The History of the New York City Marathon

The New York City Marathon, which is organized by the New York Road Runners, has been an annual event in New York City since 1970. It is held on the first Sunday of November, and has a participant cap of 37,000 runners. The vast majority of the participants are chosen by lottery, as the demand far exceeds the number of runners the course can accommodate.

Beyond the lottery system, officially recognized running clubs are each given two spots for members who do not win a spot in the race via lottery. Members of the New York Road Runners who meet the official qualifications are also allowed to participate in the marathon. As you can see, membership has its privileges.

To complete the race, runners must be in extremely good condition concerning their strength, endurance, and aerobic abilities. The New York City Marathon is a 26.2 mile course that covers all five boroughs of NYC. The race starts in Staten Island, which closes the Verrazano Bridge for the event. The runners then head through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and then back to Manhattan for the big finish in Central Park. Many runners find the most grueling part of the race to be the stretch leading between Queens and Manhattan, with the climb to the Queensboro Bridge considered to be almost universally the most difficult part of the race. Despite the length and complexity of the race, it also has a time limit: 8.5 hours.

In the earliest days of the marathon, it only attracted a few hundred people and was run around Central Park. As is the case with many events, over the years, it grew both in terms of participants, as well as the actual distance of the race itself. The race is officially the largest marathon in the world, and is broadcast on television. It is estimated that over 300 million people watch the race every year, as it is the most elite running event in the world.

Shockingly, many runners finish the race in under three hours, despite the 8.5 hour time limit. These people are usually super-elite runners, and have spent many years training for this, the world's biggest stage for runners.

Over the years, the race has come to be known as one of the most prestigious races to compete in, finish, and especially, win. The record for fastest female win is held by Paula Radcliffe of England, who finished the race in 2 hours and 23 minutes. The male record holder is Paul Tergat, who finished in 2 hours and nine minutes. In 2000, two new divisions were added - the wheelchair division and the hardcycle division. These were some of the biggest changes made to the race over its lifespan.

While it is a difficult race for even seasoned runners, the event attracts the world's finest runners, as well as celebrities. Some of the most well-known people to run the marathon include cyclist Lance Armstrong as well as Governor Mike Huckabee. Both finished the race, though they did not win.

The New York Marathon is something that many runners train for years, or even their whole lives, to enter and win. Despite the competition for a mere spot in the race, much less the competition once the runner is in the race, many people set different goals for themselves when competing. Many enter with nothing more than a goal of "to finish the race," as the 26-mile race is nothing to shrug off. It is a grueling course, and November weather in New York City can be unpredictable - even cold - for the runners.

As you can see, the New York City Marathon is a prestigious event with a long, rich history. It is safe to say that this marathon will be around for quite some time to come, and it should be interesting to see what the future holds for this race and those who participate in it.