NYC marathon canceled amid outcry

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Faced with growing animosity from the public, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is canceling Sunday's NYC Marathon.

One Staten Island resident said, "As they're pulling the dead out from behind us, as we're losing our friends and neighbors, as we have homeless people, no electric, no services, and all he's worried about is his stupid race? Come on! Wake up and take care of New Yorkers!"

NYC Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson said, "It was clear that this was not going to be a celebration of New York. It was going to be a divisive, difficult day."

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli on Friday estimated Sandy will cost New York $18 billion. Like it or not, we all will be paying to help clean up the damage Superstorm Sandy left behind, either directly through donations or with our taxes, which support state and federal disaster assistance funds.

Even before the announcement, Buffalo resident Julia Burke decided, she wasn't going.

"And I just thought about how I would feel if I was running, and they're handing me fresh, clean bottles of water and snacks at every mile, and there are people who can't even get to their home," she said."

Instead, Burke will run 26 miles - 15 laps - in Delaware Park Sunday morning. She's hoping others will join her.

"They might not want to run the whole distance, but if they want to join me for a lap or two, or just part of it, or come and cheer, I thought it would be a fun way to kind of raise some awareness. And I'm also donating all my travel expenses to the New York City Red Cross," Burke said. "It's what I wanted to do. And this is how I can run my race and still feel good about it."

Burke will be running in Delaware Park Sunday morning from 8 a.m. to about 12:30. It's informal - no need to register - just show up and run. For those who want to get involved, follow this link to the Facebook event page.