| Inspiring performances on November 4,
| |
| | New York City in 2006.
|
| 2007 contributed to a classic New York
| |
| | The New York City Marathon was not
|
| City Marathon. Run on a crisp autumn
| |
| | without heartfelt emotion and
|
| Sunday, a record 39,085 runners took
| |
| | disappointment this year. Aside from the
|
| their positions on Staten Island.
| |
| | struggles every competitor faces and the
|
| The NYC Marathon began in 1970, a result
| |
| | fact that some entrants do not finish
|
| of the vision of the New York Road
| |
| | there were other concerns.
|
| Runners, who continue to stage it. The
| |
| | A day earlier, in New York, the U.S
|
| initial race was contained to Central
| |
| | runner Ryan Shay, 28, collapsed and died
|
| Park. This evolved into the present
| |
| | at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials
|
| course, which runs through the five
| |
| | Men's Marathon. This resonated with the
|
| boroughs of New York. There's a buzz
| |
| | runners as they learned of this tragedy
|
| throughout these locations each year in
| |
| | in their running fraternity.
|
| the weeks leading up to the event.
| |
| | Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa could not
|
| This year's race saw Paula Radcliffe of
| |
| | race in the wheelers division. He had the
|
| Great Britain emerge as the winner in the
| |
| | misfortune of having his chair not arrive
|
| women's division. Martin Lel of Kenya was
| |
| | on the flight to New York. The world
|
| the men's winner. Edith Hunkeler of
| |
| | record- holder watched the race from the
|
| Switzerland won the women's wheeler
| |
| | sidelines instead of participating.
|
| division; Kurt Fearnley of Australia won
| |
| | Marathons, in general, are a test of the
|
| the men's wheeler race for the second
| |
| | human spirit. To run 26.2 miles and have
|
| year in a row.
| |
| | enough kick at the end to fight off a
|
| Paula Radcliffe's story is particularly
| |
| | competitor is an accomplishment. In the
|
| noteworthy. She lives in Monaco and on
| |
| | case of the New York City Marathon, it's
|
| January 17 of this year she gave birth to
| |
| | an even greater accomplishment. The
|
| a baby girl there at the Princess Grace
| |
| | prestige and surrounding hype contribute
|
| Hospital. Less than ten months later,
| |
| | to its ability to play on the runners'
|
| Radcliffe, 33, crossed the finish line in
| |
| | emotions. Add to that the high-caliber
|
| New York as victor in this race. A late
| |
| | athleticism of the contestants and you
|
| race explosion of energy propelled her
| |
| | have a dramatic script already in place.
|
| ahead of Gete Wami of Ethiopia. Wami had
| |
| | Once the players take the field, an
|
| taken the lead earlier from Radcliffe.
| |
| | intriguing story develops every year.
|
| Radcliffe's winning time clocked in at 2
| |
| | In a race that ends in beautiful Central
|
| hours, 23 minutes, and 9 seconds.
| |
| | Park the electricity is apparent. That's
|
| The men's race had no lack of drama
| |
| | why it captures the imagination of
|
| itself. Martin Lel battled step for step
| |
| | runners worldwide. In 2006, 93,000 plus
|
| with Abderrahim Goumri well in to the
| |
| | applications came in for the race - much
|
| last stage in Central Park. Lel's strong
| |
| | more than the slots available.
|
| finishing power led him to a 12-second
| |
| | This year's race was no exception with
|
| win over the Moroccan. His first-place
| |
| | throngs lining the streets. The weather
|
| winning time was 2 hours, 9 minutes, and
| |
| | cooperated as did the staff and
|
| 4 seconds.
| |
| | volunteers of the New York Road Runners.
|
| In the women's wheeler division, Edith
| |
| | From Staten Island, through Brooklyn,
|
| Hunkeler, 35, broke her previous record
| |
| | Queens, and the Bronx and then to the
|
| for the course in a time of 1 hour, 52
| |
| | thrilling finish in Manhattan, the
|
| minutes, and 38 seconds. It was a
| |
| | marathon continues to inspire.
|
| wonderful comeback for her; having
| |
| | Runners worldwide, as well as 2 million
|
| severely crushed her leg in a racing
| |
| | spectators and estimated 315 million
|
| accident in 2006.
| |
| | television viewers look forward every
|
| Kurt Fearnley, 26, won the men's wheeler
| |
| | year to autumn in New York and the
|
| race in a time of 1 hour, 33 minutes, and
| |
| | November running of the New York
|
| 58 seconds. He broke the course record in
| |
| | Marathon.
|
