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Pitt | Culture > News

26.2 Miles In New York City

Jenna Woelke Student Contributor, University of Pittsburgh
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Pitt chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

While most of us were recovering from Halloweekend, thousands of runners stepped up to the starting line on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, waiting to begin the New York City Marathon. I’m not much of a runner myself, but something about choosing to race 26.2 miles through New York City is truly fascinating to me. Honestly, I find it pretty impressive that people have the motivation to train for months on end, then show up on race day with enough determination to make it to the finish line even when every muscle in their body is begging them to slow down. 

The New York City Marathon was not always the worldwide phenomenon that it is today. When the first race happened on September 13, 1970, runners paid one dollar to enter. Of the 127 who started, 55 of them actually crossed the finish line. What simply began as a small loop around Central Park has since grown into a course that passes through all five NYC boroughs. 

This year marks 50 years since the race expanded into a 5-borough route in 1976. Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui won the women’s race with a time of 2:24:36, and Sweden’s Andreas Almgren won the men’s race in 2:06:01. In his marathon debut, Almgren became the first Swede to win in New York City, and his time was the second-fastest marathon run by a Swedish man. The two winners were awarded a $100,000 prize and headed straight to national television to make their appearance on Good Morning America. On the Monday after the race, finishers visited iconic landmarks in New York City wearing their medals, continuing a long-standing tradition for these champions. 

After reading up on the ins and outs of this marathon, I realized getting to the starting line might be more of a challenge than making it to the end. Over 240,000 people applied to run in the 2026 marathon, but only 61,529 crossed the starting line. There are many ways to earn your spot, all managed by the New York Road Runners (NYRR). For the general lottery system, runners can apply but are not guaranteed to be selected. If you are a member of the NYRR, your process looks a little different. Active members can earn guaranteed entry by completing nine NYRR races and volunteering at one official event. 

Racing is not cheap. For NYRR members, entry into the marathon costs $255, and $315 for nonmembers. This doesn’t even include travel and staying in New York City, plus any gear needed to train. 

If this is all sounding a little out of reach as a college student interested in running, there are options right in our backyard. The Pittsburgh Marathon will be held the weekend of May 1, 2027. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and the entry fee is $110. The weekend has something for every training level. It includes a half marathon, a five-person marathon relay, and a 5K. 

I might never run a marathon in my lifetime, and honestly, I’m okay with that. Watching thousands of people take on something this big is motivating for anything else in life. Most of them weren’t just chasing the prize money, but running to prove to themselves that they could do it. 

Jenna Woelke

Pitt '29

Jenna Woelke is a Sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of Her Campus. She is currently majoring in media and professional communications on the corporate/community relations track with plans to pursue a double minor in information science and sociology, as well as a certificate in professional writing. In addition to Her Campus, Jenna is a member of Omega Phi Alpha. In her free time, she loves to run/walk outside, go to the gym, get coffee, play the piano, spend time with family and friends, and travel!