The New York City Marathon Proves To Be Less of a Competition and More of a Party
November 3, 2019
New York, New York - The New York City Marathon is technically a competition, but for most, it’s not about placing or even the prize money.
“Everyone always says you should run at least one marathon in your life. Seeing my dad do it when I was younger, I knew that I wanted to set this as a goal and check it off my bucket list,” says Rebecca Bryden, a 2019 marathon runner.
Just this year, over 50,000 runners participated with one million fans, family members and volunteers lining the marathon course to cheer them on. Some, like Bryden, were inspired by previous family members completing the same feat, while others were seen running in support of charities such as Think Pink Rocks, a non-profit organization supporting breast cancer awareness, or merely because they love the sport.
All across the five boroughs, spectators were seen waving posters and giant pictures of their loved ones, ringing bells, and screaming until their voices gave out. The energy was electric but even more so - contagious. “We bought a bunch of musical instruments and spent hours making posters and here we are today to make a huge ruckus to cheer on our friend, even if it’s for a couple of seconds,” comments Joy Luangphaxay.
Although many supporters came to cheer on a loved one, most stayed longer to help encourage other runners. Luangphaxay adds that “It's not just about supporting members, it’s about supporting all the other runners and cyclists too.”
That small shout of “you’re killing it,” “keep going,” or simply their name being yelled out is what fueled these athletes to keep going. “There were times where I wanted to give up, but then I would see you guys cheering me on and it made me push through the pain,” expresses Bryden to her mom and sisters.
The racecourse is 26.2 miles long, but with so many people shouting and dancing it feels less of a competition and more of a celebration.
The New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world encouraging people from all over to come and take on this daunting task. Participants start on Staten Island, go over the Verrazzano Bridge into Brooklyn, and make their way into Queens, the East Side, and the Bronx before finishing in Central Park.
Spectators and supporters are able to track their marathoner through the TCS NYC marathon app, allowing them to move with them and cheer them on from a multitude of spots.
Even if you are unable to run you can still be part of the action. Rasheeda Mohammad, a first-time volunteer, says, “I’ve always wanted to run the marathon, but since I didn’t train or anything this is the easiest way to get involved. I mean it got me this close.” Handing out water, prepping bagels and fruit, assisting the medical teams, and bringing a positive energy are just some of the duties one might carry out.
As the runners exited the race it was clear to see that this was so much more than a competition. Runner, Alexis Sedacca, describes the moment she crossed the finish line, “There are absolutely no words to describe how I felt when I finished. Thankful and in pain! I couldn’t believe that I ran for a straight 26.2 miles. I was so proud of myself for sticking to my training and finishing the race!”