In 2017 I was surprised beyond words that I won the the NYC Marathon Lottery. It felt like I had done the impossible, after coming off three consecutive NYC Marathons to get a fourth when I hadn’t done my 9+1 felt like something that shouldn’t happen. But it did. This year, it did not, which leaves me in position to run my second charity marathon ever. More on that later but I have some thoughts on the lottery first.
First, I love the lottery, the inclusiveness of it is something that has brought me to NYC in the first place. I won the NYC Marathon lottery in 2003. That brought me to my first marathon and in someway resulted in me moving to NYC , getting my MBA, meeting my wife, and becoming a multi-decade New Yorker. I can’t imagine my life if I hadn’t won that Lottery.
Second, I think the lottery is rigged in favor of fast people and people coming from under represented areas of the country/world The second point is basically stated on the about the drawing page:
Other factors such as an applicant’s state of origin also may affect their chances to be selected subject to NYRR’s need to maintain geographic diversity and within NYRR’s sole discretion. NYRR reserves the right to adjust drawing criteria at NYRR’s sole discretion and without notice.
I’m kinda convinced that speed is part of this. The year I won, I had a 4 miler as my last race with the NYRR translated into a sub 3:10 Marathon. Their has to be more room at the top of this race then the back. Note to self… I need to get faster.
The specific state of Origin thing seems important too. The smaller the place your from the more likely you are to make it.
Finally, I used to be a big believer in thinking about a lottery win as a two year win to run the marathon. Back when the Marathon cost a reasonable amount of money insteady of several hundred dollars I ate an entry twice because I wasn’t ready to run the year I had an entry for. But with the current $255 to $338 cost for the NYC Marathon I think if you’re in it you should run it. Its not worth putting out that money twice.