Sunday 2 November 2008

General Information

This event is now closed for entries

The ING New York City Marathon® continues to be the most important International marathon in the world – it is an experience not to be missed! It really is the most complete marathon experience: a classic course through the five New York boroughs crossing the impressive Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the start and the Queensboro Bridge at 15 miles, sensational views of the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, then the incredible lift from the crowds when you enter Manhattan. From Brooklyn to the Bronx, this is a journey that shows New York is unique. 

The bridges are spectacular. Along with the hills in Central Park, they mark this out as being a tougher marathon route than London. For most runners though, the hills are a small price to pay for the fantastic support from excited crowds – particularly in Brooklyn, along First Avenue when you reach Manhattan and in Central Park. 

Your guaranteed ‘VIP’ race entry

2008 will be the sixth year that Yorkshire Cancer Research has promoted this amazing event. The ING New York City Marathon® is an excellent way to raise money for the charity. Places allocated to UK runners are limited and sold on a first come first served basis, so it is essential that you sign up early for a guaranteed place.

If you sign up to one of the packages in our brochure you will be asked to pledge to raise a minimum amount of sponsorship for the charity. From this, your travel and accommodation costs will be paid (set amounts).

There is a flight and entry only package and three hotel packages with minimum sponsorship ranging from £2,030 to £3,255.

2:09 Events are Official Agents of the ING New York City Marathon® and have an allocation of VIP Guaranteed race entries that are available to runners taking a travel package. This is your only guaranteed way into the race; the event lottery gives you a 1-in-10 chance but in the last 5 years by the time the lottery is drawn the UK guaranteed VIP entries have been sold out.

Your race entry fee includes the following:

• Entrance to the Health & Fitness Expo
• Race t-shirt & poster
• Entry to the Continental Airlines International Friendship Run
• Barilla Marathon Eve Dinner & Fireworks presented by Poland Spring
• Post Race Party
• Official bus to the start
• Results magazine
• VIP GUARANTEED ENTRY TO THE ING NEW YORK CITY MARATHON®
• Timing with Championchip

The Runner’s World ING New York City Marathon® Experience

Once again we are offering you the best package to this incredible event. Runner’s World magazine will support you through your training in conjunction with Keith Anderson at FullPotential; you can attend an exclusive information and training day near Richmond Park, London; and will be able to meet up with the Runner’s World staff in New York.

Enjoy the following benefits:

• Training advice from when you sign up.
• Training day in London in September.
• Group recce run to see the last mile and the finish in Central Park with London Marathon winner Mike Gratton (Friday before the race).
• First class hotel, Virgin Atlantic flights and all transfers (when arriving off the group flights).
• The staff of Runner’s World at the hotel in New York to answer your questions.

Partners, family and friends

New York is a wonderland for youngsters and if the children are under 12 years at the time of the tour they just pay for the flight as long as they share a room with two adults (based on a room with two double beds in the Crowne Plaza Manhattan Times Square Hotel).

If you are travelling with non-runners you need not worry about them on race day as they are invited to join us at our spectator spot on First Avenue between the 16 and 17 mile points. We walk as a group from our hotels and from there it's a short walk up to Central Park where they can see you come through at 25 miles near Central Park Zoo then on to the re-union area on Central Park West.

Family and friends can buy a ticket for the International Friendship Run, which is a 5km fun run from the United Nations building to Central Park on the Saturday. They can also buy a ticket for the Pasta Party so they can join you at the Tavern on the Green for the traditional carbo-loading meal so that they feel part of the excitement.

2:09 Events act as a travel agent, so there is no problem with partners booking flights and accommodation at the same time as runners.

Single travellers

To keep the costs down we can twin sole travellers with another person on the 2:09 Events tour of the same sex staying in the room for the same duration. Twin to share runners pay the Twin Room price instead of the Single Room price; this is a considerable saving when considering the choice between travelling alone or choosing a tour operators package.

Extended stay and upgrades

If you would like to stay on in New York later than the last return date shown or fly on to another destination in the USA, or require Business or First Class seats - these are all available from our partner 2:09 Events.

ATOL

2:09 Events is registered with ATOL number 9358. 

Can non-participants come along?

Yes. When you receive the brochure, simply complete the booking form for each person but exclude the entry fee. As these people will not be getting sponsored, they must pay for the trip themselves.

Run for FREE!

Our packages give you the chance to get your flights, race entry and, where applicable, accommodation for free. All you have to do is pledge to raise the minimum sponsorship.

What if I don’t live in Yorkshire?

Yorkshire Cancer Research is funding cancer research of the highest quality. The outcomes of our research will help cancer patients anywhere in the world.

Why a minimum sponsorship request?

The Charity Commission guidelines state that at least 60% of what you raise should go to the charity - to give the public confidence that most of the money raised on overseas fundraising events is actually going to the charity and not just financing a trip. We feel it is important to keep to these guidelines. Most participants last year raised far more than the minimum! The sponsorship must be paid to YCR in full by 31 December 2008.

What happens when you sign up?

After you have returned the booking forms with your deposit payment and race entry fee, 2:09 Events will then send you a confirmation/invoice showing the balance due and due date (10 weeks prior to departure).

Start fundraising straight away and by the time it comes to pay the remainder of the trip cost, you shouldn’t be out of pocket. Remember, the quicker you book, the more likely it is you can get the flights and hotel you want.

Yorkshire Cancer Research will send you our supporter kit:

• Running top.
• Four month marathon training guide.
• Fundraising guide.
• Sponsor forms.
• Details of our online sponsor forms which enable your friends and family anywhere in the world to sponsor you using their credit/debit card. This has the added advantages of allowing them to donate in the most tax-effective manner, and the money is transferred direct to our bank account - you don’t even have to collect it in.

Travel Insurance

You should arrange travel insurance, and make sure that it covers you for running a marathon. Our tour operator can arrange travel insurance at a reasonable rate.

Costs and sponsorship

We are happy to cover the cost of flight, race entry and the minimum three night accommodation (with you staying in a twin room). You pay a £200 deposit (your personal contribution) plus pledge to raise a minimum sponosorship, the amount depending on which package you choose.

Full details can be found in the brochure - ask for one today!

For full information on the 2008 event

Click the button to request the full brochure.

This event is now closed for entries

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