It was 20 years ago AZ became no. 6 in New York City Marathon. To me AZ is Allan Zachariasen. But AZ is also Alan Zucker the driver who had just picked me up at JFK Airport.

"It is not that often we have runners from Denmark", he said. No, I had to admit that the marathon standard in Denmark was rather poor at the moment, but it had earlier been better. Once we even had a no. 5 in Dorthe Rasmussen.

AZ: "Dorthe Rasmussen! I have not heard that name for a long time. It is nice to think of her again after so many years. She was here at several occasions - a great runner".

No wonder the success. From A to Z, NYCM is full of people with great passion for the event and its runners. There are several thousand volunteers and more than a million spectators. Even so,

if I had to drop out of the race the

sweeper Zeke Zucker would pick me up.

Nobody wants to finish that way, but

I knew it would not be that bad anyway

to go with Zucker, A or Z.

It was Alan Zucker's 24th NYCM. "Some

day I will pick up a runner, daughter or son

of a runner I have picked up earlier. Then

it is time for me to stop", said AZ driving

runners from A to Z.

Peder Troldborg, Nov. 2005

Allan Zachariasen

1500m 3.42.8

3000m 7.54.0

3000m st. 8.35.6

5000m 13.42.15

10000m 29.06.21

1/2 maraton 1.03.31

Maraton 2.11.05