New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg today gave permission for the event, which last year attracted a field of 47,500 and is worth an estimated $340 million (£211 million/€262 million) to the local economy, to take place despte the widespread devasation suffered by the city following the storm which has left more than 50 people dead.

"I think some people said you shouldn't run the marathon," said Bloomberg.

"There's an awful lot of small businesses that depend on these people.

"We have to have an economy.

"There's lots of people that have come here.

"It's a great event for New York, and I think for those who were lost, you've got to believe they would want us to have an economy and have a city go on for those that they left behind."

The course mostly avoids areas hit hardest by flooding but getting everyone to the start on Staten Island could be the biggest challenge if two usual methods - the ferry and Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel - are still closed.

Officials are currently discussing alternative methods.

But, with more than half of the field due to travel to New York from overseas and flights to the city still badly disrupted, New York Road Runners President Mary Wittenberg admits that the field will be lower than in previous years. 

The New York City Marathon in 2001 helped the city recover from the 9/11 tragedy

She nevertheless hopes that by the race taking part it will send a message that New York is already on the road to recovery, as happened after the terrorist attack on the city in 2001.

By an eerie coincidence, this year's race will take place exactly 11 years to the day after that 2001 race.

"Already what we're hearing from people is we went through the 9/11 marathon, and there was never a more moving marathon, and what that marathon did was it unified this city and brought people back to the streets for the first time in weeks," Wittenberg said.

"What was most striking about that marathon to me was it was not about running and it wasn't about the runners.

"It was about the city.

"And on that day, instead of the fans being there for the runners, the runners were there for the city.

"And this marathon already has that same feeling."

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