NEW YORK—There was an international flavor to the NYC Marathon on Sunday. Denmark, Mexico, Holland, and Sweden were represented, as were Australia, Senegal, Germany, and Serbia. The marathon draws professional runners and running hobbyists from around the world—both to run through New York uninhibited by the typical car and pedestrian traffic, and to compete for the $130,000 top prize.
The United States won the men’s division every single year from the marathon’s beginning in 1970, leading up to 1982, and the women’s division for the first seven years. Since then, however, only one American male has won—Meb Kefleighi in 2009, a native Eritrean who obtained U.S. citizenship.
This year, the top five men’s finishers hail from outside the United States, as do three of the top five women’s finishers. Kenya and Ethiopia took the top four men’s slots, and two out of the top three women’s slots. Other countries with top finishers over the years include South Africa, the U.K., Italy, and Brazil.
Crowd support
“The people [here] are fantastic,” said Holland native Peter Sebal, who ran in the Rotterdam marathon the last four years. “Rotterdam is a small village compared to New York,” the 48-year-old mused.
Crowds gathered along the 26.2-mile route cheering and clapping, reading the names tacked on the runners, and encouraging them.
“So many people cheering; [they help] you keep momentum,” said George Sykes, who is from South Carolina and watched the marathon on television when he was young.
“The weather was nice, it was really sunny, and the music, the crowd—the atmosphere was amazing,” said Jo Pabey, an English physiotherapist and professional runner. “It’s so exciting.”
Onlookers showed up from around the world as well. Two different groups from Switzerland were near each other around mile 24, and they didn’t even know each other.
“It’s a pretty big effort,” said Conny, a 31-year-old tourist from Switzerland who was with her mom. “There are some big runners from Switzerland here today.”
Motivation
It is common to hear that just finishing a marathon, irrespective of time, is a winning feat—which is why anyone who finishes receives a medal and a finisher cape. Yet runners have their own reasons for taking on the marathon.
“It’s the classic test of endurance,” said Lindsay Crause, who ran her seventh marathon on Sunday. “It’s the great race in New York, and it’s the greatest race in the world.”
“After you run one or two of them you get addicted,” said Steve Page from Australia. “You want to beat your time.”
Serbian Andjlko Risticevic said, “A marathon is the toughest, the hardest, [and the] most interesting to run in athletics.”
When asked if he planned on coming back next year, Risticevic replied, “Of course.”
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