Let's Make Some Noise
Lee Albertson
As runners come off the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, they're often amazed at the deafening roar that greets them on First Avenue. Thousands of people line both sides of the street, hollering as loud as they can for each passing marathoner. Manhattan resident Lee Albertson and his family will be among the cheering throng-they couldn't imagine being anywhere else on the first Sunday in November.
"I ran the race myself in '86," Albertson explains, "and I've never forgotten what the cheering crowds meant to me. It was one of the greatest experiences in my life—including getting married and the birth of our daughter!"
His daughter, Taylor, is away at college this year, but she's grown up watching the race from the same spot on the east side of First Avenue between 75th and 76th Streets. "We bring whistles, cowbells, and a megaphone—we want every runner to hear us," says Albertson.
Family and friends gather early in the morning to watch the beginning of the race on TV. When the lead pack approaches, Albertson and his merry band head down to the sidewalk, where they stay through the afternoon. "Supporting the back of the pack is really, really important to us," he says.
So if you feel an extra boost as you cross 75th Street, be sure to give Lee Albertson a nod. "The ING New York City Marathon says it all about New York and the people who live here," he enthuses. "Anyone can participate as a spectator—it's so great to get out there and support all those thousands of achievers."
