The New York City Marathon, like the city it takes over each fall, is as vast as it is vibrant; as loud as it is chaotic; and more than a little daunting, too.
No marathon is easy. But an air of unpredictability lingers over the five boroughs, with hopefuls humbled, and favorites frustrated, as they embark on a challenging 26.2-mile tour of the city.
“Iâ€m really scared,†Olympic champion Sifan Hassan, who has won the London, Chicago and Sydney marathons, told reporters on Friday. Throughout her life, she said, people have told her that New York – which she is about to race for the first time – is “so hardâ€.
Hassan will headline Sundayâ€s race alongside Eliud Kipchoge, often hailed as the greatest marathoner of all time, who is also making his debut in the city. Both ran the Sydney marathon, which Hassan won, just nine weeks ago.
New York City is no place for world records, or meticulously-crafted race plans. On the first Sunday of November, a blank canvas is stretched around the worldâ€s biggest stage. At the front of a 55,000-strong pack of runners, expectations quickly fall by the wayside.
Some World Major marathons, like Chicago and Berlin, are famously flat and fast. New York, with five bridges along the course and an undulating finale through Central Park, is an altogether different beast.
Fiona Oâ€Keeffe was not interested in chasing records or beating the clock this time around. “What I was looking for this fall was just a really competitive race,†she explained in an interview. “Racing is the fun part of what we do.â€
And so, early on Sunday, Oâ€Keeffe will line up among a stacked elite field on Staten Island with an open mind. “Anything can happen on race day,†she said.
When it comes to the marathon, few know this better. In February 2024 Oâ€Keeffe won the US Olympic Trials with a stunning debut that raised high hopes for the Games last summer. She was forced to withdraw about a mile into the race in Paris, however; scans would later reveal a femoral stress fracture.
“Itâ€s just interesting – having experienced the very high-high of the trials, and then obviously my Olympic experience was pretty rough,†Oâ€Keeffe told the Guardian. “So I think Iâ€ve seen both sides of the coin now.â€
Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan both ran the Sydney marathon, which Hassan won, just nine weeks ago. Photograph: Fairfax Media
“The sport is simple,†she added. “I really do love to run. And Iâ€m so grateful for the people that have supported me through all of this. So [Iâ€m] kind of just leaning into that side of it, more than dwelling on, you know, what it could have been.â€
Spanning almost 15 months later, the road back has been long. Training with the Puma Elite Running Team in Raleigh, North Carolina, Oâ€Keeffe did not want to return to the marathon until she was back at her best.
“I expect it to be a tough race, but Iâ€m excited for that,†she said. “Iâ€m excited to see how it plays out and how it unfolds and see what can happen if I just keep putting myself in it, and trusting myself when those moves do happen.â€
Oâ€Keeffe and Hassan, who won the Sydney marathon just nine weeks ago, will face strong competition in the elite womenâ€s field. Former champions Sheila Chepkirui, Sharon Loekdi and Hellen Obiri will also toe the line. A strong American contingent includes Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidl, Emily Sisson and Susanna Sullivan, fresh off a strong performance at Septemberâ€s world championships in Tokyo.
The menâ€s field, led by Kipchoge, likewise includes plenty of contenders, including former champions Abdi Nageeye and Albert Korir; 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Benson Kipruto; and Alexander Mutiso, who won the London Marathon last year. The Americans Hillary Bor and Joe Klecker will also both make their respective marathon debuts.
Runners get drinks at a hydration station as they compete in last yearâ€s New York City Marathon. Photograph: David Dee Delgado/AFP/Getty Images
“I always thought being in the stadium, with the track races, was the biggest thing in our sport,†said Britainâ€s Patrick Dever, who previously focused on the 5,000m and 10,000m, and will make his marathon debut on Sunday. “But after having been around these major marathons, you realize how much of a spectacle they are.â€
Dever, who, like Oâ€Keeffe, trains with Puma Elite, has been steeling himself for the longer distance. “Youâ€re just out there for such a longer period of time, so you just have way more time in your own head to talk yourself out of it, or keep yourself calm,†he said. “The biggest thing Iâ€ve been trying to work on in these long runs is just not panicking in my head a little bit if things arenâ€t feeling right.
“I feel like Iâ€m fully prepared, going into the race, knowing that itâ€s for sure not going to feel good the whole way. Thereâ€s going to be periods in the race where Iâ€ll probably want to drop out. I feel like you just have to be okay with that, and just try not to pay attention to how youâ€re feeling at any one point.â€
New Yorkers will turn out in force to cheer, amplifying the highs and cushioning the lows, as tens of thousands of runners – from first-timers and fundraisers to big dreamers and distinguished veterans – parade through the city.
Kipchoge has two Olympic and 11 World Major marathon titles, and remains the only person to have run the distance in less than two hours. He is running New York City amid speculation that he is preparing to retire from elite marathoning, and has trailed a “huge announcement†after the race.
“I want to experience, I want to go through it,†Kipchoge told reporters. “I want to actually see the two million people who are lining up around the course. I want to pass all the bridges in New York, the best places in New York – actually to see, with my eyes, wave to the people. This is the best city, where everything is here.â€
Discover more from 6up.net
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.