NYM Marathon by the numbers

I keep my eye out for these articles every year and find it fascinating to look at what goes into this massive event we call the nyc marathon.

New York City Marathon by the numbers

The biggest marathon in the world just keeps getting bigger. Here's what you need to know about this monster race.

• 127: Number of runners who toed the line at the very first New York City Marathon, held in 1970. Only 55 actually finished.

• 9: New York City Marathon victories by Grete Waitz, a Norwegian track star who turned to the marathon at the suggestion of her husband -- and never looked back.

• 47,000: Number of participants projected to race in this Sunday's marathon.

• 38: Percent of those racers who are women.

• 84: Age of Joy Johnson, the oldest female entrant this year.

• 3,538: Number of entrants from Italy, the country with the most participants outside of the U.S. France and Germany rank second and third for foreign entries.

• 1,663: Number of attorneys entered in this year's race. Also in the top 10 of professions? Physicians (1,073 entries), good in case of injury along the course ...

• 8,000: Number of event volunteers during Sunday's race.

• 2.5 million: Expected spectators along the course.

• 74: Number of UPS trucks that will take participants' bags from the start in Staten Island to the finish in Manhattan's Central Park.

• 18,000: Cans of Coors Light ordered for the pre-marathon pasta dinner on Saturday night, which will host 15,000 runners and their families.

• 4,500: Pounds each of rigatoni pasta and elbow macaroni to be served at the pasta dinner.

• 17,000: Pounds of clothing discarded at the start line of the race and collected for local charities.

• 368: Number of portable toilets positioned throughout the course, at more than 35 locations including every mile.

• 62,370: Gallons of Poland Spring Natural Spring Water available to runners.

• 32,040: Gallons Gatorade G Series Pro Endurance Formula along the course.

• 2,300,000: Paper cups used during the race.

• 60,000: Number of PowerBar Gel packets for runners at mile 18.

• 130,000: Amount in dollars awarded to the male and female runner champion (amount increases to $200,000 if last year's winner wins again).

• 31: Amount in millions expected to be raised by all 210 2011 race charities combined.

--Facts and figures provided by the ING New York City Marathon.

A few more numbers from Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the NYC Marathon 

• 2.5 million fans
• 2.3 million paper cups used, according to the New York Road Runners, the organization that coordinates the logistical wonder that is this race
• 52,000 acetaminophen tablets available in medical aid stations
• 47,000 runners and wheelchair racers
• 8,000 volunteers
• 7,700 entrants participating for 210 different charity teams
• 4,500 pounds of elbow macaroni cooked in the pre-marathon pasta dinner
• 2,062 portable toilets
• 127 starters at the first New York City Marathon in 1970, held only in Central Park
• 55 finishers in 1970 (all male)
• 35 years that Carmine Santoli, 85, a volunteer captain on the course, has worked the race
• 26.2 miles to a meda