The New York City Marathon is perhaps the most claustrophobic event in endurance sports. Fifty thousand runners squeeze shoulder-to-shoulder through the city’s avenues from the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to Central Park. Millions more cram the sidewalks to clap, bang drums, and wave .

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fabulous scene, and I’ll always cherish my memories of running the marathon in 2016 and attending it multiple times as a journalist and fan. But the crush of humanity is so intense that participants, spectators, and even organizers all attempt to make themselves as small as possible for fear of accidentally tripping a runner or kicking a fan in the nuts.

So, when I saw the who recently flouted the marathon’s rules on proxemics, the whole thing made my skin crawl. This past Sunday, an internet-famous guy named Matt Choi was one of 55,646 people to complete the 26.2-mile run across the city’s five boroughs. But unlike the other 55,645 participants, Choi had two people on e-bikes ride beside him to film his every step. You see, Choi is an Instagram and YouTube celebrity, and he wanted to document his every step for his half-million followers.

Runner’s World, the camera team was a real nuisance: They zigzagged through the crowds and obstructed other runners. The final shot of Choi’s Instagram video shows a cameraman sprinting around exhausted runners just before Choi reaches the finish line. “Sub-three baby!” Choi yells as he crosses the line. Choi recorded a time of 2:57:15.

Choi’s antics didn’t go unpunished. The New York Road Runners, organizers of the marathon, disqualified him from the race, and also banned him from any of its future events. The decision berthed an impressive tonnage of stories:聽The New York Times, New York Post,聽and even聽People covered it.

The stunt also prompted a glut of angry comments on his Instagram posts and also on the . My favorite comment is from a woman who showed a photograph of the proper way to online influence while competing in a marathon (you hold your own phone out in front of you, duh!). Choi eventually apologized.

 

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As a lifelong endurance athlete, this story awakened my inner curmudgeon. I completed my first 5K run back in the mid-nineties, and since then I’ve tried just about every racing format out there, from Ironman triathlons, to Tough Mudders, to adventure races, and yes, even a . Like many others, I’ve seen the growing trend of participants videotaping themselves while rubbing elbows, or handlebars, with their fellow participants. And no, I’m not a fan.

During a gravel cycling race last year, I became puzzled when I heard another bike racer appear to have a conversation with himself. I turned around and saw that he was filming himself with his phone. I was annoyed but not surprised鈥攎id-race videos from gravel influencers pop up on Instagram with growing frequency. And every time I watch one of these things, I wonder how the heck the content creator avoided crashing while filming himself or herself pedaling over bumpy terrain.

The Matt Choi story does feel like an inflection point for the endurance community. I scrolled through the hundreds of comments on Reddit and on the running forum LetsRun and found very few people advocating for the rights of mid-race content creators. Rather, this online discourse鈥攃rude as it was at some points鈥攎akes me wonder whether runners, cyclists, triathletes, and yes, even bubble run competitors have become sick of the selfie stick-waving members of the community. I wonder if more runners and cyclists see mid-race video influencing as a dangerous nuisance that takes a person’s focus away from potholes and pedestrians. And I also wonder if more people, like myself, are sick of being the background extras in films we did not agree to appear in.

This reaction begs the question: what should we do with the Matt Chois of the world who want to document themselves running, cycling, or Tough Muddering their way to the finish line? Banning these members of the endurance community feels draconian. Prohibiting the practice feels impossible to enforce. And despite my curmudgeonly attitude, I do believe this videos may, in some strange way, provide inspiration to viewers. Perhaps, in some corner of the Internet, a sedentary person watched Matt Choi run past the Barclay’s Center and then laced up his Nikes and went for a jog.

Lucky for you, I have the answer, and I’m here to present my semi-serious solution to endurance sports’ content-creator聽conundrum. Similar to how race organizers create separate waves for elite athletes, they should also make a distinct influencer wave, and place it at the rear of the field. I’ve used my rudimentary Photoshop skills to create a basic diagram below.

This wave will be the final one to start the marathon, bike race, or triathlon. And within the Influencer Wave, anything goes! Participants can hire an army of videographers to follow them via boat, bicycle, or helicopter. They can jog wearing a bonded cellular transmitter livestream their antics to the Internet in real time. They can pilot aerial camera drones or carry ten-foot-tall boom microphones. They can hire Steven Spielberg to capture their every move. In my vision, there would be zero rules governing this cohort.

Because, of course, these content creators are undoubtedly well-versed in the consequences of influencing in the wild. Thus, they won’t care if an errant cameraman bikes over their toes. Nobody will mind if they get smacked in the head by a selfie stick, or buzzed by a drone. If one trips while talking into the camera and knocks over a few others, everybody will be cool, right? After all, it will make for killer content.

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While marathons like Chicago and Berlin are known for their fast and flat courses, marathon majors like the New York City and Boston Marathons are known for their demanding climbs, descends, and deafening cheer sections. We looked at thousands of data points provided by Strava to understand better how runners fare in the Boston and NYC marathons.

A Note On Courses, Weather, and Methods

Each course is unique and has different participant density, while the logistics of the race themselves vary, too. Those variables should be taken into account when looking at why runners perform differently at each event. Boston also has a qualifying standard, too, which means that most of the field has run a marathon previously and is self-selected for faster finishes.

We鈥檝e removed the data from NYC 2022 because the historically hot temps were a bigger factor in finishing times than the course itself. That said, both marathons are susceptible to swingy weather. For the three years we analyzed, Boston had starting temperatures at 60, 46, and 48 degrees Fahrenheit, with 88 to 99 percent humidity, while NYC had temperatures ranging from 44 to 71 degrees Fahrenheit (excluded year) and 50 degrees Fahrenheit with 71 percent and 64 percent humidity.

Most of our analysis compares runners in a certain pace group (for example, runners targeting a sub-four-hour finish). Simply comparing results across both races would skew the analysis because of their varied pace distributions (in no small part because of Boston鈥檚 stringent qualifying requirements for most participants). Both races are fairly similar in gender composition. This year, 55 percent of NYC competitors identified as male, as well as 57 percent of Boston runners.

Performance Indicators Across Marathons

A major indicator of marathon performance is a negative split, or running the second half faster than the first. It鈥檚 a prudent racing strategy but tough to implement on race day, especially on hilly courses like NYC or Boston.

In the faster pacing groups, more runners at Boston managed to successfully negative split (again, likely due to previous race experience, as evidenced in this previous analysis of Boston Strava data). Runners aiming for a 2:30 to 3:00 finish were 38 percent more likely to negative split Boston (11 percent versus just 8 percent of the same pace cohort at NYC). Runners shooting for a 3:00 to 3:30 finish were 19 percent more likely to negative split at Boston than NYC, but for runners targeting just under four hours, there was a similar likelihood of a negative split. Interestingly, for runners aiming for a finish over four hours, Boston runners were less likely to negative split. While Boston is a net downhill course, those Newton hills can really chew up quads!

RELATED: Looking to Qualify for the Boston Marathon? Here鈥檚 What Strava Data Says About That Elusive BQ.

Now, let鈥檚 look at how many runners at each race met their goals. To do this, we compared runners鈥� average pace in the first eight miles and their projected finish times. We instituted a strict threshold and didn鈥檛 count times even a second over their goal finish time. Using this analysis, runners are significantly more likely to hit their goals at Boston. Again, this is likely because qualified runners have more marathons under their belt, and experience is invaluable in pacing and race-day execution.

But executing an ideal marathon is easier said than done, regardless of the course. Less than 10 percent of runners nailed their exact goal in either field, regardless of race or pace group. The biggest difference between races was in the 3:00 to 3:30 pace group, with a 67 percent difference between Boston and NYC runners in that particular pace group hitting their goal. In pace groups for four hours or longer, there was a fairly negligible difference between pace groups.

What About The Bonk?

While it’s fascinating to determine what makes for a successful marathon experience, we鈥檇 be remiss if we didn鈥檛 use our fine-tooth data comb to parse the fascinating data around what makes a bad day at a marathon.

鈥淏onking鈥� or 鈥渉itting the wall鈥� happens when the body has depleted its glycogen stores and starts to fatigue and burn fat, causing the legs to slow and energy to plummet. Legs feel heavy, exhaustion can feel overwhelming, and taking a quick asphalt nap can be tempting. This tends to happen around miles 16 to 20 and is many marathoners鈥� worst nightmare.

RELATED: Why Do I Bonk When It Gets Hot?

We looked at the difference in runners鈥� average pace for the last 10K versus the first 20 miles to see how many people bonk. A 10 percent slowdown is an off-day, not totally outside of the realm of possibility for many runners. It isn鈥檛 out of line with fairly normal marathon fatigue (or a quad-explosion in the Newton Hills). But a 20 percent slowdown is a true bonk, a pretty bad day. For athletes targeting a sub-4:00 finish, a ten percent slowdown would look like going from 9:09 miles to 10:04. A 20 percent slowdown would go from 9:09 to 10:59.

Here鈥檚 where things get fun. There鈥檚 significantly more variation between years for Boston, with 2023 being a more consistent year with fewer bonks in the field. The footprint of the 2022 NYC Marathon is also clear here, with the majority (71 percent) of the field (speedsters included!) slowing down significantly in the heat and humidity. The groups with the biggest bonks were the folks shooting for four hours or longer at Boston (more time on feet can increase the potential for a bonk, especially if there鈥檚 significant time between aid stations).

Bonking is still significantly more likely at the NYC marathon across all pace groups and years. For instance, for athletes targeting a 2.5- to 3-hour finish, runners are 33 percent more likely to experience a moderate bonk (slowing down 10 percent or more) at NYC, and 55 percent more likely to experience a severe bonk (or 20 percent or more slowdown), at NYC (accounting for 20 percent of this group at NYC, versus 13 percent at Boston).

Hills Versus Bridges

Boston is known for its hills, both Newton and Heartbreak. New York has bridges and boroughs. But which causes runners to slow down the most?

To do this, we looked at the first eight miles to establish a 鈥済oal pace鈥� for athletes targeting a sub-four-hour finish and saw that both races are pretty evenly split across the halfway mark.

About a third of athletes start to slow down at the halfway mark, but not by too much. At NYC, things get tricky in miles 15 to 16, with almost all athletes slowing by 5 percent as they tackle the Queensboro Bridge. (79 percent of runners slowed down here, and to the 21 percent that didn鈥檛, please DM us your strength routine.)

There鈥檚 another crux at mile 24 of the NYC marathon, with a mile-long climb into Central Park. We see 85 percent of runners miss their goal pace here, with runners averaging a 20 percent slowdown (for four-hour marathoners, going from 9:09 to 10:59 pace).

Boston has its infamous Heartbreak Hill, which causes the biggest slowdown of that race. Eighty-one percent of runners slow as they hit the 20th mile, and 90 percent slowing in the 21st mile. So, while the hills of Boston are undoubtedly hard and have earned their reputation, maybe it鈥檚 time we pay the bridges the respect and attention they deserve, too!

Regardless of the course, running a marathon is a major accomplishment, and to all the competitors who toed the line, we say hats off to you and your majorly impressive data!

The post Boston Versus New York City: Which Marathon Is Harder? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Hellen Obiri and Tamirat Tola earned impressive victories in the 2023 New York City Marathon, but they also did it wearing two of the hottest newly released super shoes.

Obiri, a 32-year-old Kenyan runner who trains in Boulder, Colorado, with the On Athletics Club, wore a similar pair of yet-to-be-released On CloudTri 1 shoes that she also used for her win at the Boston Marathon back in April. She narrowly edged out Ethiopia鈥檚 Letesenbet Gidey, who wore a pair of Nike Alphafly 3s鈥攖he same shoe that Kelvin Kiptum wore to set a new men鈥檚 world record (2:00:35) at the Chicago Marathon in October.

Meanwhile, Tola, 32, of Ethiopia, wore a pair of white and pink Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1s, the $500 shoe that Tigst Assefa wore to set a new women鈥檚 world record (2:11:53) at the Berlin Marathon in September.

RELATED: The Best Road Running Shoes of Winter 2024

Here鈥檚 a look at the footwear worn by frontrunners at this year鈥檚 2023 New York City Marathon. In terms of sheer numbers in the top 15, Nike led the charge (10), with Adidas in second (4), followed by Asics and Puma (3).

Women

1. Hellen Obiri, 33, Kenya, 2:27:23, On CloudTri 1 (white/black)
2. Letesenbet Gidey, 25, Ethiopia, 2:27:29, Nike Alphafly 3 (white/orange)
3. Sharon Lokedi, 29, Kenya, 2:27:33, Under Armour Flow Velociti Elite 2 (red/white/black)
4. Brigid Kosgei, 29, Kenya, 2:27:45, Nike Vaporfly 3 (orange/red)
5. Mary Ngugi, 34, Kenya, 2:27:53, Nike Vaporfly 3 (orange/red)
6. Viola Cheptoo, 34, Kenya, 2:28:11, Adidas’ Adizero Adios Pro 3 (aqua blue/white)
7. Edna Kiplagat, 43, Kenya, 2:29:40, Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 2 (yellow)
8. Kellyn Taylor, 37, USA, 2:29:48 – Hoka Rocket X 2 (black/pink/green)
9. Molly Huddle, 39, USA, 2:32:02 – Saucony Endorphin Elite (green)
10. Fantu Zewude Jifar, 27, Ethiopia, 2:34:10, Xtep 160X 3.0 Pro (white/yellow)
11. Solange Jesus, 36, Portugal, 2:34:27, Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite (yellow)
12. Sydney Devore, 32, USA, 2:36:01, Saucony Endorphin Elite (yellow/green)
13. Marie-Ange Brumelot, 30, USA, 2:40:22, Nike Vaporfly 3 (white/orange/yellow)
14. Ivana Iozzia, 50, Italy, 2:41:16, Hoka Rocket X 2聽 (green/yellow)
15. Meriah Earle, 45, USA, 2:44:11, Nike Alpha Fly 2 (yellow/orange)

Men

1. Tamirat Tola, 32, Ethiopia, 2:04:58 – Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 (white/pink)
2. Albert Korir, 29, Kenya, 2:06:57, Adidas’ Adizero Adios Pro 3 (green/white)
3. Shura Kitata, 27, Ethiopia, 2:07:11, Nike Vaporfly 2 (blue/orange/white)
4. Abdi Nageeye, 34, Netherlands, 2:10:21, Nike Vaporfly 3 (orange/red)
5. Koen Naert, 34, Belgium, 2:10:25, Asics Metaspeed Sky+ (red/white)
6. Maru Teferi, 31, Israel, 2:10:28, Nike AlphaFly 3 (white/orange)
7. Iliass Aouani, 28, Italy, 2:10:54, Adidas’ Adizero Adios Pro 3 (black)
8. Edward Cheserek, 29, Kenya, 2:11:07, Skechers GOrun Speed Elite (blue/white/purple/orange)
9. Jemal Yimer, 27, Ethiopia, 2:11:31, Asics Metaspeed Sky+ (red)
10. Futsum Zienasellassie, 30, USA, 2:12:09, Hoka Rocket X 2 (green/yellow)
11. Elkanah Kibet, 40, USA, 2:12:23, Nike Vaporfly 2 (fluorescent yellow/orange)
12. Hendrik Pfeiffer, 30, Germany, 2:12:54, Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite (yellow)
13. Sydney Gidabuday, 27, USA, 2:14:34, Asics Metaspeed Sky (red/black)
14. Nathan Martin, 33, USA, 2:16:16, Nike Vaporfly 3 (black)
15. Erenjia Jia, China, 30, 2:16:50, New Balance, FuelCell SuperComp Elite v3 (white/yellow)

RELATED: The Rise of the Semi-Super Shoe

The post The Shoes that Ruled the 2023 New York City Marathon appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Ethiopian Tamirat Tola and Kenyan Hellen Obiri ran masterful races to win the New York City Marathon on Sunday morning, but they earned their victories in decidedly different fashion.

Tola, the 2022 marathon world champion, pulled away from countryman Jemal Yimer with a quick surge near mile 19 and went on to win in a course record 2:04:58, while Obiri outlasted a strong pack of聽 women bunched together through mile 24 to win in 2:27:23.

But one of the biggest stories in the race was how well American women Kellyn Taylor and Molly Huddle ran in their postpartum return to the marathon. Taylor, less than 11 months after giving birth to daughter Keegan last December, led a large contingent of runners in the women鈥檚 race through the 23rd mile mark, en route to finishing eighth in 2:29:48. Huddle, who gave birth to daughter Josephine in April 2022, finished ninth in 2:32:02.

RELATED: Our Greatest Marathon Training Advice

Both runners, who are still breastfeeding this fall, will be running in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon on February 3 in Orlando, Florida, in an attempt to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team that will run in the Paris Olympics next summer.

A field of 50,000 runners ran the point-to-point race through New York City鈥檚 five boroughs amid ideal fall running conditions with temperatures in the mid-50s. (For complete results or to track a specific runner, visit the )

Tola Breaks Away

The men鈥檚 race was fast from the start, as a small pack at the front stretched out the pro field before the first several miles. By the halfway point, five men were on course-record pace, (1:02:43), but soon Tola, Yimer, the 2023 Los Angeles Marathon champion, and Albert Korir, the 2021 New York City Marathon champion, were alone at the front as they crossed the Queensboro Bridge and entered Manhattan near the 16-mile mark.

From there, Tola and Yimer surged away from Korir during the long straightaway on 1st Avenue with a 4:28 mile. The two Ethiopians ran stride for stride for about two miles, but Tola looked much more comfortable and seemed intent on breaking the race open as they ran through the 30K (18.6-mile) aid station. He gained a few strides over Yimer by mile 19 and then definitively gapped him on the short, hilly section through the Bronx.

From there, the 32-year-old Tola, a two-time fourth-place finisher in New York, was untouchable, continuing to push the pace to the finish line in Central Park. He broke the longstanding course record of 2:05:06 that was set in 2011 by Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai.

Tola finished third in the London Marathon (2:04:59) back in April, but then he dropped out of the 2023 World Athletics Championships marathon in Budapest in mid-August because of stomach problems.

鈥淚 am very, very happy today,鈥� Tola said. 鈥淭hrough 20K, there were some very good runners with me, but I continued to work on the up and down parts of the course. I knew the pace was not too hard for me, so I continued to run as fast as I could.鈥�

After being dropped from the lead pack, Korir didn鈥檛 fade, but instead rallied over the final five miles en route to a runner-up finish in 2:06:57. Shura Kitata, a two-time New York City Marathon runner-up, was third in 2:07:11, while Abdi Nageeye, a Somali-born Dutch runner, was fourth in 2:10:21.

Edward Cheserek, a Kenyan athlete who was a record-setting high school runner in New Jersey and a 17-time NCAA champion for the University of Oregon, finished eighth in his debut marathon in聽 2:11:07. Futsum Zienasellassie, a member of the HOKA NAZ Elite team based in Flagstaff, Arizona, was the top American in the race, finishing 10th in 2:12:09.

Obiri Pulls Rare Boston-NYC Double

The women鈥檚 race started at a relaxed pace with a dozen runners in the lead pack through the halfway split (1:14:20). Taylor and Huddle were consistently in the mix along with Ethiopia鈥檚 Letesenbet Gidey and a deep contingent of Kenyans that included Obiri, Viola Cheptoo, Mary Ngugi, Edna Kiplagat, former world record holder Brigid Kosgei, and last year鈥檚 winner Sharon Lokedi.

Although Huddle, 39, fell off the lead pack near mile 20, Taylor, a 37-year-old mother of four, who was sixth in New York City in 2021, ran stride for stride with the lead group through mile 23 at a聽 5:18-mile pace after it had dwindled to just nine runners. From there, Cheptoo pushed the pace鈥攔unning the 24th mile in 5:09鈥攁nd only Obiri, Gidey, Kosgei, and Lokedi could keep up.

RELATED: 24 Hours with One of the World鈥檚 Best Marathoners

With a mile to go, Obiri was in a battle with Gidey and Lokedi, and it looked like any of them could win it. But as the runners passed through Columbus Circle on the way back into Central Park, Obiri began to surge. She and Gidey broke away in an all-out sprint over the undulating final 400 meters, while Lokedi fell a few strides behind.

As Obiri began to open up a lead, she kept looking over her shoulder, but Gidey couldn鈥檛 respond, and Obiri broke the finish tape to win with a six-second margin over Gidey (2:27:29). It was the reversal of their final sprint in the 10,000-meter run at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, where Gidey outkicked Obiri for the win.

Lokedi was third in 2:27:33, followed by Kosgei in fourth (2:27:45) and Ngugi in fifth (2:27:53), making it one of the closest finishes in New York City Marathon history.

A year after making her marathon debut in New York鈥攕he finished sixth in 2:25:49鈥擮biri, 33, has emerged as the top women鈥檚 marathoner in the world. She won the Boston Marathon in April in 2:21:38. She became the fifth woman ever to win Boston and New York in the same year, the first time since Norway鈥檚 Ingrid Kristiansen did it in 1989.

鈥淚 knew it was going to be difficult because Gidey and Lokedi are both very fast,鈥� said Obiri, who trains in Boulder, Colorado, as part of the On Athletics Club and coach Dathan Ritzenhein. 鈥淏ut the marathon is all about patience, and so I kept saying, Let me be patient. Then with 400 meters to go, I tried to sprint and get away and it worked.鈥�

Five of the top ten women finishers are mothers, including Obirri, Ngugi, Kiplagat, Taylor, and Huddle.

Switzerland鈥檚 Catherine Debrunner, 28, won the women鈥檚 wheelchair race in a course-record 1:39:32, while 37-year-old countryman Marcel Hug, a 12-time world champion and six-time Paralympic champion won the race for the fifth time in 1:25:29. The U.S. Paralympic marathon team was selected from the New York City results, as Daniel Romanchuk (second, 1:27:38) and Aaron Pike (fourth, 1:39:58) were the top American men, while Sussannah Scaroni (third, 1:48:14) and Tatayna McFadden (sixth, 1:53:31) were the top two U.S. women.

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Edward Cheserek has wanted to race the New York City Marathon ever since he was a teenage runner in New Jersey. His objective to attempt the distance of 26.2 miles is part of his long-term blueprint as he transitions away from the track and onto the road.

So far, the 29-year-old鈥攚ho left behind a legacy at the University of Oregon as the most decorated NCAA runner in history with 17 national titles鈥攊s proving he can measure up as he matures into longer road races. His long-awaited marathon debut is one the most intriguing in recent memory.

鈥淚鈥檝e been running track for a long time, and I feel like I鈥檓 losing my speed,鈥� Cheserek said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I decided this [marathon] is the best option. I decided to move up slowly.鈥�

Of the six half marathons that Cheserek has competed in鈥攈is longest competitive distance to date鈥攈e has finished in the top ten in every race, including winning the Copenhagen Half Marathon in 59:11 in September. Cheserek admitted that even he was surprised and described himself as 鈥渞usty鈥� in what was only his third road race in 2023.

RELATED: Top 10 Things to Know About The 2023 New York City Marathon

鈥楾he Hard Work Is the Training鈥�

Now, Cheserek says he is聽 鈥渞eady and excited鈥� when he talks about competing in the New York City Marathon, taking place at 9:10 A.M. ET on Sunday, November 5. The world鈥檚 largest marathon, and one of the most iconic sporting events across the globe, is expected to include more than 50,000 runners from 150 countries.

The New York City Marathon also brings together one of the toughest competitive fields in the sport, but unlike other major marathons like Berlin, this race does not have pacemakers as it is not a world record-focused course. Cheserek will compete in the that will include 2021 New York City Marathon winner Albert Korir of Kenya, 2020 London Marathon champion Shura Kitata of Ethiopia, as well as Somali-Dutch runner Abdi Nageeye, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medalist in the marathon. Ethiopian Tamirat Tola, the 2022 world champion who has run a personal best of 2:03:39, is the fastest entrant in New York鈥檚 elite field.

Cheserek鈥檚 opponents, however, will no longer include defending champion Evans Chebet and two-time winner Geoffrey Kamworor, both of whom withdrew from the marathon in mid-October. Chebet offered Cheserek a few words prior to his debut, 鈥淭he hard work is training, but the race is easier.鈥�

Preparing for the Podium

Cheserek began his marathon training in June, running upwards of 150 miles a week, his longest run topping out at 25 miles. Though he is based in Flagstaff, Arizona鈥攁 distance running hotbed 7,000 feet above sea level鈥擟heserek opted to prepare for the marathon while living in Kaptagat, Kenya, located nearly 8,000 feet above sea level and offering a better training advantage compared to in Flagstaff, he says. In Kenya, Cheserek said he would often run alongside Kelvin Kiptum, who broke the world record at the Chicago Marathon in October.

鈥淗e has more experience than me,鈥� Cheserek says, laughing. 鈥淚t was tough, but nothing is easy in training.鈥�

Cheserek trains under the guidance of Andy Powell, his college coach with whom he has returned to train after a brief stint with Stephen Haas, coach of 2022 New York City women’s champion, Sharon Lokedi. Cheserek relied on workout instructions via email and text and twice weekly check-ins with Powell.

And though Cheserek is based in the U.S., he officially represents Kenya in competitions, a decision he made in 2020 as he awaits to become an American citizen. His goal is to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games.

Born in Kapchebau village in the Rift Valley of Kenya, Cheserek grew up on a farm, the fourth oldest of seven siblings. He is a member of the Marakwet, a subgroup of the Kalenjin, a tribe known for its world-dominating runners that includes two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, the first man to run a marathon in less than two hours.

Cheserek, however, got his start in soccer before his father encouraged him to run. Though he hails from a family of runners, Cheserek is the only one to have taken his ability to an elite level. In 2010, at age 14, Cheserek left his family in Kenya and moved to the U.S. alone after he accepted a scholarship to attend St. Benedict鈥檚 Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey.

He quickly developed into a high school running phenom, winning two national titles in cross-country and setting the national record for two miles. Cheserek鈥檚 talent catapulted him into the public eye as he became one of the nation鈥檚 fastest high school runners and a blue-chip recruit.听

RELATED: 24 Hours with One of the World鈥檚 Best Marathoners

After Cheserek enrolled at the University of Oregon, at the time he was described in the media as one of the most exciting talents in the sport. His storied collegiate career included 14 national titles in track and three in cross-country. He became a 21-time All American by the time he graduated from Oregon in 2017 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business. That same year, Cheserek signed a sponsorship deal with the Skechers Performance Team.听

Cheserek鈥檚 foray onto the pro circuit has yet to match the illustrious career he experienced as an amateur. Although he ran a 3:49.44 indoor mile in 2018 as a first-year pro鈥攖he second-fastest in history, at the time鈥攈e has not been on a podium at a world championship or at the Olympics, partly due to the complexity of what country he鈥檇 represent and, therefore, attempt to qualify for such prestigious global competitions.听

But Cheserek remains hopeful that more is to come, and perhaps the marathon is what he is uniquely qualified to do, more so than what he has accomplished on the track. On the starting line near the base of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in Staten Island on Sunday, Cheserek will quickly figure that out.听

And though he admitted feeling a little intimidated to run his first marathon stacked against some of the world鈥檚 best, 鈥�It鈥檚 going to be tough,鈥� Cheserek said, adding, 鈥�I鈥檓 prepared for whatever happens.鈥澛�

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1. It鈥檚 the Largest Marathon in the World, But Isn鈥檛 Known for Fast Times

The had 47,838 finishers last year, once again making it the biggest marathon in the world. That total was considerably higher than the 31,836 finishers it recorded in the COVID-limited race of 2021, but well below the 53,627 record number of finishers in 2019. This year鈥檚 field has 50,000 registered runners from 130 countries.听

The course, which passes through all five of the city鈥檚 boroughs, begins on the southwestern approach to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on Staten Island and takes runners on a 26.2-mile journey through parts of Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx, before heading back into Manhattan and finishing in Central Park. Although the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is by far the biggest hill, the undulating course is . It has 810 feet of elevation gain and 824 feet of elevation loss from start to finish, which is why it鈥檚 not known for super-fast times. (The flatter course of the Chicago Marathon has only 243 feet of gain and the same amount of loss.). However, the deep pro fields and temperatures in the low-50s could produce fast races this year.

2. The Excitement Revs Up on Friday

While some marathon-related events began on November 1, the weekend officially kicks off with the at 5 P.M. ET on November 3 at the finish line in Central Park. The Parade of Nations will be led by participants from New York Road Runners’ community programs and will include runners from participating countries and territories around the world, followed by local running clubs Latinas Run, North Brooklyn Runners, Van Cortlandt Track Club, and Queens Distance Runners. A fireworks show will conclude the event at 6:30 P.M. ET. Registered runners need to pick up their bibs at the New York City Marathon Expo from November 2-4 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

At the on Friday night, retired American star Deena Kastor, the bronze medalist in the marathon at the 2004 Olympics, will be inducted in the New York City Marathon Hall of Fame along with Ernst van Dyk, a South African wheelchair racer and handcyclist who twice won the New York City Marathon (2005, 2015).听

Patti Dillon, one of the world鈥檚 top marathoners in the late 1970s and early 1980s and former world record holder, will be given the Abebe Bikila Award for her efforts coaching the The Wings Elite Program of Native American runners since 2022. Dillon, the first American woman to break 2:30 in the marathon, is of Mi鈥檏maq heritage. Erin Strout, a journalist who has contributed to 国产吃瓜黑料, , and Runner鈥檚 World, will be presented with the George Hirsch Journalism Award for her excellence in writing about running. The event includes for a private shakeout run with Kastor, New York Giants football tickets and entries to Abbott World Marathon Majors races, the Sydney Marathon, the Madagascar Marathon and Half Marathon.

3. New Shoes Dropping Are Dropping This Weekend

Several new running shoes are dropping this week, some at the New York City Marathon expo and at special events around the city. Among the new models are the NYC edition of the and the ASICS鈥� maximally cushioned Novablast 4 training shoe, which will both be available at the race expo. Craft is releasing a 鈥淭ommy Rivs鈥� edition of its on Friday evening at a special event at Paragon Sports following a .听

RELATED: First Run: Asics Novablast 4, Reviewed

4. The Women鈥檚 Professional Field Might Be the Best Ever

Last year鈥檚 surprise winner Sharon Lokedi, 29, of Kenya (2:23:23), is returning to defend her title, although she鈥檚 been sidelined with a foot injury ever since. Hellen Obiri, a 33-year-old Kenyan runner who has been training in Boulder, Colorado, since last fall, is also back. She finished sixth (2:25:49) in her debut in New York last fall, but then went on to win the Boston Marathon in April and lowered her personal best to 2:21:38. Dathan Ritzenhein, her U.S.-based coach, said recently she鈥檇 be capable of running in the 2:11 range if she was racing on a faster course. (The fastest women鈥檚 time ever run on the NYC course is the 2:22:31 Kenya鈥檚 Margaret Okayo ran in 2003.)

Kenyan Brigid Kosgei, 29, who broke the marathon world record in 2019, finishing Chicago in 2:14:04 (since lower to 2:11:53 by Ethiopian Tigst Assefa in September鈥檚 Berlin Marathon) is coming from an injury after dropping out of the 2023 London Marathon in the first mile. Also in the field are 2021 Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, a 30-year-old Kenyan who won the 2021 New York City and 2022 Boston marathons and owns a 2:17:16 personal best, and Ethiopia鈥檚 Letesenbet Gidey, 25, the 2022 world champion in the 10,000 meters, who ran the fastest marathon debut in history at the 2022 Valencia Marathon with a 2:16:49 effort. Kenya鈥檚 Edna Kiplagat, 43, a two-time world champion, and Boston (2017, 2021), London (2014), and New York City (2010) winner is also back in the mix after a disappointing showing in April鈥檚 Boston Marathon (30th, 2:34:40).听

RELATED: 24 Hours with One of the World鈥檚 Best Marathoners

5. American Stars Are Making Postpartum Comebacks

There are five American women in the professional field: (2:26:33), (2:24:28), (2:31:08), (2:34:19), and (2:26:23). The top two American women in the race are Huddle, 39, and Taylor, 37, both making postpartum comebacks after giving birth to their daughters in 2022鈥擧uddle welcomed Josephine in April and Taylor welcomed Keagan in December. Huddle hasn鈥檛 finished a marathon since April 2019, when she placed 12th in the London Marathon. However, she did run two relatively fast half marathons this year, including a fifth-place, 1:10:01 effort at the Houston Half Marathon in January. Taylor鈥檚 last marathon was two years ago in New York, where she placed sixth in 2:26:10. In September, she finished seventh in the U.S. 20K Championships in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1:08:04.

This past spring, Huddle experienced the first major bone injury of her career鈥攁 femoral stress fracture鈥攚hich took her out of training for three months. After talking with her medical team, she鈥檚 fairly convinced that her dietary needs weren鈥檛 being met while breastfeeding. Since then, she鈥檚 learned to adjust her fueling to account for what she loses not only to training, but also feeding her daughter. 鈥淚 refer to it as my body鈥檚 new rules, because the old me always knew how to fuel and I knew what I could handle workload-wise,鈥� Huddle said. 鈥淣ow there is just more taxing the system and there鈥檚 less time to mindfully refuel.鈥�

6. There鈥檚 a Fast Men鈥檚 Elite Field

Although the men鈥檚 field isn鈥檛 filled with as many stars as the women鈥檚, it includes six runners who have run 2:07 or faster. (The men鈥檚 course record of 2:05:06 was set in 2011 by Kenyan Geoffrey Muttai.) Ethiopia鈥檚 32-year-old Tamirat Tola (2:03:3), the gold at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and Shura Kitata, 29, a two-time New York City Marathon runner-up with a 2:04:49 personal best, are a formidable one-two punch. Also in the field is last year鈥檚 third-place finisher Abdi Nageeye (2:04:56), a 34-year-old Somali-Dutch long-distance runner who earned the silver medal in the marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for the Netherlands. Cam Levins, a 34-year-old two-time Canadian Olympian, will be making his New York City Marathon debut after breaking the North American record (2:05:36) in March when he finished fifth at the Tokyo Marathon. Returning after a fourth-place finish in Boston back in April is 29-year-old Kenyan Albert Korir (2:08:03), the 2019 New York City runner-up and 2021 champion. Also of note is Kenyan Edward Cheserek, 29, who was a record-setting high school runner in New Jersey and a 17-time NCAA champion at the University of Oregon, is making his marathon debut six weeks after winning the Copenhagen Half Marathon in 59:11.听聽

7. A Few Fast American Men Are Tuning Up for the U.S. Olympic Trials

With the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon just 90 days after the New York City Marathon on February 3 in Orlando, Florida, it would be easy to assume that most top U.S. runners are opting not to race in the Big Apple. But there鈥檚 actually a contingent of five very fast Americans in the men鈥檚 elite field, led by four-time world championships competitor , a 40-year-old Kenyan-born runner who earned U.S. citizenship while serving in the U.S. Army. The fourth-place finisher in New York in 2021, Kibet owns a 2:09:07 personal best and most recently placed ninth at the Prague Marathon (2:10:43) in May. , a 30-year-old Eritrean-born American runner who went to high school in Indianapolis and ran collegiately for Northern Arizona University, won the U.S. marathon championship in his 26.2-mile debut last December at the California International Marathon (2:11:01), and then lowered his personal best to 2:09:40 with a strong effort at the Rotterdam Marathon in April. Other top Americans in the elite field include , 33, the fastest U.S.-born black marathoner, who lowered his personal best to 2:10:45 with a fourth-place finish at Grandma’s Marathon in June; , 28, who was 10th in New York last fall and owns a 2:10:54 personal best, and , 37, who won the Pittsburgh Marathon in May (2:16:10).

8. There Are Many Pre-Race Events and Post-Race Parties

There are a lot of聽 brand activations, events and parties before and after the marathon this weekend

• Bandit, a small independent apparel brand started in New York City in 2020, will have a lot going on from its , including a 9 A.M. breakfast run on Friday, shakeout run, a 9 A.M. shakeout run with Asics on Saturday morning, a post-race party with Asics from 5-10 P.M. Sunday and free medal portraits from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. on Monday.听
• The Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K at 8:45 A.M. on Saturday is sold out, but spectators will get a glimpse of top American runners Abdihamid Nur, Hilary Bor, Weini Kelati, and Emily Infeld as they dash from Midtown Manhattan to the marathon finish line in Central Park in this USATF 5K Championship race.听
• The motherhood organization &Mother and Vita Coco beverage brand are hosting a Saturday event called that will include a noon shakeout run from Fleet Feet Columbus Circle, followed by a 1 P.M. panel discussion at the Museum of Art and Design with &Mother founder, Olympian, and gamechanger Alysia Monta帽o; Alison De艣ir, author of Running While Black and Michele Lampach, leader of the Bobbie for Change parenting organization.
• Tracksmith is hosting the first New York version of its underground 鈥淔irst to the Trackhouse鈥� race-within-a-race that will challenge runners to be the first one to run 6.3 miles from the marathon finish line to the post-race party at the Tracksmith retail store in Brooklyn. The men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 champions will be awarded a commemorative robe and a trophy cast by marathon pioneer and noted artist Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon.听
• The from 6-10 P.M. on Sunday at Harbor NYC Rooftop will celebrate marathon finishers and 20 years of run culture with DJ music, drinks, food, and medal engraving.听聽

RELATED: His First Marathon Was in Prison. His Second Will Be in New York City

9. A Few B-Level Celebrities Are Running the Marathon

This year鈥檚 list of celebrity runners starts with Tony and Grammy Award winning singer Patina Miller, who is not only running the race but will also be singing the national anthem at the starting line. She will be running to support , an organization that works to encourage success in the lives of young women in Rwanda through education, health and community. Nev Schulman, host and producer of MTV’s “Catfish,” will be running in his seventh New York City Marathon, this time as a guide runner for a visually impaired athlete running with . Luke Macfarlane, known for his roles in the Apple+ show “Platonic,” the 2022 film “Brothers & Sisters” and several Hallmark Channel movies, will be running the marathon for the first time on behalf of , which supports diabetes research.听

Zdeno Ch谩ra, a 6-foot-9 former Boston Bruins hockey player and 2011 Stanley Cup champion, ran the Boston Marathon earlier this year in 3:38:23. He鈥檚 running the New York City Marathon as part of a quest to finish all six World Marathon Major races. Matt James, the star of season 25 of “The Bachelor,” will be running the race for the second consecutive year after a 3:46 effort last year. Samantha Judge and Emily Rizzo, wives of New York Yankees stars Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo, will also be running the marathon for the first time.

10. How to Watch the Race and Follow Runners

live on ESPN2 from 8 A.M. ET to 11:30 A.M ET. Pre-race coverage for the 2023 New York City Marathon will begin at 7 A.M. ET. You can also download the or to stream the event. The pro women鈥檚 race starts at 8:40 A.M. ET. The men鈥檚 pro division begins at 9:05 A.M. ET and the Wave 1 start is at 9:10 A.M. ET.听 (Reminder: Daylight saving time ends at 2 AM. ET on Sunday, which is race morning.)聽

To track runners remotely, download the . This year, race organizers have upped the number of timing mats and added five cameras along the route, for a more intimate runner tracking experience on the app. In addition, there will be a livestream of the professional race available in the app, built with 鈥渟econd screen鈥� compatibility, meaning you鈥檒l be able to seamlessly watch the race just as you toggle to track runners.

RELATED: How to Watch the 2023 New York City Marathon

The post Top 10 Things to Know About The 2023 New York City Marathon appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Rahsaan Thomas still remembers immense leg cramps the day he completed his first marathon in 2017. On a cold Friday morning in November, he tied up a pair of donated white-and-grey Nikes and pounded around a quarter-mile loop of gravel, dirt, and concrete in a yard surrounded by barbed wire fences at San Quentin State Prison, a maximum-security facility 25 miles north of San Francisco, California.

Thomas grew up in Brownsville, in east Brooklyn, one of New York City鈥檚 poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods. He was 29 when he was arrested after he fatally shot someone and injured another during a drug deal. Three years later, Thomas was sentenced with 55 years to life for a second-degree murder conviction.

RELATED: Why I Run in Prison

While Thomas was incarcerated, he had dedicated himself to rehabilitation. He became a staff writer for the San Quentin News, a regular contributor to , and he developed into an acclaimed journalist, co-hosting the Pulitzer Prize-nominated podcast 鈥�,鈥� an audio production created from within San Quentin highlighting daily life in prison. Thomas also worked with several criminal justice reform groups in addition to earning an associate鈥檚 degree. And he found running.

26.2 to Life

At San Quentin, Thomas had joined the prison鈥檚 in 2013, a running program led by volunteers and implemented as a way to encourage those incarcerated to run 1,000 miles or more while serving time, says the club鈥檚 head coach Frank Ruona, a former army officer and accomplished marathoner. Ruona oversees the prison鈥檚 annual marathon, which is the subject of a new documentary , directed by Christine Yoo.

鈥淏eing able to go inside prisons is very important in order for people to understand what鈥檚 really going on in the system,鈥� Yoo says. 鈥淭his is how we can begin to address reducing incarceration. We owe it to ourselves as a society not to just lock them up and throw away the key, because these are human beings who are being punished for being poor and on drugs or have developed criminal behavior as a result of growing up in abusive households, which loops back to poverty and drugs. It鈥檚 an overwhelming and depressing situation. But what I learned from the 1000 Mile Club is that it鈥檚 possible to change lives, to make a lasting impact, that with support, rehabilitation is a realistic goal, and it can change the prison system as we know it.鈥�

Yoo says she hopes the film will inspire the incarcerated population and prison administrators to better understand the benefits of rehabilitation and want to start their own running clubs.

Running, Thomas says, gave him a breath of freedom, though it was short-lived. He ran for acceptance and simultaneously for punishment and redemption. As grueling and painful as it felt, Thomas wanted to prove that, if he could finish a marathon, he could endure anything. So he kept going around the loop, which comprised six 90-degree turns in the prison鈥檚 yard, surveilled by armed guards in towers. Thomas, nicknamed 鈥淣ew York,鈥� circled it 105 times alongside a couple dozen other incarcerated men, all of whom were members of San Quentin鈥檚 1000 Mile Club.

Dressed in loose, knee-length grey shorts and a white sweatband around his forehead, Thomas moved gingerly, urging himself not to quit. He struggled through muscle cramps on the way to finishing the marathon distance in 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 23 seconds.

鈥淭he hardest thing I鈥檝e ever done,鈥� said Thomas, 53. Now, he will run his first marathon outside the prison walls.

鈥淢y Knees Complain鈥�

Thomas was granted a commutation, a reduced sentence, from California Governor Gavin Newsom. After being incarcerated for nearly 23 years, he was released with parole on February 8, 2023. He celebrated that day by eating steak and French toast for breakfast, before he shopped for clothes and called his mother and his son.

Five months later, in July, Thomas began training for the New York City Marathon, as part of a pact he made with Claire Gelbart, whom he met at San Quentin when she volunteered as a journalism teaching assistant. They agreed to run a marathon together in the future if ever he was released.

鈥淚鈥檇 always wanted to walk from Brooklyn to Harlem just to see New York,鈥� Thomas says. 鈥淭he opportunity to run all five boroughs to see the whole city really appeals to me.鈥�

But he knows all too well that preparing to run a marathon is an art of consistency. 鈥淢y knees complain,鈥� he says, laughing. 鈥淚鈥檓 slow.鈥�

A Natural Leader

Fitting in the training has been a calculated effort since his release nine months ago, as life has become as busy as ever. Thomas, who currently lives in the Bay Area, is awake by 6 A.M., often starting the day at the gym for an hour before plugging into continuous Zoom meetings before mentoring youth at San Francisco鈥檚 juvenile hall.

His priority is bringing awareness to , a nonprofit Thomas co-founded and launched in June 2020 while he was incarcerated. Its mission is to use art and writing to break cycles of intergenerational incarceration and poverty and achieve public safety without violence. In October, Thomas started a with the goal of raising $120,000 to support Empowerment Avenue鈥檚 programming initiatives.

RELATED: Running in Prison Changed Everything

Mass incarceration 鈥渙nly punishes symptoms like poverty, a lack of opportunities, isolation, and a culture that breeds hate,鈥� Thomas wrote on the fundraiser page. The idea behind Empowerment Avenue is to offer a different approach by connecting incarcerated men in filmmaking, art, and journalism with respective industries to bridge creative partnerships.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about showing the world something different and at the same time getting people paid for their work so their individual lives will be better,鈥� Thomas says. 鈥淧eople coming home broke and not having the opportunity to make money legally [or] being excluded from society is not a good thing.鈥�

Thomas learned by experience while at San Quentin, where he began his writing career from his four-by-nine-foot cell. He says Empowerment Avenue helped normalize inclusion of his work as a writer from behind bars.

鈥淲hen you include people in society and provide economic opportunities to heal, you get people that don鈥檛 come back to prison,鈥� Thomas says. 鈥淵ou get people that become productive members of society.鈥�

Empowerment Avenue鈥檚 fundraising initiative comprises tiered goals: $5,000 can support the expansion of a writing development program at the Dr. Lane Murray Unit, a women鈥檚 prison of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Gatesville, Texas; $10,000 can aid a year of books, magazines, stamps, and other supplies for Empowerment Avenue writers and artists; upwards of $40,000 will support the production of an exhibition curated by an incarcerated artist as well as funding for a film.

Thomas says his goal is to employ the formerly incarcerated on staff as he continues to expand Empowerment Avenue. He hopes that by running the New York City Marathon he can bring necessary awareness that can help make an impact.

鈥淲e鈥檙e a proof of concept. We鈥檙e showing the public the importance of having access to society, getting our messages out, holding the system accountable,鈥� says Thomas. 鈥淣o matter how hard it is, you鈥檝e got to keep going. I keep going.鈥�

The post His First Marathon Was in Prison. His Second Will Be in New York City. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

What happens when you squeeze over 53,000 runners and 2 million spectators onto a 26.2-mile course that threads through all five boroughs of America鈥檚 most beloved city? Well, you get the , the biggest and rowdiest party in running.

鈥淭he TCS New York City Marathon course traverses vibrant, diverse neighborhoods filled with millions of roaring fans,” said Suresh Muthuswami, Chairman of North America, TCS. “It鈥檚 where the world comes to celebrate running,鈥�

On Sunday, November 5, the sixth and final World Major Marathons race of the year will take place, and it鈥檚 bound to be fast, real fast. But in addition to the elite field hunting for that podium (and the $100,000 awarded to each winner), this week, race organizers announced several new tech upgrades to enhance the race-day spectating experience.

RELATED: 24 Hours with One of the World鈥檚 Best Marathoners

鈥淲e are thrilled to be launching new activations that will elevate the fan and spectator experience further鈥攚hether it be for those following the marathon for the first time or those who have been part of our running community for decades,鈥� said Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners (NYRR).

Here鈥檚 what we know.

New Earpiece Radios for Spectators

OK, this is a first. For the first time in a major marathon, anyone at the finish area who is a Mastercard user will be able to snag an earpiece radio to pipe in the race鈥檚 live WABC-TV/ESPN2 broadcast. Imagine watching with anticipation in Central Park (along with tens of thousands of others) just as you鈥檙e listening to real-time play-by鈥損lay as the field pummels toward the finish.

App Upgrades for Better Race Tracking

This year, race organizers have upped the number of timing mats and added five cameras along the route, for a more intimate runner tracking experience on the app.

Where鈥檚 your loved one on course? How is your running buddy looking at mile 10? What鈥檚 your coworker鈥檚 20-mile split? A quick dash of the thumb and you鈥檒l be able to see exactly where they are, and perhaps even watch as they fly through several points along the course.

In addition, there will be a livestream of the professional race available in the app, built with 鈥渟econd screen鈥� compatibility, meaning you鈥檒l be able to seamlessly watch the race just as you toggle to track runners.

This year鈥檚 live commentary will be dished out by American legends Des Linden, Galen Rupp, and two-time NYC Marathon champion and three-time Paralympian Amanda McGrory. Another exciting bonus with this year鈥檚 app upgrade is that it now offers an integrated sustainability survey for app users to measure their environmental impact during race weekend and, in turn, make greener choices. What gets measured gets improved, right?

User-Generated, Crowd-Sourced Cheer

Other than a New York City Marathon app with second-screen capabilities and enhanced camera footage along the course you can stream in the palm of your hand, other activations this year include New Balance mobile feeds, where runners and their cheer teams can amplify their support from any phone to jumbotrons, interactive selfie stations with elite runners, a Citizens Stage that will host three days of speaker panels, and interactive maps at the expo where runners will be able to scan their bibs and a large map will light up their hometown. Last year, there were 131-plus countries represented, so expect the map to be a veritable fireworks display.

How to Watch the New York City Marathon?

on ESPN2 (and livestreamed on its app on ESPN.com) from 8 A.M. ET to 11:30 A.M ET. Pre-race coverage for the 2023 New York City Marathon will begin at 7 A.M. ET. You can also download the ESPN app or ABC 7 New York App to stream the event.

The post How to Watch the 2023 New York City Marathon appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

6:00 A.M.

Four weeks out from competing in the 2023 New York City Marathon, one of the world鈥檚 most prestigious road races, an alarm clock gently buzzes, signaling the start of the day for 33-year-old Hellen Obiri.

Despite having rested for nearly nine hours, Obiri, a two-time world champion from Kenya, says the alarm is necessary, otherwise she can oversleep. This morning鈥檚 training session of 12 miles at an easy pace is the first of two workouts on her schedule for the day as she prepares for the New York City Marathon on November 5.

The race will be her third attempt in the distance since she graduated from a successful track career and transitioned into road racing in 2022. Obiri placed sixth at her marathon debut in New York last November, finishing in 2:25:49.

鈥淚 was not going there to win. I was there to participate and to learn,鈥� she says, adding that the experience taught her to be patient with the distance. This time around in New York, she wants to claim the title.

6:38 A.M.

Obiri drinks two glasses of water, but she hasn鈥檛 eaten anything by the time she steps outside of her two-bedroom apartment in the Gunbarrel neighborhood of Boulder, Colorado.

In September 2022, the three-time Olympian moved nearly 9,000 miles from her home in the Ngong Hills, on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, to Colorado. She wanted to pursue her marathon ambitions under the guidance of coach and three-time Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein, who is the fourth-fastest U.S. marathoner in history. Ritzenhein retired from professional running in 2020 and now oversees the Boulder-based On Athletics Club (OAC), a group of elite professional distance runners supported by Swiss sportswear company On.

Obiri, who was previously sponsored by Nike for 12 years before she signed a deal with On in 2022, said that moving across the world wasn鈥檛 a difficult decision. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity. Since I came here, I鈥檝e been improving so well in road races.鈥�

In April, Obiri won the Boston Marathon. It was only her second effort in the distance, and the victory has continued to fuel her momentum for other major goals that include aiming for gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics and also running the six most competitive and prestigious marathons in the world, known as the World Marathon Majors.

Obiri says goodbye to her eight-year-old daughter Tania and gets into a car to drive six miles to Lefthand trailhead, where she runs on dirt five days a week. She will train on an empty stomach, which she prefers for runs that are less than 15 miles. Once, she ate two slices of bread 40 minutes before a 21-mile run and was bothered by side stitches throughout the workout. Now, she is exceptionally careful about her fueling habits.

6:56 A.M.

Three runners stretch next to their cars as Obiri clicks a watch on her right wrist and begins to shuffle her feet. Her warmup is purposely slow. In this part of Colorado, at 5,400 feet, the 48-degree air feels frostier and deserving of gloves, but Obiri runs without her hands covered. She is dressed in a thin olive-colored jacket, long black tights, and a black pair of unreleased On shoes.

Obiri鈥檚 feet clap against a long dirt road flanked by farmland that is dotted with horses and a few donkeys. Her breath is hardly audible as she escalates her rhythm to an average pace of six minutes and 14 seconds per mile. This run adds to her weekly program of 124 miles鈥攕ome days, she runs twice. The cadence this morning is hardly tough on her lungs as she runs with her mouth closed, eyes intently staring ahead at the cotton-candy pink sunrise.

鈥淏eautiful,鈥� Obiri says.

Her body navigates each turn as though on autopilot. Obiri runs alone on easy days like today, but for harder sessions, up to four pacers will join her.

鈥淭hey help me to get the rhythm of speed,鈥� Obiri says. For longer runs exceeding 15 miles, Ritzenhein will bike alongside Obiri to manage her hydration needs, handing her bottles of Maurten at three-mile increments.

RELATED: Who Wore Which Shoes at the 2023 Boston Marathon

8:21 A.M.

After an hour, Obiri wipes minimal sweat glistening on her forehead. Her breathing is steady, and her face appears as fresh as when she began the run. She does not stretch before getting into the car to return home.

The remainder of the morning is routine: a shower followed by a breakfast of bread, Weetabix cereal biscuits, a banana, and Kenyan chai鈥攁 mix of milk, black tea, and sugar. She likes to drink up to four cups of chai throughout the day, making the concoction with tea leaves gifted from fellow Kenyan athletes she sees at races.

Then, she will nap, sometimes just for 30 minutes, and other times upwards of two hours. 鈥淭he most important thing is sleeping,鈥� Obiri says. 鈥淲hen I go to my second run [of the day], I feel my body is fresh to do the workout. If I don鈥檛 sleep, I feel a lot of fatigue from the morning run.鈥�

1:00 P.M.

Obiri prepares lunch. Normally she eats at noon, but today her schedule is busier than usual. She cooks rice, broccoli, beets, carrots, and cabbage mixed with peanuts. Sometimes she makes chapati, a type of Indian flatbread commonly eaten in Kenya, or else she eats beans with rice.

The diet is typical among elite Kenyan athletes, and she hasn鈥檛 changed her eating habits since moving to the U.S. Obiri discovered a grocery store in Denver that offers African products, so she stocks up on ingredients like ground corn flour, which she uses to make ugali, a dense porridge and staple dish in many East African countries. She is still working through 20 pounds of flour she bought in June.

2:15 P.M.

Obiri receives an hour massage, part of her routine in the early afternoon, three times a week. Usually the session is at the hands of a local physiotherapist, but sometimes Austin-based physiotherapist Kiplimo Chemirmir will fly in for a few days. Chemirmir, a former elite runner from Kenya, practices what he refers to as 鈥淜enthaichi massage,鈥� an aggressive technique that involves stretching muscles in short intervals.

3:00 P.M.

Ritzenhein modifies Obiri鈥檚 training schedule, omitting her afternoon six-mile run so she can rest for the remainder of the day and reset for a speed workout tomorrow morning. Last fall, he took over training Obiri, who was previously coached by her agent Ricky Simms, who represented Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, an eight-time gold medalist and world record holder, and British long distance runner Mo Farah, a four-time Olympic gold medalist.

Ritzenhein has programmed Obiri鈥檚 progression into the marathon with more volume and strength training. The meticulous preparation is essential to avoid the aftermath of her marathon debut in New York City last fall, when she was escorted off the course in a wheelchair after lacking a calculated fueling and hydration strategy. Obiri had averaged running 5:33-minute miles on a hilly route that is considered to be one of the most difficult of all the world marathon major races.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a real racing race. You have to make the right moves; you have to understand the course,鈥� Ritzenhein says of the New York City Marathon. 鈥淲e鈥檝e changed some things in training to be a little more prepared. We鈥檝e been going to Magnolia Road, which is a very famous place from running lore鈥攈igh altitude, very hilly. We鈥檝e been doing some long runs up there. In general, she鈥檚 got many more 35 and 40K [21 and 24 miles] runs than she had before New York last year.鈥�

In New York, Obiri is aiming to keep pace alongside a decorated elite field that will include Olympic gold medalist Peres Jepchirchir, former women鈥檚 marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei, and defending New York Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi, all of whom are from Kenya. In fact, Kenyan women have historically dominated at the New York City Marathon, winning nine titles since 2010 and 14 total to date, the most of any country since women were permitted to race in 1972.

鈥淭hey are all friendly ladies,鈥� Obiri says. 鈥淏ut you know, in sports we are enemies. It鈥檚 like a war. Everybody wants to win.鈥�

3:10 P.M.

While Obiri is finishing her massage, her daughter returns from school. Though Obiri arrived in Colorado last fall, her husband Tom Nyaundi and their daughter didn鈥檛 officially move to the U.S. until this past March. The adjustment, Obiri says, was a hard moment for the family.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have a car. In the U.S. you can鈥檛 move [around] if you don鈥檛 have a car. We had a very good team that helped us a lot,鈥� Obiri says of the OAC, whom she refers to as her friends. 鈥淭he athletes made everything easier for us. They were dropping my daughter to school. Coach would pick me up in the morning, take me to massage, to the store. I was lucky they were very supportive.鈥� Now, Obiri says she and her family have fully adjusted to living in the U.S.

3:20 P.M.

Obiri returns home and makes a tomato and egg sandwich before taking another nap. Usually she naps for up to two hours after lunch. Today, her nap is later and will last for two and a half hours.

7:00 P.M.

Obiri doesn鈥檛 eat out or order takeaway. 鈥淲e are not used to American food,鈥� she says, smiling. 鈥淚 enjoy making food at home.鈥� Dinner is a rotation of Kenyan dishes like sukuma wiki鈥攕aut茅ed collard greens that accompany ugali鈥攐r pilau, a rice-based dish made with chicken, goat, or beef. This evening, she prepares ugali with sukuma wiki and fried eggs.

8:30 P.M.

Before bed, Obiri says she can鈥檛 resist a nightcap of Kenyan chai. She will pray before falling asleep. And when she wakes up at 6:00 A.M. the next day, she will prepare for a track session, the intervals of which add up to nearly 13 miles: a 5K warmup, followed by 1 set of 4×200 meters at 32 seconds (200 meter jog between each rep); 3 sets of 4×200 meters at 33 seconds聽 (200 meter jog between each rep); 5×1600 meters at 5:12 (200 meter jog between each rep) and finishing with a 5K cool down.

The workout is another one in the books that will bring her a step closer to the starting line of the race she envisions winning. 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 so strong,鈥� Obiri says. She knows New York will be tough. But 鈥渨hen I go to a race I say, 鈥榶ou have to fight.鈥� And if you try and give your best, you will do something good.鈥�

RELATED: Evans Chebet, Hellen Obiri Win the 2023 Boston Marathon

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There鈥檚 much to celebrate about New York City in 2023鈥斺�攂ut February marks a big month for the Big Apple: February 8 is the opening day of registration for the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon, happening November 5, 2023.

Interested in running the greatest race in the world? We鈥檙e proud of you for even thinking about it. Here鈥檚 your quick-and-dirty guide for getting started.

At a Glance: The New York City Marathon

With 1.2 million finishers since 1970, the New York City Marathon is considered the biggest marathon in the world. After returning to full capacity last year, the TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) New York City Marathon expects 50,000 runners in 2023. (Imagine the entire population of Greenland).

鈥淭he TCS New York City Marathon brings together 50,000 people from all walks of life, each with their own story, to create an iconic day for the city,鈥� said Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of the New York Road Runners.

The course runs 26.2 miles through the city鈥檚 five boroughs, with 810 feet of elevation gain and 824 feet of loss. (The Boston Marathon, for comparison, has nearly the same gain, 815 feet, but significantly more loss, 1,275 feet.) The course record has been held by Gregory Mutai (2:05:06 in 2011) and Margaret Okayo (2:22:31), both from Kenya.

Learn more about how the marathon鈥檚 course design here.

How to Register

Despite these big participant numbers, getting into the New York City Marathon can prove daunting, if not a bit tricky. Here鈥檚 what you need to know to secure your spot in this year鈥檚 race:

OK, there are two way to get into to the New York City Marathon: :

Guaranteed Entry: These are spots reserved for nine categories of entrants, which include affiliations with charities, time-qualified standards, cancellation in 2022, and others.

Non-Guaranteed General Entry: This means you would like to apply with no affiliation, which puts your name into an entry drawing that鈥檚 sliced up into three categories: 鈥淣ew York City metro area,” “National,” or 鈥淚nternational” applicants.

The TCS New York City Marathon application period is February 8 – 22, 2023.

February 8 marks the first day to apply for a Non-Guaranteed General Entry, . If selected, you will be notified on March 1, and your payment will be automatically processed. (This is also the moment you freak out and start scrambling for a training plan.)

If runners do not receive an entry through the drawing, they can still obtain an entry through an Official Charity Partner, International Tour Operator, or NYRR鈥檚 Team for Kids (鈥淕uaranteed Entry鈥�).

The cost to run the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon is $255 (NYRR members) and $295 (non-members).

Summary of Important Dates

February 8: Application for the entry drawing opens at 12:00 P.M. ET
February 22: Application window closes at 11:59 P.M. ET
March 1: Drawing takes place and runners are notified of their status

Need More Inspiration?

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Why Celebrities Love the New York City Marathon

The post Your No-Nonsense Guide to Getting into the 2023 New York City Marathon appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.