They came. They ran. They conquered.
Over 50,000 runners once again participated in the TCS New York City Marathon on Sun., Nov. 5. The 26.2-mile course runs through all five of the city’s boroughs.
Brooklyn was well represented during the event.
Bay Ridge resident and Ridge Runners Founder Felix Chen was part of the big day.
“It was another incredible year,” he said. “I volunteered with my team, Ridge Runners NYC, along Fourth Ave. in Bay Ridge this year. We had over 20 members who participated in the race. Many of them were running it for the first time. It’s very hard to not be inspired by watching the New York City Marathon. If you were a spectator yesterday, it’s extremely likely you’ll be running it in the future. “
Records were nearly broken during one of the annual longest races in the United States.
On the men’s side, Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa won his first New York City Marathon, finishing at 2:05:59, the second fastest time in history for men.
Shura Kitata, also from Ethiopia, finished second, falling short of Desisa by just two seconds.
“This is my dream to be champion in New York,” Desisa said. “I’ve participated here four times, and I’ve tried very hard to become the champion.”
On the female side, Mary Keitany won her fourth New York City Marathon in five years, finishing with a 2:22:48, also the second-fastest time ever in the event. Grete Waitz is the only other female to win the event four times.
Vivian Cheruiyot, Keitany’s training partner, was second with a time of 2:26:02.
“I was able to run a very nice race,” Keitany said. “I was just thinking of trying to win, but not actually the course record. But I came to see that I missed just by 70 seconds. But for me, winning was the most important.”
In addition, 20-year-old Daniel Romanchuk became the first-ever American and youngest athlete to win the men’s wheelchair division at the TCS New York City Marathon, in 1:36:21.
Switzerland’s Manuela Schär won her second consecutive title in the women’s wheelchair division.
“It’s an amazing experience to be able to win two major marathons in a row,” Romanchuk said. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet.” Romanchuk also won the Chicago Marathon.
“I just gave everything I had left for that pretty little downhill in the park, and I was actually finally able to get away a little bit,” Schär said. “I still can’t believe it was enough.”
The TCS New York City Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, a series made up of the world’s six largest and most renowned road races – the Tokyo, Boston, Virgin Money London, Bank of America Chicago, and TCS New York City Marathons. Points are allocated to the top five finishers in each race, with the top three men’s and women’s finishers in both the open and wheelchair divisions earning prize money.