Is this just a gratuitous post so I can show off my pictures of the NYC Marathon, you ask? Yes. Yes, it is. But it will also be interspersed with facts about the history of the race and the current course. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m sort of an ‘interesting-facts-about-various-places-and-activities’ nerd. Luckily, the NYC Marathon is the perfect event to celebrate that affliction. So without further ado: NYC Marathon Interesting Facts and Pictures Staten Island The race starts in Staten Island on the Verrazano Bridge. This bridge provides transit between Staten Island and Brooklyn. It is named in honor of Giovanni de Verrazzano, the Italian credited as the first…