New York City Marathon grew from humble origins
Last weekend, on Sunday, Nov. 6, the 51st New York City marathon took off from Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island.
The marathon is the world’s largest marathon, with nearly 48,000 finishers. It is one of the six
Major marathons. These almost 48,000 runners were many of the best marathoners in the world, along with your next-door neighbor.
The participants come from every corner of the earth and every part of the United States. In addition, more than two million spectators line the streets of all five boroughs of New York. People describe the atmosphere as electric.
This running extravaganza had humble beginnings. It started in 1970 with 127 starters and 55 finishers completing the four loops of Central Park. Gary Muhrcke won this first edition with a time of 2:31:38.
In 1976, New York City Auditor George Spitz proposed that as part of the U.S. bicentennial celebration, the marathon should transverse all of the city’s five boroughs. This course change was envisioned to be a one-time deal. There were 2,090 starters, with 88 women. At the time, this made it the world’s largest marathon, and has remained a five-borough marathon ever since. Bill Rodgers would rebound from a disappointing run at the 1976 Montreal Olympics to win in 2:10:10. Miki Gorman would win the women’s division with a 2:39:11 clocking.
I have a copy of the original 1976 race entry application. The entry fee was $3. To enter, all you had to do was mail the entry form to the New York Road Runners headquarters by Oct. 20, a mere four days before the race. A room at the upscale Barbizon Plaza Hotel was $29, and a room at the West Side YMCA was $9. On the application, there was a phone number for more information.
Imagine trying to enter the marathon today four days prior or being able to get anyone on the telephone to answer questions. The application stated, “Timers will clock finishers up to five hours, but at four hours and twenty minutes, all guides, aid stations, and police will be removed from the course.” The most significant statistic from the 1976 race was that women made up approximately 4% of the field. In 2022 they were nearly 50 percent.
Once again, Kenyan runners demonstrated the eastern African domination of marathoning by taking the top spot in both the men’s and women’s races. Evan Chebet was the men’s winner in 2:08:41 and Sharon Lokedi won the women’s race in 2:23:23. The top Americans were Scott Fauble, ninth overall in 2:13:35, and Aliphine Tuliamuk, seventh for the women in 2:26:18.
The real story of the day was the weather. Temperatures were 20-25 degrees warmer than average. Humidity combined with high temperatures in the 70s turned the race into a struggle to survive. Unfortunately, it was not a day to perform or go for a personal record. Runners who went for it crashed and burned.
A case in point was Daniel do Nascimento, an elite Brazilian marathoner with a personal best time of 2:04:51. He tried to ignore the conditions and went out fast. He was on world record pace and had a big lead at one point.
Around the 20-mile mark, he stopped, used a port-a-potty, ran for a bit more, and then collapsed, needing medical care. This year crossing the finish line was a victory.
Some runners with local connections who achieved that victory were Gina Sando at 3:32, Owen Harvey (3:41), Kent Rinehart (3:44), Liam Regan (3:54), David Roberts (4:10), Jennifer Colucci (4:10), Charles Gassenheimer (4:21), Christopher Colucci (4:24) Karen Garner (4:30), Susan Baxter (4:31), Anthony Ferreri (4:31), Jessica Dickinson (4:34), Dana Iannizzotto (4:35), Denise Iannizzotto (4:35), Ricardo Castro (4:36), Nichole Brady (4:39), Dawn Scheele (4:50), Doug Needham (4:50), Jeff Wilson (4:52), Kristina Vucetic (5:54), Brittney Kessel (5:55), Kelly Buchalski (5:59) and Jennifer Alnwick (6:45).
David Roberts of Accord summed up the resiliency, camaraderie and emotions of a shared journey in a race report he sent me: “My time was 4:10:42. Wow, what a tough day. Brooklyn was so hot and humid that it just sucked the life out of so many of us early in the race. Light-headed and starting to throw up before the halfway mark, my son Harry met me to swap out water bottles, and his enthusiasm kept me going.
“The real shift for me happened on the Queensboro Bridge,” Roberts added. “I walked the uphill and met another runner. I told him I was going to pull out at mile 16, where Alana, my wife, was waiting. He was like me — aiming for 3:25 but was going to finish, even if it meant walking the rest of the way. I started to feel a little better talking to him, and we ran down the bridge together and really supported each other over the next 6 miles until he waved me on. It was with his support that I was able to finish at all — a random guy who was suffering like me. Every run has its story and its lesson — yesterday, finishing was everything, and I had never experienced that sentiment before.”
On Saturday, Oct. 29, the 12th Annual UlsterCorps Zombie Escape took place at the Williams Lake Project property in Rosendale. Williams Lake is perfect for a Halloween-themed event with its cave, tunnels, and wooded trails. The Zombie Escape consisted of a 5k run, a 2k hike, and a children’s 1k run.
Approximately 250 adults and youngsters participated. All participants received finisher’s medals, T-shirts, and awards were replica coffins complete with a pumpkin and skeleton puzzle inside. The top men were 15-year-old Eric Brener (24:03), Will Cutrone (24:05), and Ricardo Castro in 24:48. The top three women were 14-yearold Abby Brenner (24:20), Erica Eppolito (26:05) and Jennifer Bernard (26:34).
The Zombie Escape is UlsterCorps’ biggest fundraiser, and the event raised $10,000. UlsterCorps would like to thank the Williams Lake Project for opening up their property to the community.
Turkey Trots
Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, and other than family gatherings, it is the biggest single day of running in America. The first Turkey Trot took place 125 years ago in Buffalo. Today, more than one million people participate in turkey trots all over the country. Turkey trots range in size from hundreds to over 25,000 people.
Locally, we have four major turkey trots that range in size from a twomile run to a 25k (15.5 miles). All four are on Thanksgiving Day morning, Nov. 24.
• Kingston: The Junior League of Kingston sponsors a turkey trot that consists of a 5k run and a two-mile run/walk. It starts at Dietz Stadium in uptown Kingston and finishes at Forsyth Park. For all information and online registration, visit the league’s website at Kingston.jl.org. Day of registration begins at 8 a.m. at Dietz Stadium. Both the 5k and two-miler go off at 9 a.m.
• New Paltz: Family of New Paltz is presenting its 19th annual 5k Turkey Trot and Children’s Mashed Potato Run. Everything is centered out of the Water Street Market in New Paltz. For all information and online registration, visit the website www.newpaltzturkeytrot. com. Day-of registration begins at 8 a.m. The children’s run is at 9 a.m., and the 5k starts at 9:30 a.m. The course is a USATF-certified 5k, with half the run on the paved Plains Road and the return via the unpaved Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. The 5k is chippedtimed and has awards in several categories.
• Rhinebeck: In Rhinebeck, starting at the First Baptist Church at 9 Astor Drive is the annual Ferncliff Forest Turkey Trot 5k. This event has six starting waves beginning at 8 a.m., each starting five minutes apart. The first 550 entrants receive T-shirts. In addition, there are awards for the top three in age groups from under 10 to over 70. The 5k is a rolling out and back run on Montgomery Street and Mount Rutsen Road. For more information, visit the website runsignup.com/ny/ rhinebeck/ferncliffforest5kturkeytrot.
• LaGrangeville: The Mid Hudson Road Runners (MHRRC) hosts the area’s oldest turkey trot, dating back more than 50 years. It also features the longest distance. The MHRRC Turkey Trot has four races: A children’s one-mile run, a two-mile run/walk, a five-miler, and a 25k (15.5 miles). The 25k goes off at 8:30 a.m., the one mile at 8:45 a.m., the five miler at 9:15 a.m., and the two-miler at 9:30 a.m. This event often gets more than a thousand participants. For all information, visit the MHRRC website at mhrrc.org.
Upcoming Races
As winter approaches, the racing calendar gets leaner. However, there are some upcoming races in December.
On Dec. 4, the 39th Annual Reindeer Ramble 5K, organized by the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County, takes off from its mid-town Kingston campus. For more information, visit ymcaulster.org. On Dec. 3 in Wappingers, the MHRRC hosts the 41st Pete Sanfilippo Holiday Run. This event has a five-mile run and a children’s mile. This longstanding area race is well-organized and uses the Knights of Columbus Hall for pre- and postrace festivities. For more information, visit runsignup. com and search using the race name.
Dec. 31 is the date for the legendary Viking Run in Rosendale. This six-mile race has the reputation of being uphill both ways. For more information and to register, visit zippy-reg.com.
If you want motivation or company to run and help you through the dark and cold of the winter, check out these three regularly scheduled group runs. On Mondays, join in on the Onteora Runners Club Moderate Monday run. This four- to six-mile run takes off from Dietz Stadium at 5:30 p.m. On Wednesdays, there is a tempo run using the track or “bowl” at Dietz Stadium. Warmup starts at 6 p.m. with faster running at 6:25 p.m. Then, on Sundays at 11 a.m., the Keegan Army hosts a 5k run from Keegan Ales on St. James Street.
All these workouts/runs are open to everyone. I hope to see many of you at the races and workouts.
Steve Schallenkamp has been active in area running circles since 1966 as a runner, race director, volunteer and coach. He is a member of the Onteora Runners Club and president of the Shawangunk Runners Club.