NEW YORK (AP) -- Never mind the cancellation. Here comes the marathon.

Thousands of runners poured into New York City's Central Park on Sunday morning to do what they had prepared so long to do - put in 26.2 miles.

That's despite the abrupt announcement Friday evening that the world's largest marathon had been called off because of Superstorm Sandy.

Hundreds of other runners, wearing their marathon shirts and backpacks full of supplies, took the ferry to hard-hit Staten Island and ran to hard-hit neighborhoods to help.

Shortly after dawn, groups of runners started gathering on the edges of Central Park to warm up, take photos and drop off clothing and other items for storm victims.

Italians stretched en masse near the Plaza Hotel. The Germans started from Columbus Circle. Everyone plunged into the park to pursue their own race. Some ran around the park clockwise, some counterclockwise, startling dog walkers with a splash of color.



With the cancellation, this year's runners all are guaranteed entry into next year's race, but not everyone could be sure that chance would come.


The morning surge surprised even some participants and their fans. Tracey Busch of New Jersey was near the finish line with a small cowbell in each hand, cheering on passing runners who weaved through the crowd of organizers, tourists and media.




Some, like a team from Bermuda, hadn't fully shaken the disappointment over the cancellation. "It's like when you find out that Santa Claus isn't real," said Spencer Conway, 30, who had turned his country's flag into a cape.

Teammate Natalie Dyrli said the week had been a roller coaster. "I wanted to come home with my medal on," she said.

But then the Bermudans excused themselves and set off into the crowd

Many runners were finding a way to volunteer to assist the storm victims. On the steps of a statue just outside the park at Columbus Circle, a newly created grassroots group called Run4All was collecting donations in cardboard boxes.

"A lot of people brought extra clothes," said Gabriella Moreno, 23, from Mexico. She was amazed by the waves of runners but understood why they turned out.

"If you've shaped your life around something for so long, what's stopping you?" she said.

On Staten Island, the runners with backpacks emerged from the ferry for a quick briefing.

Staten Island resident Jonscott Turco gave instructions. "The devastation and damage you are about to wander into," he paused, almost teary. "It's pretty extraordinary. The only thing I can prepare you for is they're still finding people, remains."

He told the runners that some people were grateful they were there but might not react very nicely.

They set off. "I'm a little nervous that they're going to be like, 'Who the hell are you?'" said runner Danielle Jakob.


One man honked and yelled, "There's no marathon! Go home!" But people standing outside one deli yelled encouragement: "Thank you, ladies! God is good."

Near the water, there were no traffic lights and far more sirens. Houses looked like they had been sacked. Furniture, washing machines and TVs were piled up in front yards.


For runner Hana Abdo, the whole scene was striking. When she found out the marathon had been cancelled, "I was almost in tears because I've been training for two years," she said.



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