marathon sponsor, ING, has a fun promotion around town: they stage a "finish line" scene for subway riders, complete with an orange balloon archway, finish line tape, cheerleaders and cowbells. it's alarming at first --you're trudging up the steps and you're all of a sudden assaulted with color and hoopla-- the "crowd" cheers with gusto. crazy gusto. it's hard to resist, but i was pleasantly surprised by how many really embraced the whole set-up, running through with a victory pose... it's really fun and funny.
(i hope it happens to you...)
here's what the columbus circle scene looked like yesterday afternoon: