2025 New York City Marathon: A legendary race and personal challenges

There are marathons, and then there is the New York Marathon. A legend. Yesterday again, it was the grand return of thousands of runners on the legendary course, the one that cuts New York in five, from the streets of Staten Island to the last meters in Central Park. And this year, under the shouts and encouragement of an excited crowd, Abdi Nageeye and Sheila Chepkirui left their mark on this 53rd edition. Two times, two personal records, two exploits.

But the New York Marathon is more than numbers, names and medals. It is a suspended moment, an almost sacred ritual for this city that never sleeps. How did it come to this? To transform a small race between amateurs in Central Park into an international celebration, a must for thousands of marathoners?

Flashback to 1970. A time when running a marathon was not yet a popular dream. There were just 127 participants that year, trotting through the paths of Central Park. And on that day, only 55 lucky people crossed the finish line. A few faces, not much noise, but a crazy idea that began to germinate: what if this race became something bigger? Something that would shake up the five boroughs of New York, something that would give runners a reason to keep going, to come back and do it again?

So, in 1976, the race exploded out of Central Park. The New York Marathon reinvented itself, offering itself an ambitious route through the city's five boroughs. Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan... A route that connects differences, accents, cultures. It is America in all its diversity that is expressed over these kilometers, through colorful signs and outstretched hands. And this energy is palpable. It is impossible to remain indifferent: spectator or runner, everyone lets themselves be carried along by the flow.

Today, the New York Marathon is a physical and mental adventure. Not just for the elite. No, not even for the weekend runner, the father, the student, the retiree. Everyone runs for their own reasons, their own personal challenges, their own dreams. Some come from far away for this particular race. Because here, every runner is a hero for a day. And the city belongs to them, if only for a moment.

Records? Sure, we count them. We admire athletes like Nageeye and Chepkirui who cross the finish line in a flash. But behind these two, thousands of others are experiencing their own victory. Each runner, in their own way, is rewriting the history of the marathon. A race against themselves, against the clock, against fatigue. And all this, under the knowing gaze of New York, like a promise of a moment of glory.

So why is this race so fascinating? Maybe because it’s like New York: a city of contrasts, speed, and raw energy. Or maybe because this marathon is more than just a course. It’s a journey, a rite of passage for those willing to push their limits.

When we talk about the New York Marathon, we talk about dreams. We talk about endurance. We talk about an invisible bond that unites those who dare to face these 42.195 kilometers of asphalt and obstacles, these kilometers that become, in this setting, much more than a simple distance.

To those who dream of one day treading the streets of New York as marathoners, ask yourself this question: are you ready to take on the city that never sleeps, to conquer it by running? Because here, every stride is a victory, every step a statement.