For at least a few hours on Sunday, the relentless hum of New York politics will yield entirely to the sound of sneakers pounding the asphalt across all five boroughs. Over 42,195 meters of closed bridges, roaring crowds, and corrugated cardboard coffee cups await the participants of the New York City Marathon.
The race marks fifty years of its iconic five-borough route, carrying a rich history that resonates deeply with Italian runners. Forty years ago, Gianni Poli broke the tape to win the men’s division, overcoming a pre-race injury to defeat the heavily favored Rob de Castella. Giacomo Leone followed in his footsteps, securing the most recent Italian victory in the men’s race back in 1996.
The Road Through the Boroughs and the Italian Hopefuls
Sunday’s starting line at Fort Wadsworth will host more than 2,500 registered Italian runners. Among them is Yeman Crippa, who has a victory at the Paris Marathon in his bacheca—a course he notes shares structural similarities with the second half in New York. Crippa can aim for a top-ten finish; a top-five placement could potentially lock down an early qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics.
Competition at the sharp end of the race remains fierce, featuring past champions like Abdi Nageeye and Geoffrey Kamworor. As tradition dictates, the course sweeps out of Staten Island, across the silent span of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, and into the roaring corridors of Brooklyn. From there, runners push through Queens, tackle the Queensboro Bridge, surge up First Avenue, cross into the Bronx at Mott Haven, and finally loop down Fifth Avenue toward the finish line by Central Park’s Tavern on the Green.
When the Running Stops and the Midterms Begin
Just forty-eight hours after the final runner clears Central Park, the city’s attention pivots sharply back to the political arena. The upcoming midterm elections serve as a judgment on Donald Trump’s second term, while local ballots feature the race for governor between Democrat Kathy Hochul and Republican Bruce Blakeman.
Zohran Mamdani, a socialist democrat in office since January 1st, completed the marathon in both 2022 and 2024. During those runs, his athletic attire doubled as political theater, featuring the slogan “Eric Adams Raised My Rent!” on the front and the campaign promise “Zohran Will Freeze It” stamped across the back.
For Sunday, however, those campaigns stay parked at the curb. Among the spectators at the grandstands of the final stretch will be 350 ordinary New Yorkers selected via a municipal lottery. Close to the finish line stands the memorial statue of Fred Lebow. The Romanian-born Holocaust survivor who was among the architects of the five-borough course famously completed the distance just once, walking alongside nine-time champion Grete Waitz in 1992 while managing in-remission brain cancer. As the cannons fire this Sunday, thousands will step up to honor that enduring legacy.
