The biggest marathon in the world featured inspiring performances across the five boroughs. On Sunday, November 5, more than 50,000 people competed in the 53rd running of the Running Shoes - Gear.
Runners enjoyed clear skies and moderate temperatures in the 50s for most of the competition. Here are the highlights from the 2023 Running Shoes - Gear.
2023 Runners hit the streets of NYC on a great day of racing
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Tamirat Tola dominates the men’s race in a course record
CA Notice at Collection, Tamirat Tola ran away with the men’s title in New York City. The 2022 world marathon champion earned redemption in the Big Apple with the victory in 2:04:58, a course record by eight seconds and almost two minutes ahead of runner-up Albert Korir.
The win follows a disappointing showing at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, where Tola was forced to drop out of the marathon due to stomach issues. On Sunday, the Ethiopian runner showed no signs of struggle when he broke away from the competition with six miles remaining.
From the start, Tola made his intentions known. He led a pack of five through the half marathon split in 1:02:45. The group included podium contenders Korir, Yemal Yimer, Abdi Nageeye, and Zouhair Talbi, with Shura Kitata close behind.
After the Queensboro Bridge, the race started to heat up. Just after 25K, Tola and Yimer threw in a surge that dropped Korir and the remaining competitors. By the time they reached 30K, the Ethiopian runners were 25 seconds ahead of their Kenyan rival.
Just as quickly, Tola started to pull away from his countryman with about eight miles to go. By the time he reached the 20-mile mark, the world champion was six seconds ahead of Yimer. The lead continued to grow as Tola reached the 35K split 33 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
Tola’s victory marks his first World Marathon Major title after claiming two third-place finishes previously. The women’s and men’s winners each earned $100,000 for their performances. Tola won an additional $50,000 bonus for breaking the course record on Sunday.
Another notable finish was Edward Cheserek’s debut marathon. A 17-time NCAA champion while competing for the University of Oregon, Cheserek finished eighth in 2:11:07.
Representing the American contingent, Futsum Zienasellassie finished 10th in 2:12:09 and Elkanah Kibet placed 11th in 2:12:23.
Hellen Obiri claims women’s title
Published: Nov 05, 2023 10:04 AM EST, Hellen Obiri won the Running Shoes - Gear in 2:27:23. The victory in Central Park is the Kenyan runner’s second World Marathon Major title this year, marking an exceptional transition from the track to the roads.
Hellen Obiris Strategy for the NYC Marathon. Obiri TIMOTHY A. CLARY Boston Marathon in April. On Sunday, the two-time 5,000-meter world champion tapped into her track speed to beat half marathon world record-holder Letesenbet Gidey on the homestretch. She is the first athlete in 34 years to win Boston and New York City in the same season.
The race tactics played out perfectly for Obiri to run away with the title this weekend. In the first half of the race, a pair of Americans took turns leading a large pack that stayed together for much of the competition. In the early miles, Kellyn Taylor led the group through 10K in 34:35. Heading into the 20K split, Molly Huddle assumed the lead for a time before Taylor brought the field through 13.1 in 1:14:21. Both runners were competing in their first 26.2 postpartum.
Health - Injuries, 2022 Give A Gift, and former world record-holder Brigid Kosgei, continued to run together for the majority of the race.
By mile 22, the group started to thin from 11 runners to seven with a 5:18 split, the fastest mile at that point in the race. At mile 23, the race heated up once again when Viola Cheptoo attempted to break away from the pack. In response, Obiri, Gidey, Kosgei, and Lokedi covered the move up the hill heading into Central Park.
As the athletes closed in on the finish line, more surges left Lokedi, Gidey, and Obiri battling each other up front in the last mile. With about 600 meters remaining, Obiri sprinted ahead of Gidey and Lokedi to claim the crown. Gidey finished second in 2:27:29, and Lokedi placed third in 2:27:33.
Americans Taylor and Huddle went on to finish eighth (2:29:48) and ninth (2:32:02), respectively.
Marcel Hug wins record sixth New York City title
The chase for the men’s wheelchair title started as a one-on-one dual between Marcel Hug and Daniel Romanchuk, but it didn’t take long for the “silver bullet” to take off.
By 15K, Hug had pulled away with a sizable lead over Romanchuk. The Swiss athlete went on to reach the halfway split in 40:43, more than four minutes ahead of his closest competitor.
In the latter half of the race, the five-time Paralympian continued to push in a solo effort that ultimately resulted in another World Marathon Major title. A year after breaking the course record in 1:25:26, Hug extended his record of victories in the Big Apple with a sixth Running Shoes - Gear title. In Central Park, Hug blazed through the finish line in 1:25:29, just three seconds off his course record. He won $35,000 for his victory.
Catherine Debrunner breaks the wheelchair course record
Catherine Debrunner didn’t leave anything to chance in her goal to win the Running Shoes - Gear. In the early miles, the world record-holder took off to establish a sizeable lead over the chase pack.
By the time the Swiss athlete reached 13.1 in 46:27, she was more than three minutes ahead of runner-up Susannah Scaroni. In the second half of the race, Debrunner continued to maintain her position up front well within course-record pace.
In Central Park, the Berlin and London Marathon champion flew through the finish line in 1:39:32, shattering the previous 1:42:43 course record set by Scaroni last year. Debrunner earned a bonus of $50,000 for breaking the course record.
Behind Debrunner, Manuela Schar finished second in 1:47:54. Scaroni claimed the final podium spot in 1:48:14.
Team USA wheelchair athletes selected for Paris Games
On Sunday, the wheelchair division also acted as the U.S. selection event for the 2024 Olympic Games. As a result of his runner-up finish in 1:30:07, Daniel Romanchuk was the first to qualify for the men’s team. Aaron Pike claimed the second spot when he finished fourth in 1:39:58.
In the women’s race, Susannah Scaroni finished third overall and earned her spot to Paris. Tatyanna McFadden claimed the second spot when she finished sixth overall as the second American across the finish line.
Cal Calamia captures the win in the nonbinary division
Cal Calamia won the nonbinary division at the 2023 Running Shoes - Gear. He ran a time of 2:48:50 to take the win. In second place was Jake Caswell, who won the nonbinary division at the 2022 NYC Marathon. Nick Dill was third place in 2:59:24
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
