59,662 runners took their spots at the starting line to begin the 54th TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 2. The runners, a record-breaking 59,226 of whom finished the race, completed a 26.2-mile route through all five boroughs of New York, beginning in Staten Island and ending in Central Park. Spirits ran high up and down the city, with runners decked out in crazy outfits and hairstyles and fans lining the streets with signs, cowbells and flags.
Other records were also broken on Sunday: Hellen Obiri of Kenya won the women’s race with a time of 2:19:51, wiping out the 2003 course record by more than two minutes. Obiri’s victory marked her second NYC Marathon title, following her first major marathon title in 2023.
When interviewed after her win, Obiri admitted she didn’t know she was beating the course record and explained how she continued to push through with only a few miles left.
“I feel so great,” Obiri said. “Actually, I didn’t know it was a course record until the finish line and they say that. I’m so happy to break the course record […] When we went about 1K to go, I felt like I was so strong […] I feel like I had something left in my tank.”
Obiri was followed by Kenyans Sharon Lokedi and defending champion Sheila Chepkirui, who finished with times of 2:20:07 and 2:20:24, respectively. All three women beat the previous course record.
Kenyan runners secured the top three places for the men’s race as well. Benson Kipruto won the race with a time of 2:08:40, beating second-place Alexander Mutiso Munyao by three-hundredths of a second, the closest men’s result in marathon history. Munyao, the 2025 London Marathon winner, closed the gap with Kipruto with only an hour left in the race, leaving fans wondering who would win the crown. Kipruto maintained his lead despite the pressure, winning his fourth World Marathon Major, as well as $100,000 in prize money.
Kipruto stated his positive mindset was key to his formula for winning
“I think there’s no secret in winning and finishing on the podium,” he said. “Just believe in yourself and have patience and believe in training, what you are doing. I think that’s kept me running, finishing on the podium and winning the major marathons.”
In the renowned wheelchair category, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug, otherwise known as Silver Bullet, finished in 1:30:16, gaining his seventh NYC crown, another record-breaking statistic in the race. In the women’s race, American Susannah Scaroni crossed the finish line in 1:42:10, marking her third NYC title within the last four years. The dual-championship was a repeat of 2022, when both racers won and set course records.
Beyond the podium, the marathon was defined by milestones, farewells and legacy that captured the spirit of the race. Two-time Olympic marathon champion, marathon record-holder and “the greatest marathoner of all time” — 41-year-old Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya — made his NYC debut, finishing in 17th place. The race was Kipchoge’s final world marathon major and he ended his heartfelt and inspiring career with humility.
“You will see me in a different way, maybe giving people motivation, but I will not run,” Kipchoge said last summer. “I need to go back, sit down, try to figure my 21 years of running at a high level. I need to evolve and feature in other things.”
The race also celebrated achievements across generations, from 91-year-old Koichi Kitabatake completing his third NYC Marathon as one of only seven runners above 90 in the race’s history, to Fiona O’Keeffe breaking the course record for American women with a time of 2:22:49.
The sunny race day brought cheer, commitment and record-breaking performances. Fans and runners alike were inspired by the strength and camaraderie that filled the streets of the U.S.’s biggest city — and many are already looking ahead to Nov. 1, 2026.
