and watch scary movies and eat as much candy as I can. Q. Priscah, with your win, you also took the World Marathon Majors crown. Notably, your last two races, a big win in London and a big win in New York. Was it special to win here rather than winning the title with a third or fourth place? But you won it with a big win. Can you tell us how those two victories plus your World Marathon Major title means to you? PRISCAH JEPTOO: To win a World Major title, it means a lot to me because it's a great achievement also, and also it gives me encouragement also to train well. And also ensures that I can also run the fastest race and improve my time in the future. MARY WITTENBERG: That was a real highlight. In fact, I'll take a quick moment. So we had Priscah winning the World Marathon Majors title. That, I think, added a lot of drama to both races having the titles come down to yesterday. And we also wanted to celebrate Tatyana's winning the grand slam. So as a little bit of surprise, Tatyana, we wanted actually to share a special gift with you. Would you like to read the inscription, Mr. Walker? You should present it. That would be very nice. BOB LAUFER: We didn't get it inscribed. We didn't want to jinx her in any way. But it will say‑‑ our good friends at Tiffany obviously helped us quickly to choose and present today this award. It will say, quote, Grand slam, achievement in wheelchair racing presented to Tatyana McFadden by New York Road Runners ING New York City Marathon 2013. That's what it will look like when it comes back. TATYANA McFADDEN: Thank you. That's beautiful. Q. Geoffrey, are you looking ahead to the World Marathon Majors title next year? Is that one of your goals? GEOFFREY MUTAI: Actually, for me, I look forward in my career, but you know in my mind, I don't struggle to win the major. It's the only thing I will look forward to. I will achieve many. My performance is still that I can pass my time. Q. Tatyana, what is the reaction been to your grand slam? Have you been surprised by anything? What's it been like now that it's sinking in a little more what you've accomplished? TATYANA McFADDEN: It's definitely really sunk in today. Yesterday I‑‑ when I crossed that line, I just couldn't even believe what happened because it's been such an incredible season going from World Championships on the track, sweeping 6 for 6 and a world record, and then sweeping all of the marathons. I won every single event I did this year. I am like so happy, so blessed. Last night I was just‑‑ just had tears of joy because it's been such an incredible season. It's a moment to never forget because you don't know if the moment's ever going to come back again. So it's just been an incredible experience. Such wonderful support from the event coordinators, such wonderful support from the media, and just from New York in general, walking up and down the streets, people are coming up and congratulating me and giving me hugs and telling me great job. It's taken a lot of work to get here, plus being a full‑time student, just trying to manage everything. So I'm feeling truly blessed today and really excited. MARY WITTENBERG: Tatyana will be missing a photo‑op with the other winners as she has to head back for an exam. TATYANA McFADDEN: Yes. MARY WITTENBERG: We just want to thank all of you. It was a race that mattered for New York and mattered for Boston and mattered for so many, and the spirit of the day was supported by your efforts. So we thank all of you. Here's to 2014. Congratulations to each of you. As of today, the number of starters counted for the ING New York City Marathon is 50,740. That's the number of starters. The number of finishers in yesterday's 2013 ING New York City Marathon is 50,304. That's an unofficial number. It may change a few here or there after some final tallies are made. But right now the number of finishers in yesterday's marathon, 50,304. We also had our one millionth starter in the history of the New York City Marathon, and that millionth starter's name is Julissa Sarabia. And she is from Sunnyside in New York, Queens, New York. Our one millionth starter in New York City Marathon history. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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