NYC Marathon Marks 50 Years of Five-Borough Course
The race has grown from 2,000 runners in 1976 to nearly 60,000 participants this Sunday, with a small route change in the Bronx.
By Robert Marshall ·
The New York City Marathon will celebrate its 50th year on the five-borough course this Sunday. The race moved out of Central Park in 1976 for the U.S. Bicentennial. That first five-borough edition featured just over 2,000 competitors, including 88 women.
Sunday's start line will hold approximately 60,000 runners. Nearly half of the field will be female. The event has evolved from a local park loop into a global competition. Athletes from more than 140 countries will race on Sunday.
Bill Rodgers won the 1976 race. He is the only man to win the event four times, claiming titles from 1976 to 1979. Rodgers recalled the tension of the start on the Verrazzano Bridge. He noted that runners were used to running in Central Park and felt nervous about the new course. He described the day as the moment the sport really evolved.
Benson Kipruto of Kenya returns as the defending men's champion. He won last year by a margin of three-hundredths of a second over Alexander Mutiso. Kipruto said he has watched the finish line footage repeatedly. He told a friend the ending looked like a movie where he was the main actor.
Hellen Obiri of Kenya seeks her second title. She set a women's course record last year with a time of 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 51 seconds. That mark was nearly three minutes faster than the previous record set by Margaret Okayo in 2003. Obiri said her primary goal for Sunday is to win, though she noted the unexpected speed of last year's race.
The course will see a minor adjustment for the first time in 15 years. Runners will take a slightly different route in Mile 20 in the Bronx. This change reduces the number of turns in the borough from seven to five. It also aims to ease street closures in the area.
Susannah Scaroni will compete in the wheelchair division for the third consecutive year. She gave birth to her first child nearly three months ago. Tatyana McFadden, a fellow wheelchair racer, called Scaroni's return exciting. McFadden is seeking her sixth New York title and her 25th overall victory.
