By Juan De La Cruz Cuevas
Competitors from all walks of life had the world tuned in as they raced through the streets of New York, pushing the human body to its limit.
The 49th edition of the TCS New York City Marathon had over 54,000 athletes representing 140 countries. The 26.2 mile journey through the five boroughs is run every first Sunday of November.
Regarded as the largest marathon in the world, the event is home to runners of all levels, ranging from professional athletes to recreational runners, as well as seniors and athletes with disabilities. All competitors are welcome to participate in the big race. Runners started in Staten Island, running the 2.6 mile long Verrazano-Narrows Bridge before going into Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and finally crossing the finish line in Central Park.
“Running through the bridge was definitely the hardest part of because of the height,” said Jose Reyes, a teacher from Manhattan. “But, the view was beautiful and I enjoyed a lot.”
The marathon had a total of 54,205 starting participants and 53,627 completed the race. Roughly 98 percent of the runners finished, breaking last year’s record. Athletes from 141 countries ran and thousands of New Yorkers packed the streets of the city to cheer the runners across the finish line. Millions more were watching it live.
A friend recommended he run, said Karol Walus, a student from Queens. “I remembered when someone suggested to me to run this someday,” said Walus. “I considered it, but never would of thought it would happen so soon.” After battling through cramps in mile 21, Walus used the energy of the crowd to keep going and finished with a time of 4:27:34.
“The energy was amazing and the course was incredible. The spirit provided by the fans in NYC was amazing, and I want to thank all coaches, supporters and friends that came out today,” said Walus.
It was a festive day: perfect weather, live bands performing along Fifth Avenue, a drum band and confetti flying. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the event. Look for more runners to take part in the event, returners to improve on their times and for the city of New York, along with the New York Road Runners, to put on another spectacle.
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