Brisk temperatures with a high of 57 degrees and clear blue skies provided the perfect running conditions for more than 50,000 participants in the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday. The 26.2-mile race, now in its 54th year, spanned all five boroughs.
The race began in Staten Island, where runners crossed the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn. They navigated through neighborhoods including Dyker Heights, Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, the border of Park Slope and Gowanus, Clinton Hill, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint before moving into Queens, then the Bronx, and down Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue to the finish line in Central Park.
Athletes from 148 countries were met with an enthusiastic Brooklyn crowd along the borough’s 11-mile stretch. Thousands of spectators waved signs and cheered, with bands such as the L Train Brass Band energizing the crowd at Mile 8 near Ashland Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn.
Carroll Gardens residents Greg, Elen and Jeff told Brooklyn Paper they come out annually to support the runners.
For Elen, the marathon’s appeal is the lively atmosphere.
“It is impossible to watch this and not walk away absolutely inspired,” Elen said.
Greg, who has completed three TCS New York City Marathons and recently ran the Berlin Marathon, last participated in the Big Apple race in 2019 and plans to return in a year or two.
“It’s like this for the whole course,” he said, gesturing toward the enthusiastic spectators. “The crowd is amazing.”
Mariela Quintana, a veteran of the race, watched from the sidelines with her family and friends. Ten years ago, she set the record as the fastest woman from Brooklyn, finishing in just 3 hours and 1 minute.
“The marathon is just a combination of a local love fest and an international celebration,” Quintana said. “It’s one of a kind.”
Ann Marie Ferretti from Farmingdale, Long Island, attended to support her daughter, Gianna, who was running her first marathon. Ferretti became emotional when Gianna paused to embrace her mid-race. She said her daughter qualified last year but postponed to this year after being accepted to physician assistant school.
“I am so proud of her,” Ferretti said. “She’s such a strong woman. It inspires me as a mom that she’s so amazing.”
When asked if she would join her daughter in running a future marathon, Ferretti laughed.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I was never a runner, so I don’t think I would be able to do that, but you never know!”
While many participants ran for fun and pride, the stakes were high for elite runners, with $100,000 in prize money awarded to the top male and female finishers.
Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won the women’s open division, finishing in 2 hours, 45 minutes, and 35 seconds, 15 seconds ahead of defending champion Hellen Obiri. In the men’s open division, Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands took first place with a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 39 seconds, marking the first win for a Dutch runner.
In the professional wheelchair division, Daniel Romanchuk and Susannah Scaroni both claimed victory, becoming the first American duo to win their divisions in the same year.
Among the tens of thousands of runners, two local participants stood out as part of the New York Road Runners’ Team Inspire, a group of 26 individuals running with a greater purpose.
South Slope resident Larry Lewis, a veteran of 33 marathons, returned to the course for the first time since 2017. Lewis suffered a stroke just days before the 2018 marathon and had to relearn how to walk. This year, he made his comeback in a racing chair, accompanied by a guide from Achilles International.
Ocean Hill resident LaDawn Jefferson ran to support the Red Door Community, a nonprofit that aids cancer patients and their families. Jefferson discovered Red Door while battling Stage 4 breast cancer and is now giving back to the organization as a survivor in remission.
“The finish line is where I would leave all of my self-doubts, fears, and insecurities of thinking I couldn’t achieve [my] goal,” Jefferson said ahead of the race.
