The show will go on in NYC.

The show will go on this Sunday in New York City. Some hate it, some love it. I fall somewhere closer to the latter. Many are disappointed that their travel has been disrupted. That's tough. I've been flying in and out of LaGuardia every Monday and Thursday for the past seven months and know first hand how best laid plans can go awry. My 3:30-turned-11:30 departure last Thursday seems pretty small in comparison to the desolation that Sandy has inflicted on the biggest and best city in America. I also know how good it felt to run this great race in 2009.

While being the financial capital of the world, New York is also the most resilient city in the world. Many have been displaced, but the city will come together and recover. As much as I feel for those that are in dire straits right now, I'm happy that the race will be run. The New York City Marathon is as good as it gets. Mary Wittenberg and the New York Road Runners will do everything in their power to put on the best race they possibly can for those all over the world on this first Sunday in November.

Whatever your opinion, set your DVR and/or watch the marathon this Sunday at 9am eastern on ESPN. (A program called "Marathon Morning Across America: 2012 ING New York City Marathon" will air at 7am on ESPN 3). The better the ratings, the more likely it will be that more major running events are carried by ESPN. And I think we can all agree that this would be a good thing!

writing about running predictions:

Men
1. Moses Mosop
2. Martin Lel
3. Wilson Kipsang
Darkhorse: Meb Keflezighi
Next American: Jason Hartmann

Women
1. Bizunesh Deba
2. Kim Smith
3. Tatyana Arkhipova
Darkhorse: Edna Kiplagat
Top Americans: Amy Hastings & Molly Pritz

Prep for Sunday with two great podcasts:

House of Run - Jason and Kevin are joined by Jesse Squire and Dan Rubenstein

The Trailer - The guys are joined by Lauren Fleshman

...and the always excellent LetsRun.com Men's and Women's preview


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Road Rage: Ryan Hall is ready to #OwnChicago, but can he Stop Mosop?

Can Ryan Hall stop Moses Mosop?

Ryan Hall will have his hands full this weekend, but he couldn't be happier. The self-imposed pressure that seemed more evident a year ago, seems to be gone. He ran Boston in 2:04:58 and in turn considers himself a 2:04 marathoner. He is. No one seems to question his coaching decision anymore as well. And even though he took some heat when signing on for Chicago, his two biggest competitors at the trials will have tougher hills to climb (pun intended), than he does. The projected runner-up, Dathan Ritzenhein, hasn't raced in year and continues to battle injury, while Meb Keflezighi will be suiting up a month from now in New York. Judging by his interview with Flotrack, Hall is feeling pretty confident about his chances making the team and competing in London. Another thing Hall touched on during the Flotrack interview was Let's Run's offer to donate $5000 to his Steps Foundation if he goes under 2:05. Although he'd love to break that magical 2:05 mark, I am sure he'd be happy enough breaking Khalid Khannouchi's American Record of 2:05:38, a former World Record, that was set April 14, 2002 at the London Marathon.

Ryan Hall, sex symbol?
(copyright ESPN The Magazine)

Hall will have his hands full with one of the men that beat him on his incredible run last year in Boston; the Renato Canova-coached, Moses Mosop. Boston was Mosop's debut (2:03:06) and he looked equally, if not better, during the 30k World Record that he ran on the track in Eugene this Summer. Doug Binder and Jim McDannald (of Track Focus) watched in awe as Mosop got faster and faster the entire race and dropped a 63-second 400 on lap 45 (of 75). If Hall can follow Mosop, and the weather agrees, the American record should be in jeopardy, but beating Mosop will take a career effort (and some luck).

Also of note on the Men's side is a strong contingent of Ethiopians, led by Bazu Worku and Bekana Daba, as well as an equally strong group of Kenyans (Evans Cheruyiot, Wesley Korir, Bernard Kipyego, Joshua Chelanga). Brazil's Marilson Dos Santos and Japan's Atsushi Sato round out the contenders. On the Women's side, the favorite will be Russia's Liliya Shobukhova, with three others coming in with PR's under 2:25.

Full elite startlist is available here.

Of local note, Raleigh and The Athlete Foot Racing's Joe Moore will be taking aim at the 2:19:00 Olympic Trials standard. Good luck Joe!

Watch the Chicago Marathon live Sunday at NBCChicago.com from you computer or your smartphone (I like this trend).

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