It’s Marathon Day in New York City.
The world-renowned 26.2 mile course that spans all five boroughs is back for its 54th race, bringing in both runners and spectators from around the globe.
According to New York Road Runners, more than 55,000 runners were expected to participate in Sunday’s TCS New York City Marathon. The weather Sunday morning was ideal for runners with temperatures in the mid-to-high 50s, clear skies, low wind and sunny.
Near the race’s halfway point between Williamsburg and Greenpoint, spectators cheered and clanked their cowbells for athletes making their way through the course. The professional men’s wheelchair division passed first, followed by the women’s professional wheelchair division, professional women’s runners and then the professional men’s. The general runner’s division followed.
One of the spectators, 31-year-old Jeff Lee, flew in from Seattle to surprise his friend Daniel Kunkel who ran the race.
“For the culture of the running community, it’s huge,” Lee said. “A lot of people make the trip out here because it’s such a great event for community and people all over the world come to see it. And it’s just an amazing day for people just to support one another.”
Lee carried a sign with a photo of his friend with the caption, “Let me cook.”
Like Lee, many of Sunday morning’s spectators were out-of-towners. Monika Foster, 37, was visiting New York from Lugano, Switzerland. She said she loves trail running and called the New York race one of the best in the world.
“It makes me always very emotional to see them running by, because I feel like it’s such an important part of my life,” Foster said. “Just to recover, to keep myself healthy and just enjoy the nature, especially in the trails.”
The New York City Marathon hosted its first race in 1970, when the entrance fee was a single dollar and only 55 runners finished the course, according to New York Road Runners. In 2014, the marathon saw its one millionth runner finish the race in its history. And just last year, the marathon beat the world record for the largest ever marathon by total finishers at 55,646 people, according to the event organizers.
The 2026 race will mark 50 years that the event covers all five boroughs.
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