U.S. woman wins NYC marathon; first since 1977
To cheers of U-S-A, Shalane Flanagan crosses the finish line and helps soothe city after a troubled week.
NEW YORK – A light and persistent drizzle dampened most of the New York Marathon course on Sunday morning, but there was something else in the air, too. It was something magical and meaningful, and it was felt with the enduring tread of each runner, each cheer from the thronged masses in all five boroughs.
It was hope and optimism and defiance, a three-tiered shield to soothe this city, as New York put a troubled week behind it and put its best foot (or feet) forward, time and time again.
It was the kind of thing that can’t help but lift you, a tonic created from nothing more than human energy and feeling, and it inspired Shalane Flanagan, so much so that the Portlandbased veteran became the first American women’s winner of the race since 1977.
“This last week has been really hard as a nation and in New York,” said Flanagan, who was close enough to the Boston bombing in 2013 that she heard the blast. “It hits home with me significantly. We always need a reason to smile in tough times, and hopefully (this) can bring a few smiles to people’s faces.”
Marathons are always more about the struggle of the human spirit than a simple race, and this year’s event had its own character. The terrorist attack allegedly perpetrated by ISIS sympathizer Sayfullo Saipov on Tuesday was met with a resolute response here and an unmissable message that terrorism’s kryptonite is perseverance.
It inspired Koen Naert, 28, from Bel-
gium. Naert briefly led the men’s race before cramping dropped him to eighth, fighting his way over the finish line with gritted teeth and tortured calf muscles.
“What happened at the beginning of this week affected my country very seriously,” Naert said. Ann-Laure Decadt, a Belgian mother of two, was one of the victims, while another Belgian woman, Marion Van Reeth, lost both of her legs in the incident.
“Everyone is hurting because of that,” Naert added. “I ran with those thoughts in my heart. Every single runner here runs for those people who died. It was such a special race for that reason.”
The crowds turned out in vast numbers, but it wasn’t one of those displays of overt patriotism, full of waving flags and “U-S-A.” It was more a celebration of the New York way of life, and it felt just right. The encouragement from the roadside was heartfelt and genuine and mixed with that inimitable brand of Big Apple humor. The signs were humorous, the energy was upbeat, the banter bitingly sarcastic.
It was the best response possible. New York showed up, was not muted or subdued, while remaining aware of the struggles yet determined not to be quieted by them.
It inspired Shirley Smith, a motherof-two from Newark who was in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday but did not hear of the attack until she returned home that evening. She had been to the marathon in the past but didn’t plan to this time.
“Then I changed my mind,” Smith said. “If the purpose of terrorism is to provoke fear, then you have it within you power to defy that. That’s what every runner is doing, and if you can give them a tiny lift with your encouragement, why wouldn’t you?”
Perhaps the biggest indicator of what emotion this marathon generated is that it inspired even those who inspire others.
Meb Keflezghi is 42, is the USA’s best known marathon runner and placed 11th in the final race of his career. After crossing the finishing line and allowing himself a satisfied smile, Keflezighi’s thoughts turned to the past week, rather than the last 15 years of running.
“I feel like New York is my city,” said Keflezighi, who lives in San Diego. “Everybody (running) did, and we wanted to protect it. We’ll go on with our life.
“Life and marathons are a journey, but sports is a celebration. This made us appreciate life. We have to move on, somehow, someway.”
New York will, you can be sure of that. Based on the evidence of Sunday morning, it already has.
“We always need a reason to smile in tough times, and hopefully (this) can bring a few smiles to people’s faces.”
Shalane Flanagan Women’s champion