For hundreds of New York City Marathon runners, the first line they encounter on the day of the race is along the orange rails on the outer deck of the Staten Island Ferry, where they jostle for space to photograph the Statue of Liberty, illuminated in an otherwise dark, predawn sky.
The first wave of nonprofessionals did not start until 9:50 a.m. Sunday, leading to hours of idle time often spent standing in groups. While the main focus of the day is running 26.2 miles, the path to get to the starting line can be equally frustrating.