The annual TCS New York City Marathon is an event many are excited to watch, and this year’s race did not disappoint. Drawing 59,226 runners from 130 different countries, this event became the world’s largest marathon, and accumulated an estimated two million spectators. Additionally, famous celebrities like musician Ben Gibbard, actors Anthony Ramos and Chloe Lukasiak, and internet personality Brooke Monk participated in this race.

The NYC route is one many dream of running; Julian Pacheco, only in eighty grade but now a successful varsity cross country runner, expressed, “My dad actually ran it twice. I definitely want to run a marathon in the future. When, I am not sure, but it would definitely be a goal of mine for me to follow in his footsteps.” The NYC marathon attracts tens of thousands of runners due to its high-energy crowds and scenic route through all five boroughs. Busy, major roadways close, and it seems as if the whole city is stopped to watch the event. Despite that, prospective racers may get distracted by the glamour of the race and forget about the reality: this specific marathon course is widely considered to be a grueling challenge for both mediocre and professional runners alike. Marathoners do not expect to run a personal best time here due to the race’s high elevation gain of 810 feet. The course’s steepest climb starts from the beginning as runners tackle the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, where they gain about 150 feet in elevation for the entire first mile of the race. These hills continue throughout the race, including a two-mile, 120-foot climb to the finish in Central Park. Freshman Ben Singleton expressed admiration for the feat: “Running the marathon is a remarkable achievement and a great way to show your passion and expertise for running.” 

These intense conditions do not stop runners from finishing in phenomenal times; elite racers still manage to complete the race in under three hours, equating a minimum pace of 6 minutes and 51 seconds per mile. And as the years pass, runners are only getting faster. In fact, at this year’s race, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri became the new women’s champion of the course, setting a world record time of 2:19:51. This is the first time that the record has been broken since 2003, which was 2:22:31. Not to mention, this is also the first time two hours and 20 minutes has been beaten in the women’s field, which is an average of five minutes and 20 seconds per mile pace.

Another household name caused a stir at the race this year: Eliud Kipchoge. Widely regarded as the best marathon runner of all time, Kipchoge participated in the NYC marathon for the first time this year. He successfully became a six-start medalist, which is an honor for those who have run all six Abbott Major Marathons, which include Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, Tokyo, and New York City. As posted on the Olympics website (olympics.com) on Monday, Nov. 2, 2025, it was officially recorded that he placed 17th overall, and this was his last major marathon to “complete his career legacy.” This race also marked the debut of a new clothing collaboration with Nike, as he sported a custom Nike Radical AirFlow top designed to regulate cooling for athletes.

For those who are not runners, spectating in NYC can prove to be just as exhilarating. Junior Mackenzie Reis went to cheer on the runners and explained, “It was super inspiring to see everyone in a kind of collective struggle, and to see how many people came together to cheer them on legitimately made me cry.” While it may seem cliché, the NYC Marathon is an event that one could truly say is “more than just a race.” Reis, who supported the runners from the sidelines at mile eight, recommended to someone going to watch that they should “be prepared to lose your voice, as you’d better be cheering.” One of the best things that runners have said helps in the race is the personal connection, locking eyes with a runner, shouting out their name, and, as Reis explained, “cheering to them in particular is a real mood booster… yell [names] like you would if your favorite artist were performing in front of you.” Her last piece of advice is to remember that “the runners are the stars. Cheer, help out, and have fun. The way that New York shows up and shows out is unmatched. Take it all in.”