The Great NYC Marathon Did Not Finish: A Statistical Odyssey (with a Side of Regret)
Ah, the New York City Marathon. A glorious occasion where runners from all walks of life (emphasis on walking later) take to the streets in a test of endurance, fancy footwear, and the ability to dodge rogue pigeons. But every year, a somber shadow falls across this celebration: the DNF, or "Did Not Finish."
So, how many brave souls bit the bullet (or the proverbial banana peel) in the 2022 NYC Marathon?
Well, buckle up, my friends, because this is where things get mysterious. Unlike a well-trained marathoner, official DNF numbers are a bit elusive. The New York Road Runners, the lovely folks who organize the event, don't release this stat publicly. Maybe they're afraid to scare off future participants? Maybe they're hiding a shocking number of rogue squirrels who signed up but got hangry at mile 10?
Here's the good news: That doesn't mean we can't be intrepid data detectives!
Here's the bad news: Our investigation methods involve a healthy dose of speculation, rumour, and possibly carrier pigeons (those things are making a comeback, right?).
Unveiling the DNF Depths: Methods Employed (questionable, but hey, we're determined)
- The Reddit rabbit hole: We ventured into the deepest corners of r/RunNYC, where jaded marathon veterans swap DNF war stories. Let's just say the tales of "hitting the wall" took on a whole new meaning (we're looking at you, mile 18 brick wall construction project).
- The mathematical mosh pit: We consulted with a mathematician who, after several cups of coffee and a questionable pun about "hitting the pi wall," estimated the DNF percentage based on average finish times and historical trends. Let's just say the answer involved a lot of decimals and hand-waving.
- The pigeon postal service (unofficial): Okay, this one might be a stretch, but we can't rule anything out at this point. We may have left strategically placed messages on windowsills across the five boroughs, asking pigeons to report on any runners they saw curled up in exhaustion. Jury's still out on this one.
The Verdict (with a pinch of salt)
Based on our, ahem, extensive research, we can estimate that the 2022 NYC Marathon DNF numbers likely fall somewhere between "a surprising amount" and "enough to fill a decent-sized Brooklyn bar with commiserating runners."
The important takeaway?
DNFing doesn't make you a failure. It makes you human. It unites you with a band of warriors who valiantly started a race, only to be defeated by a rogue pretzel at a hydration station (hey, those things are carb-loaded for a reason!).
So, the next time you toe the starting line at a marathon, remember this: you're not alone. And if you do end up joining the DNF club, raise a glass (or a bottle of Gatorade) to the fact that you gave it your best shot, and that's something to be proud of. Besides, there's always next year... right? Just maybe avoid that pretzel stand.
