More than 50,000 runners from all over the world are preparing to participate in the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, which is set to take place on Sunday. The weather forecast for the race indicates sunny skies and temperatures ranging between 45 and 57 degrees, which is considered to be ideal running weather. Runners tend to perform better in cooler temperatures around 45 degrees according to meteorologists.
The marathon kicks off at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island with the professional wheelchair division at 8 a.m., followed by the handcycle category, Select Athletes with Disabilities, and the professional Women’s open division. The professional Men’s race starts at 9:05 a.m., with amateur waves going off every 35 minutes starting at 9:10 a.m. through 11:30 a.m.
The course for the NYC Marathon takes runners through all five boroughs of New York City, starting at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and going through Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and into Manhattan. The final five miles of the course go down Fifth Ave and into Central Park where runners will cross the finish line after completing the 26.2-mile race. In the past, there was a plan from the MTA to charge marathon organizers a toll for shutting down the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, which was later nixed by NY Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Defending champions Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia and Hellen Obiri of Kenya are set to defend their titles after winning the 2023 NYC Marathon. Tola set the course record in the men’s category with a time of 2:04:58 and later won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Obiri won in the women’s category with a time of 2:27:23 and she will face tough competition from other past NYC Marathon winners and decorated runners.
The NYC Marathon is not just about the elite competition, as it also features celebrity participants including actors, singers, comedians, politicians, and TV personalities. Some of the celebrities running in this year’s marathon include Randall Park, Nev Schulman, Claire Holt, Carrie St. Louis, Amy Robach, TJ Holmes, Vinny Guadagnino, and stars from “The Bachelor.” The 2023 marathon had over 51,000 finishers from 148 countries and helped raise over $520 million for charity.
Overall, the NYC Marathon is a prestigious event that attracts runners from all over the world to compete in the challenging course that takes them through the diverse neighborhoods of New York City. With ideal running weather forecast for the event, participants are gearing up to take on the marathon course, with defending champions looking to retain their titles and newcomers aiming to make their mark on this iconic race.
