The New York City Marathon is an annual marathon foot-race run over a 42,195 m (26.2 mile) course through all five boroughs of New York City. It is the largest marathon race in the world, and with 37,866 finishers in 2006, was also the largest marathon race ever run.[1] Along with the Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon, it is among the pre-eminent long-distance annual running events in the United States and is one of the World Marathon Majors. Modern day marathon runners The word marathon refers to a long-distance road running event of 42. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... The 100th running of the Boston Marathon, 1996 The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event hosted by the city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots Day, the third Monday of April. ... The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, held in Chicago, is one of the largest marathon road races in the world, as well as one of the fastest growing. ... The World Marathon Majors is a championship style competition that will start in 2006 including the New York City, Boston, Chicago, London and Berlin marathons. ...

The race is organized by the New York Road Runners and has been run every year since 1970. In recent years, it has also been sponsored by financial giant ING. It is held on the first Sunday of November and attracts professional competitors and amateurs from all over the world. Because of the popularity of the race, participation is limited to 37,000 entrants chosen largely by a lottery system, with preference given to previous participants. Runners who are members of the NYRRC can also gain entry by meeting the qualifications for guaranteed entry or via nomination from an official running club. Officially recognized running clubs are allowed two guaranteed spots for members who did not make it in via lottery. Founded in 1958 with 47 members, New York Road Runners (NYRR) has grown into the foremost running organization, with a membership of 40,000. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... ING House, ING headquarters in Amsterdam ING Groep N.V. (NYSE: ING, Euronext: INGA) (known as ING Group) is a financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and investment management services. ... A lottery is a popular form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize. ...

History

The first New York City Marathon was held in 1970, with 127 competitors running several loops around the Park Drive of Central Park. Only about one-hundred spectators watched Gary Muhrcke win the race in 2:31:38. In fact, a total of only 55 runners crossed the finish line.[2] Over the years, the marathon grew larger and larger. In order to accommodate the growing number of participants, co-founder Fred Lebow redrew the course in 1976 to incorporate all five boroughs of New York City. The marathon grew tremendous popularity two years later when Norwegian Grete Waitz broke the women's world record, finishing in 2:32:30. She would go on to win the race an unprecedented nine times.[3] An official wheelchair and handcycle division was introduced in 2000, and starting in 2002, the elite women are given a 35 minute headstart before the elite men and rest of the field. Thirty-seven years after it was started in 1970, the New York City Marathon has now become the largest marathon anywhere in the world. Each year nearly two million cheering spectators line the course from all different neighborhoods of New York. The marathon is broadcast live on NBC to more than 315 million worldwide viewers.[4] Central Park is a large public, urban park (843 acres, 3. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Grete Waitz née Andersen (born October 1, 1953) is a former Norwegian marathon runner who won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A competition handcycle A handcycle is a type of human powered land vehicle powered by the arms rather than the legs, as on a bicycle. ... The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ...

The Course

Late in the 2005 marathon, on Central Park South near the finish line.

The course covers all five boroughs of the City of New York. It begins on Staten Island near the approach to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. The bridge, which normally carries only vehicular traffic, is closed for the event. In the opening minutes of the race, the bridge is filled with runners, creating a dramatic spectacle that is closely associated with the event. Image File history File linksMetadata 2005_New_York_City_Marathon. ... Image File history File linksMetadata 2005_New_York_City_Marathon. ... -1... For other uses, see Staten Island (disambiguation) Staten Island, shown in an enhanced satellite image Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located on an island of the same name on the west side of the Narrows at the entrance of New York Harbor. ... The Verrazano Narrows Bridge (properly written as the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge) is a suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New York City at the Narrows, the reach connecting the relatively protected upper bay with the larger lower bay. ...

After descending the bridge, the course winds through Brooklyn for approximately the next twelve miles. Runners pass through an enormous variety of neighborhoods, including: Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint. At 13.1 miles, runners cross the Pulaski Bridge, marking the halfway point of the race and the entrance into Queens. After about two and a half miles in Queens, runners cross the East River on the dreaded Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan. It is at this point in the race when many runners begin to tire, as the climb up the bridge is considered one of the most difficult points in the marathon. For other meanings, see Brooklyn (disambiguation). ... Bay Ridge is a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Bay Ridge is located in the southwest corner of Brooklyn, New York. ... Sunset Park is a neighborhood in the southern Brooklyn section of Brooklyn, New York, USA. The neighborhood is located south of Park Slope and Windsor Terrace, separated by Green-Wood Cemetery and the Prospect Expressway/NY-27, while 65th Street and the Gowanus Expressway/I-278 mark the end of... Bedford Stuyvesant (aka Bed-Stuy) is a neighborhood in central Brooklyn, New York City. ... Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the northern portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint, Bed-Stuy, and Bushwick. ... Landmark 19th-century rowhouses on tree-lined street in the Greenpoint Historic District Greenpoint is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. ... The Pulaski Bridge in New York City connects Long Island City in Queens to Greenpoint in Brooklyn over Newtown Creek. ... Queens is geographically the largest of the five boroughs of New York City in the United States, and the most ethnically diverse county in the U.S. It is coterminous with Queens County in the State of New York and is located on western Long Island. ... New York City waterways: 1. ... The Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge, is a cantilever bridge over the East River in New York City. ... Manhattan is a borough of New York City, New York, USA, coterminous with New York County. ...

Finally reaching Manhattan after about 16 miles, the race proceeds north on First Avenue, then crosses briefly into the Bronx for a mile before returning to Manhattan. It then proceeds south through Harlem down Fifth Avenue and into Central Park. At the southern end of the park, the race proceeds across Central Park South, where thousands of spectators cheer runners on during the last mile. At Columbus Circle, the race re-enters the park and finishes outside Tavern on the Green. The time limit for this course is eight and half hours from the 10:10 a.m. start. First Avenue is a north-south thoroughfare on the East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan, running from Houston Street northbound for over 125 blocks before terminating at the Willis Avenue Bridge into The Bronx at the Harlem River near East 127th Street. ... The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of United States. ... Manhattan is a borough of New York City, New York, USA, coterminous with New York County. ... This article is about the Harlem neighborhood in New York City. ... Street sign at Fifth Avenue and East 57th street Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in New York City. ... Central Park is a large public, urban park (843 acres, 3. ... View of Columbus Circle, looking east down Central Park South from inside the Time Warner Center. ... Tavern on the Green is a restaurant located in Central Park, New York City. ...

2007

The 2007 New York City Marathon will be held on Sunday, November 4th. It will be the final race of the 2006-2007 World Marathon Majors, a two-year series of elite marathon racing that also includes the Boston, Chicago, London and Berlin marathons. However, there will be very few, if any, elite American marathoners participating in 2007 because they will have competed the day before at the 2008 USA Men's Olympic Marathon Trials. The Trials, which will also take place in New York and be organized by New York Road Runners, will not follow the five-borough NYC marathon course but will rather be a series of five-mile laps around Central Park, very similar to the first NYC marathon in 1970. The World Marathon Majors is a championship style competition that will start in 2006 including the New York City, Boston, Chicago, London and Berlin marathons. ... The 100th running of the Boston Marathon, 1996 The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event hosted by the city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots Day, the third Monday of April. ... The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, held in Chicago, is one of the largest marathon road races in the world, as well as one of the fastest growing. ... Runners surge out of the Blackfriars Bridge underpass onto the Victoria Embankment; two miles to go The London Marathon is a road marathon that has been held each year in London since 1981, usually in April. ... The Berlin Marathon is an annual marathon in Berlin, the capital of Germany. ... Founded in 1958 with 47 members, New York Road Runners (NYRR) has grown into the foremost running organization, with a membership of 40,000. ...

2006

The top male finisher was Marílson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil in a time of 2:09:58, while Jeļena Prokopčuka of Latvia won the female marathon for the second consecutive time in a time of 2:25:05. Gomes de Santos becomes the first South American ever to win the race [5]. Stephen Kiogora of Kenya placed second, and Paul Tergat, the 2005 defending champion and marathon world record holder, placed third. Marílson dos Santos Picture: José Cruz/ABr Marílson Gomes dos Santos (born August 8, 1977 in Brasília) is a Brazilian long distance runner and winner of the 2006 New York City Marathon, with a time of 2:09:58. ... Jeļena Prokopčuka, Celnova (born 21 September 1976 in Riga) is a Latvian long-distance runner, perhaps best known for winning the New York City Marathon in 2005 and 2006. ... Paul Tergat breaks marathon record at Berlin Paul Kibii Tergat (born June 17, 1969) is a Kenyan professional athlete. ...

Retired professional road racing cyclist, Lance Armstrong competed in the 2006 race, finishing 868th with a time of 2:59:36.[6] Former Arkansas Governor and 2008 Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee also completed the race in 2006, finishing in 5:33:43, and wearing bib #110, signifying the 110 pounds lost during his weight loss campaign.[7] Lance Armstrong (born Lance Edward Gunderson on September 18, 1971) is a retired American professional road racing cyclist. ... The following is a list of the governors of Arkansas. ... Michael Dale Mike Huckabee (born August 24, 1955) is a former governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas, having served from 1996 to 2007. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Amanda McGrory won the female wheelchair race in the time of 1:54:17, the male wheelchair division was won by Kurt Fearnley in a time of 1:29:22.

2005

In the closest finish in New York City Marathon history, Paul Tergat of Kenya barely outsprinted Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa in the final metres of the race for a time of 2:09:30, beating Ramaala by one second. In the women's race, Jeļena Prokopčuka of Latvia won in a time of 2:24:41. Tops amongst the Americans were Meb Keflezighi of California (2:09:56) and Jen Rhines of California (2:37:07). South African Ernst Van Dyk took the wheelchair race in 1:31:11. Paul Tergat breaks marathon record at Berlin Paul Kibii Tergat (born June 17, 1969) is a Kenyan professional athlete. ... Hendrick Ramaala (born 2 February 1972 in GaMalepo, Pietersburg) is a South African long-distance runner, the winner of the 2004 New York City Marathon. ... Jeļena Prokopčuka, Celnova (born 21 September 1976 in Riga) is a Latvian long-distance runner, perhaps best known for winning the New York City Marathon in 2005 and 2006. ... Mebrahtom Keflezighi Mebrahtom (Meb) Keflezighi (born May 5, 1975 in Asmara, Eritrea) is an American athlete specializing in long distance running, specifically marathons. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Ernst Van Dyk is a South African wheelchair athlete. ...

2004

The top female finisher was Britain's Paula Radcliffe in a time of 2:23:10, beating Kenya's Susan Chepkemei by 4 seconds, the closest finish in the history of this race. The top male was Hendrik Ramaala of South Africa with a time of 2:09:28. Paula Jane Radcliffe, MBE (born December 17, 1973) is a British long-distance runner. ... Susan Chepkemei born 25 June 1975 in Kapkama Kenya Susan is a female Kenyan runner who competes in the 10000m and Marathon, She won a Silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in the 10000m. ... Hendrik Ramaala is a long-distance runner, the mens winner of the 2004 New York City Marathon. ...

2003

A record 34,729 people participated in the race.

The top male finisher was Martin Lel of Kenya in a time of 2:10:30. The top female finisher was Margaret Okayo of Kenya in time of 2:22:31, breaking her previous course record of 2:24:21 set in 2001. In recent years, runners from Kenya have dominated the event. Martin Lel (born October 29, 1978) is a Kenyan distance and marathon runner. ... Margaret Okayo (b. ...

The top Americans were Matt Downin (2:18:48) and Sylvia Mosqueda (2:33:10), both of California. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

1979

In a normally trivial mistake, runner Rosie Ruiz was accidentally given a finish time of 2:56:29. This qualified her for the 1980 Boston Marathon, where she crossed the finish line with a record time of 2:31:56. It was quickly determined that she had not run the entire course in either race, igniting the most well-known scandal in the history of modern distance running. New York Marathon chief Fred Lebow rescinded Ruiz's time after determining she had not finished the 1979 race, and officials in Boston quickly followed suit. Rosie Ruiz at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, April 21, 1980 Rosie Ruiz Vivas (born 1953, Havana, Cuba) is a Cuban American runner who on April 21, 1980 ostensibly came in as the first place female competitor in the 84th Boston Marathon with a record time of 2... The 100th running of the Boston Marathon, 1996 The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event hosted by the city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots Day, the third Monday of April. ... Statue of Fred Lebow located in Central Park, New York City Fred Lebow (June 3, 1932 - October 9, 1994) (born: Fischel Lebowitz) was an avid road runner and founder of the New York City Marathon. ... Nickname: City on the Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Universe)1, Athens of America, The Cradle of Revolution, Puritan City, Americas Walking City Location in Massachusetts, USA Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas M. Menino(D) Area    - City 232. ...

Scott Black, age 9, became the youngest runner to ever complete the Marathon, with a time of 4:24. The following year, the race's organizers changed the minimum age requirement to 18.

See also

• List of winners of the New York City Marathon

This is a list of the winners of the New York City Marathon. ...

External links

• New York City Marathon Site
• New York Road Runner site
• Official NYC Marathon Training site
• Internet Photo 2006 NYC Marathon Locator
• 2006 Results
• 2005 Results
• 2004 Results
• 2003 Results
• 2002 Results
• 2001 Results
• 2000 Results

External links relating to charities

• Run the ING New York City Marathon for CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA -- UK's leading charity dedicated to fighting childhood leukaemia