From 2,000 runners to 60,000: The 5-borough New York City Marathon at 50

NEW YORK (AP) — Fifty years ago, the New York City Marathon ran through all five boroughs of the city for the first time.

There were just over 2,000 competitors in that seventh running of the race, including only 88 women. Now about 60,000 runners will step up to the starting line Sunday with nearly half of them women.

Bill Rodgers, a year after winning the Boston Marathon for the first time, won in the debut of the five-borough course and is the only man to win the event four times, from 1976-79.

“I remember everything distinctly, it was so intense,” Rodgers recalled Thursday. “The first time being on the Verrazzano Bridge (at the start), we were nervous. It was so different as we were used to running in Central Park.”

The race was moved out of Central Park in celebration of the U.S. Bicentennial and to help uplift the city, which was struggling. It ended up turning into one of the marquee events in New York and marathoning for the past 50 years.

“The sport really evolved that day,” Rodgers said. “Some ways it's the same, but the competitive side is more and more global then it was during those days.”

There will be runners from more than 140 countries competing Sunday, including defending champion Benson Kipruto of Kenya . He won in thrilling fashion last year, edging Alexander Mutiso by three-hundredths of a second.

Kipruto said he has watched the finish of last year's race many times and each one he marvels at the ending.

“One of my friends ask me, is it real? It looks like a movie and you're the main actor,” Kipruto said. “I was just laughing, so it was really amazing last year.”

Two-time champion Hellen Obiri, who is also Kenyan, returns to defend her title a year after she broke the women's course record in 2 hours, 19 minutes, 51 seconds. That was nearly three minutes faster then the previous best set in 2003 by Margaret Okayo.

“Last year we weren't expecting to run fast," Obiri said. ”First and foremost on Sunday the goal is to win."

The New York City Marathon began in 1970 and the first six years were run inside Central Park doing loops. Obiri said she couldn’t imagine doing that now.

“The fans are great all across New York City and that would be lost,” said Obiri, who ran the race for the first time in 2022 and won it in 2023.

New Yorker Dana Smolin is running the race for the fourth time and agreed with Obiri's thoughts on what makes the race so special.

“There are so many people out there cheering,” she said. “I grew up watching the race and always wanted to run it. I love running through all five boroughs and this year is extra special because it's the 50th anniversary of the five-borough race. Now, when I see kids cheering, I hope I inspire them just like it inspired me.”

For the first time in 15 years there will be a minor change in the course. The runners will take a slightly different route in Mile 20 when the race is in the Bronx. The move was made to reduce the number of turns in the borough from seven to five and will also ease some of the street closures in the area.

Two-time defending wheelchair champion Susannah Scaroni will look for her third straight title nearly three months after giving birth to her first child.

The fact she's competing left fellow wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden in awe.

“It's crazy,” said McFadden, who is looking for her sixth New York Marathon title and 25th overall. “I’m excited for her. I think it’s wonderful to see, you know, women, and mothers coming back and racing. We need more support around that and more encouragement.”

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