The Best Bet
If you want to be an outstanding marathon supporter, pick up a MaxShield suit at JackRabbit Sports for your runner. The suit is designed to be worn at the beginning of the race, because temperatures in the starting area, near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, can be as much as 30 degrees cooler than inland. It’s paper-light, warm, and easy to strip off and discard as body heat rises—especially since it’s only $20 (42 W. 14th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-727-2980).
Travel in Comfort
Designed as a running shoe, the adiZero is also great for long days on your feet ($75–$100 at Adidas, 610 Broadway, at Houston St.; 212-529-0081).
Replenish Spent Electrolytes
Over beer and pasta at San Luigi (311 Amsterdam Ave., nr. 75th St.; 212-362-8828).
The Best Place to Watch
The junction of Bedford and Manhattan Avenues in Brooklyn is a downhill slope, so the runners are feeling good (G line to Nassau Avenue).
If you’re…
… Cold
Fleece jacket ($70 to $88 at Patagonia, 426 Columbus Ave., nr. 80th St.; 917-441-0011).
… Wet
Rain poncho ($6 at Flight 001, 96 Greenwich Ave., nr. 13th St.; 212-691-1001).
… Hungry
Fried chicken ($10.95 at Rack & Soul, 2818 Broadway, nr. 109th St.; 212-222-4800).
… Bored
LCD Soundsystem’s “45:33” track for Nike and iTunes is an excellent soundtrack for your own morning jog (download from iTunes, $9.99).
How to…
… Support Your Runner
Get a T-shirt with her name on it (iron-on letters, $1 each at Bang-On, 105 Ave. B, nr. 7th St.; 212-529-4447).
… Get the Best View
Liberty Helicopter’s “New York, New York” tour takes you up for fifteen minutes ($186 per person; 212-967-6464; reserve 48 hours in advance).
… Find Someone at the Finish Line
A giant yellow duck balloon is hard to miss, even in a crowd ($10 at Balloon Saloon, 133 W. Broadway, nr. Duane St.; 212-227-3838).
Finish-Line Kit
Document the Big Finish
Canon’s PowerShot G7 has a sports mode with a shutter speed as fast as a 2,000th of a second ($599.95 at Adorama, 42 W. 18th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-675-6789).
Accelerate the Recovery
An immediate rubdown (towel, $17.95 at Eastern Mountain Sports, 591 Broadway, nr. Houston St.; 212-966-8730) followed by a long soak (Epsom salts, $1.29 at Rite-Aid, 26 Grand Central Terminal, nr. 42nd St.; 212-972-8052) helps.
SEE ALSO
2006 Marathon
Details about this year’s race.
Carbo Loads
Four restaurants for your pre-race pasta orgy.