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A Race Like No Other
The 49th Running of the New York City Marathon - As It Happens
On this page: Men's Race | Women's Race
We're on-site at the New York City Marathon and will be commenting on the race - as it happens. If you haven't yet, follow the links above to read the bios and look at the starter lists - so you know who the players are. Then, return to this page and refresh often. We'll have photos and post-race writeups after the race is over.
Refresh this page every few minutes to see the latest updates. We'll have all of the updates for all races on this one page - trying to make it as easy as possible for our readers to see what's happening.
Note, as you read these reports, they will appear in reverse chronological order.
Newest updates will be at the top of each section. Men's Race | Women's Race
Overview
The weather for the 2019 marathon looks perfect. The temperatures wil be in the low 40s for the start, rising just to the high 40s for the finish. With no clouds, that might actually feel a bit warm, but really it's perfect for both runners and spectators. The wind is set to be 6-8 mph from the West. With 95% of the course run on a north-south axis, that will have no effect on the runners. The other 5% of the course will be run into the wind, but wind won't be a factor.
Men's Race back to top
Mile 26 (2:07:11). Finish 2:08:13. Geoffrey Kamworor easily wins. We'll comment on the times at New York: Kamworor last won New York in 2017 in 2:10:53, while his best NYC time of 2:06:26 in 2018 was only good enough for third place. Hmmm.... Albert Korir hangs on for second place in 2:08:36. Sub-Elite runner (bib 443) Girma Bekele Gebre finishes third in 2:08:38 - a 7 minute PR! Jared Ward finishes as first American and 6th overall in 2:10:45. Abdi Abdirahman at 42-years old, just won't stop his career and finishes as 2nd American and 9th overall in 2:11:34.
Mile 25 (2:02:30). Geoffrey Kamworor is going to win... Behind, Albert Korir is in second place, but behind is the local subelite runner who will be a surprise podium finisher.
Mile 23 (1:53:20), MIle 24 (1:57:59). Geoffrey Kamworor, the 2017 champion is running away from the others. Albert Korir is alone in second, seven seconds back. In third place is the West Side Runners member, Girma Bekele Gebre, four seconds behind Korir.
Mile 21 (1:44:07), 35K (1:47:34), Mile 22 (1:48:43). Now we're confused... The local elite runner is hanging in there and we're told that he may have not jumped from one start to another. So, four runners remain: Tamirat Tola, Alber Korir, Geoffrey Kamworor AND Girma Bekele Gebre (wearing bib 443)... Still on track for a 2:09:something finish.
Mile 19 (1:34:12). Mile 20 (1:38:59). The pack has fallen down to four - this is the race. Running together are Albert Korir, Tamirat Tola, Geoffrey Kamworor and Shura Kitata. The group behind is 12 seconds behind.
Mile 16 (1:19:16), Mile 17 (1:24:16). Twelve men still in the lead pack including Abdi Abdirahman and Jared Ward.
Mile 14 (1:09:15), Mile 15 (1:14:13). Brett Robinson (AUS with a PR of 2:10:55, so this is fast for him!) is running hard up the bridge and is 10 seconds ahead of the rest of the pack.
Mile 13 (1:04:14), Halfway (1:04:49). The pack has caught Kitata and Tadesse Yae is setting the pace. The men are running toward a sub-2:10 finish, which is actually faster than the personal best for half of these men - it's a perfect day for a PR, but it's a tough course, some will not make it at this pace.
Mile 11 (54:10), Mile 12 (59:05). Kitata running slightly ahead of 12 other men.
Mile 10 (49:06). Shura Kitata is pushing the pace and out in the lead again... Fourteen men, including Americans Abdi Abdirahman and Jared Ward are still in the main pack four seconds behind Kitata.
Mile 7 (34:20), Mile 8 (39:12), Mile 9 (44:11). Lelisa Desisa has dropped out! Fifteen men remain in the lead pack, led by Shura Kitata. The men are running on pace for a 2:08ish finish.
Mile 5 (24:35), Mile 6 (29:28), 10K (30:32). 17 men in the lead pack (plus the three who are off course!). In the lead pack: Brett Robinson (AUS), Tadesse Yae Dabi (ETH), Shura Kitata (ETH), Abdi Abdirahman (USA), Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN), Albert Korir (KEN), Arne Gabius (GER), Jared Ward (USA), Mustafa Mohamed (SWE), Michel Butter (NED), Yoshiki Takenouchi (JPN), Stephen Sambu (KEN), Jack Rayner (AUS), Tamirat Tola (ETH), Andy Vernon (GBR), Lelisa Desisa (ETH), Daniel Mesfun (ERI)
Mile 4 (19:40). At the water tables, Yae bungled his bottle and stopped for a moment - Desisa turned around looking for his compatriot giving us the idea that the two were planning to work together. Kitata has moved out to the lead again. To confuse things, three of the local elite runners (Ethiopian runners with West Side Runners) has moved across the barrier from his start to run with the front pack - they should be disqualified, but getting some good television time!
Mile 2 (9:45), Mile 3 (14:38), 5K (15:09). Kitata has been swallowed back up by the pack, meanwhile Lelisa Desisa and Tadesse Yae have moved to the front. The men are running more than 35 seconds ahead of the time for this split from 2018 and are just five seconds behind the 5K split from Geoffrey Mutai's 2011 course record run.
Mile 1 (5:02). Shura Kitata, the 2018 runner-up ran hard from the start - a big uphill onto the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge. He is about 10 seconds ahead of the remaining pack of about 23 men.
The men's race has started. From the gun, Shura Kitata has run away from everyone else. What is he doing? We will find out.
The men's race will begin at 9:40AM. We'll have more when the race begins.
Women's Race back to top
Mile 26 (2:21:28), Finish (2:22:38). Joyciline Kosgei wins the NYC Marathon in her debut marathon. Her time is the second fastest ever in New York and missed the course record by just seven seconds. Mary Keitany holds on for second place in 2:23:32 - more than a minute behind! Ruti Aga finishes third in 2:25:51. Behind, Nancy Kiprop holds on for fourth place in 2:26:21 against a hard charging Sinead Diver who is two seconds behind. Desiree Linden is sixth and top American in 2:26:46, followed closely by compatriot Kellyn Taylor who finishes 7th in 2:26:52.
Mile 24 (2:10:51), Mile 25 (2:16:08). Joyciline Jepkosgei is for real. And she will win her debut marathon - wow. A course record? Maybe... Mary Keitany is 28 seconds back. Ruti Aga is nearly two minutes behind Keitany, but still nearly a minute ahead of fourth place.
Mile 23 (2:05:19). Jepkosgei has moved ahead of Keitany and has a five second lead. Coincidentally, the mile split was 5 seconds faster than the prior, so here are the scenarios: i) Keitany is maintaining pace and is letting the inexperienced Jepkosgei go out too fast, ii) Keitany is too tired to compete and will settle for runner-up spot, iii) Jepkosgei, the half-marathon record holder, is about to set the NYC Marathon course record in her debut marathon, or iv) Jepkosgei will hit the wall and struggle in. This is exciting!
35K (1:58:33), Mile 22 (1:59:57) Keitany and Jepkosgei now have a lead of 25 seconds on Aga. Aga is a full 1:30 ahead of fourth place and should be assured of a podium finish.
Mile 21 (1:54:30). Keitany and Jepkosgei have picked up the pace and now have a lead of 12 seconds on Aga. Will Keitany's experience give her the edge? Probably, but anything can happen.
Mile 20 (1:49:05). Ruti Aga seems to be falling back, leaving the race to the world-record holder in the marathon (and defending champion), Mary Keitany; and the world-record holder in the half-marathon in her debut marathon, Joyciline Jepkosgei. That's a neat story... Oh, and their time at mile 20 is 30 seconds faster than Margaret Okayo's time at mile 20 when she set the course record!
30K (1:41:47), Mile 19 (1:43:45). The top three have run the first 19 miles 1-1/2 minutes faster than Keitany ran the first 19 miles in 2018. They are moving quickly. Sara Hall has dropped out.
Mile 16 (1:27:16), Mile 18 (1:38:18). The top three women now have a 35 second lead on Nancy Kiprop and Desiree Linden who are running together in 4th/5th place.
Mile 15 (1:21:48). The three leaders are running up the hill that is the 59th St. Bridge. They have a 20 second lead on Kiprop and Linden.
Mile 14 (1:16:17). Nancy Kiprop and Desiree Linden have dropped back from the leaders. Three women remain: the two fastest in the field: Mary Keitany and Ruti Aga and the half marathon world-record holder: Joyciline Jepkosgei. These are the three who should be the leaders. They have sped up to a sub-2:23 pace - and these three can speed up from here!
Mile 13 (1:11:01). Halfway (1:11:39). Five women in the lead pack. Ruti Aga, Mary Keitany, Joyciline Jepkosgei, Nancy Kiprop and Desiree Linden. The top three will come from this group.
Mile 11 (1:00:14), Mile 12 (1:05:28). Desiree Linden is 12 seconds ahead of 6 other women. Belaynesh Fikadu and Sinead Diver are just behind.
Mile 8 (44:05), Mile 9 (49:30), 15K (51:10). Desiree Linden is running away from the field and has a six second lead ahead of the other 11 women. She is now running toward a finish faster than 2:24.
Mile 6 (32:57), 10K (34:08). Mile 7 (38:30). Still 12 women. Still running at a pace for a 2:24 finish. Now 3 minutes faster than the split time at mile 7 from 2018.
Mile 5 (27:33). 12 women remain in the lead pack, now running toward a 2:24ish finish time: Kellyn Taylor (USA), Sinead Diver (AUS), Mary Keitany (KEN), Desiree Linden (USA), Buze Diriba (ETH), Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN), Nancy Kiprop (KEN), Ellie Pashley (AUS), Belaynesh Fikadu (ETH), Mary Ngugi (KEN), Ruti Aga (ETH), Sara Hall (USA).
Mile 4 (22:11). 12 women continue along - led by Desiree Linden. The time is faster for the first miles than in past years, in fact the 4M split for 2018 was 24:22 - more than two minutes slower...
Mile 3 (16:37), 5K (17:12). The women are running in a large pack - still 12 women. A number of women are sharing the lead, Ruti Aga, Nancy Kiprop, Mary Keitany - but it is mostly Desiree Linden who is setting the pace. The pace is on track for a 2:26 ish finish - this is a good pace for these women.
Mile 1 (5:50), Mile 2 (11:10). Ellie Pashley (AUS, PB 2:26:21) and Desiree Linden have been sharing the lead. The pack has whittled down to about 12 women.
The women's race has started. About 30 women have started 30 minutes before the main field in the women's-only race. Only these runners are eligible for overall ranking and prize money. The race starts uphill on the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge and we'll have more updates when the women crest the bridge. Desiree Linden is running at the front and setting the pace, but it is too early to mean anything.
The women's race will begin at 9:10AM. Stay tuned here for updates as soon as the race begins.
Coverage Homepage
Post Race:
Men's Post-Race |
Women's Post-Race
| Complete Searchable Results
Pre-Race:
Men:
Men's Preview & Starter List
|
Men's Athlete Bios
Women:
Women's Preview & Starter List
|
Women's Athlete Bios
Head-to-Heads: Elite Athlete Past Matchups
Extras:
Pace Calculator/Pace Guide/Viewing |
Videos (Athletes/Archival/More...)
More News:
Press Releases |
News (other sources)
Featured Book/Movie:
Run For Your Life |
A Race Like No Other
| 
