After much criticism the New York City Marathon was canceled Friday as the city continues to recover from Hurricane Sandy.
Earlier Friday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg insisted the race would take place despite some New Yorkers saying that holding the race would be insensitive while many are still suffering, Bloomberg and New York Road Runners president Mary Wittenberg eleased a joint statement after the announcement:
"The Marathon has been an integral part of New York City's life for 40 years and is an event tens of thousands of New Yorkers participate in and millions more watch. While holding the race would not require diverting resources from the recovery effort, it is clear that it has become the source of controversy and division.
"The marathon has always brought our city together and inspired us with stories of courage and determination. We would not want a cloud to hang over the race or its participants, and so we have decided to cancel it. We cannot allow a controversy over an athletic event -- even one as meaningful as this -- to distract attention away from all the critically important work that is being done to recover from the storm and get our city back on track. The New York Road Runners will have additional information in the days ahead for participants."
At a news conference, Bloomberg had defended his decision as a way to raise money for the stricken city and boost morale six days after Sandy.
Bloomberg said New York "has to show that we are here and we are going to recover" and "give people something to cheer about in what's been a very dismal week for a lot of people."
"You have to keep going and doing things," he said, "and you can grieve, you can cry and you can laugh all at the same time. That's what human beings are good at."
The New York course runs from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on hard-hit Staten Island to Central Park, sending runners through all five boroughs. The course was not to be changed, since there was little damage along the route itself.
The damage all around it, however, ultimately swayed the decision.
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