{"id":28690,"date":"2025-11-04T21:14:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T21:14:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/28690\/"},"modified":"2025-11-04T21:14:27","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T21:14:27","slug":"9-magic-moments-of-the-2025-new-york-city-marathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/28690\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Magic Moments of the 2025 New York City Marathon"},"content":{"rendered":"

Published November 4, 2025 09:46AM<\/p>\n

Marathoning is a time-obsessed business. And yet, over 200,000 people<\/a> threw their hats in the ring to run one of the slowest, most unpredictable marathons in the world.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re talking, of course, about the 2025 New York City Marathon<\/a>, a start line so elite only 2-3 percent of applicants got in. Take that, Columbia.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s because there is no place like New York, and there is no race like the one that goes through its five boroughs, over five bridges, and past millions of fans.<\/p>\n

Indeed, clear skies, crisp temps, and the specter of Halloween aligned for an electric 54th running on Sunday, November 2.<\/p>\n

Kenya\u2019s Hellen Obiri ripped a final sub-five-minute mile through the hills of Central Park to break the tape and the women\u2019s course record in two hours, 19 minutes, and 51 seconds. Countrymen Benson Kiprutu edged out Alexander Mutiso to win by three-hundredths of a second\u2014the narrowest margin ever.<\/p>\n

And behind them, 59,226 competitors, many dressed up for the holiday and for the Type 2 fun they\u2019d paid a hefty fee to enjoy, went on life-altering journeys of their own en route to the finish line\u2014a world-record number of marathon finishers.<\/p>\n

These are our favorite moments from one of our favorite days of the year.<\/p>\n

2025 New York City Marathon Results (Women)
\n2025 New York City Marathon Results (Men)
\n1. Hellen Obiri closed in a sub-5 mile to win.
\n\"HellenObiri runs the final half mile of the 2025 New York City Marathon, where she broke the 22-year-old course record in 2:19:51. (Photo: Derek Call )<\/p>\n

New York didn\u2019t hold back for Halloween weekend, but nothing was scarier than Hellen Obiri\u2019s fitness.<\/p>\n

Just as the lead pack of women reached the Bronx and mile 19, the creme de la creme separated themselves from the rest. That happened to be the three most recent New York City Marathon women\u2019s winners: Sheila Chepkirui (2024), Obiri (2023), and Sharon Lokedi (2022), leaving behind the likes of reigning Olympic gold medalist Sifan Hassan and 2024 U.S. Olympic trials champ Fiona O\u2019Keeffe.<\/p>\n

Obiri and Lokedi dropped a 5:04 25th mile over the rolling hills of Central Park to make it a two-woman race. But Obiri was just getting started. She threw down a 4:58 mile to shake off Lokedi and set a women\u2019s course record of 2:19:51. It\u2019s her fourth World Marathon Major title\u2014plus redemption from Boston this spring<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to be patient,\u201d Obiri said. \u201cWith 1K to go I felt like I was so strong. I have something left in my tank.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mind was like, \u2018I\u2019ve got this, I\u2019ve got this,\u201d she continued. \u201cJust push.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chepkirui took third for a Kenyan sweep. All three finished under the previous course record on a picture-perfect day with temperatures in the 50s at the start.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to overlook them because they win the \u201chard\u201d hilly marathons like Boston and New York. But don\u2019t be fooled: Obiri and Lokedi, and to some degree, Chepkirui, are pushing the sport forward. It was the same story in reverse this spring in Boston, with Lokedi and Obiri pushing each until the final 2K, when Lokedi pulled away and smashed the women\u2019s course record.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith Hellen I feel like it\u2019s just been back and forth. Maybe I have it this time, she has it the next time. But all in all, I\u2019m just happy we were there fighting all the way through.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. The men\u2019s race came down to 0.03 seconds\u2014the closest finish in history.
\n\"BensonBenson Kipruto and Alexander Mutiso in the final 800m. (Photo: Derek Call)<\/p>\n

One of the coolest parts of the New York City Marathon is that the pro women start 30 minutes before the men. That meant Obiri was the first able-bodied athlete to cross the finish line.<\/p>\n

We didn\u2019t think the women\u2019s finish could be topped, but then the men said, Hold my gel.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With the finish line in sight, Kenya\u2019s Benson Kipruto looked like he had the W in the bag. But then countryman Alexander Mutiso found new life. He reeled Kipruto with just feet to go and the two crossed the line in what appeared to be a tie. The clock gave Kipruto the win by three-hundredths of a second, making it the closest New York City Marathon finish in history.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started pushing towards the last two miles,\u201d Kipruto said. \u201cI tried pushing, and Mutisio was not letting me go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was not easy, it was hard,\u201d Mutisio said. \u201cI knew Benson was very strong. But I said, \u2018keep pushing.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Kipruto\u2019s fourth World Marathon Major title. Albert Korir finished third and sealed the deal for a double Kenyan sweep.<\/p>\n

3. No sponsor, no problem: Joel Reichow finished as the top American man, 6th overall.
\n\"joelReichow secures his place as top American, running a 2:09:56. (Photo: Derek Call)<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s a Cinderella story from New York this year, it\u2019s long-haired Minnesotan Joel Reichow. He seemingly came out of nowhere to finish sixth and top American.<\/p>\n

Of course, he didn\u2019t come out of nowhere. For the past five years, Reichow, 32, has methodically worked his way into the highest echelon of American distance running. Reichow made his marathon debut at the Marathon Project in 2020, running 2:15:45. Coming into this weekend, he\u2019d run as fast as 2:10:37 on the cruisy Chicago course in 2023. But running 2:09:56 in New York, to finish sixth at a World Marathon Major, is another level.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just started to see some of the top American guys coming back to us going into mile 24. I honestly had just been trying to convince myself to just stay on the group,\u201d Reichow said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s an opportunity here, just keep the pressure on and see what we can do and just trust yourself,\u201d Reichow recalls saying to himself.<\/p>\n

His performance is a big victory for the Minnesota Distance Elite team, home to a disproportionate number of rising stars including 2024 Olympian Dakota Lindwurm and Annie Frisbie, who finished fifth in the women\u2019s race.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been a little under the radar for a while, just kind of putting in work year after year and slowly putting it together,\u201d Reichow said. \u201cI just wanted to prove that I can compete with the top Americans, and I definitely did that today.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Fiona O\u2019Keeffe is back.
\n\"fionaO\u2019Keeffe shattered Molly Seidel\u2019s American NYCM course record from 2021. (Photo: Derek Call )<\/p>\n

Welcome to New York, Fiona O\u2019Keeffe, and welcome back to the top of American distance running.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Keeffe, who put on a dazzling display to win the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in her debut last winter, walked off the Olympic marathon course many miles too soon in injury. Well, she\u2019s back, and seemingly stronger than ever.<\/p>\n

The American women showed up, with four placing in the top 10. But it was O\u2019Keefe, 24, who ran fearlessly with three former champions and the reigning Olympic champion, only slipping off the leaders over the final seven or so miles.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really exciting to be up there with those women because I feel like I have so much to learn from them,\u201d she said. \u201cI really respect the amazing careers that they\u2019ve had so far. They are definitely role models and people that I hope to be mixing it up with.\u201d<\/p>\n

After getting popped from the leaders, O\u2019Keeffe kept calm, running remarkably consistently in those largely solo and quite hilly final miles to finish fourth in 2:22:49 as the top American. She shattered Molly Seidel\u2019s American course record from 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like the marathon definitely rewards patience,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s been a big lesson for me, because I think as athletes we have a tendency to get caught up in whatever is right ahead of us and go 110 percent on that, so it\u2019s been a little bit about measuring out the effort and take the long view.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. A record-tying 203 women broke 3 hours.<\/p>\n

Maybe it\u2019s the super shoes. Maybe it\u2019s the carbs. Maybe it\u2019s the 2:37:00 Olympic Trials Qualifying standard. Or maybe it\u2019s something else entirely, but women continue to raise the bar at every level.<\/p>\n

For the second year in a row, exactly 203 of 27,156 women finished in under three hours, Allison Wade of Fast Women pointed out. That\u2019s over twice as many from 2023, and basically every year before that.<\/p>\n

6. Wicked\u2019s Fiyero performed twice on Marathon Sunday\u2014after running the race.
\n\"BroadwayBroadway star Jordan Litz ran a 3:40:53 New York City marathon. (Photo: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Not to take anything away from the mind-blowing achievements at the front of the race, but a 37-year-old man from New Jersey named Jordan Litz may have stolen the show\u2014quite literally.<\/p>\n

After taking off from the Verrazono Bridge at 9:10 a.m., Litz ran a 3:40:53 marathon (8:26 minutes-per-mile pace) before transforming into Prince Fiyero for the 2 p.m. performance of Wicked on Broadway.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy body\u2019s ready for it,\u201d he told the New York Times<\/a> before the race. \u201cAt the end of the day, as long as I\u2019ve refueled, I feel fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

If that\u2019s not crazy enough, he performed again for the evening show at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

Litz, a standout collegiate swimmer who qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials, trained for this triple performance for months, routinely running 18 or 19 miles before a double Broadway performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday, I felt all the love on the road and on the stage. So many people lifted me up and supported me through one of the most challenging and rewarding days I\u2019ve ever lived,\u201d Litz wrote on Instagram<\/a>. \u201cThere were smiles, there were struggles, there were hugs and there were tears. Thank you all for helping me make this crazy dream come true.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. A 91-year-old finished.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s never too late to go after your dreams.<\/p>\n

Japan\u2019s Koichi Kitabatake didn\u2019t start running until his mid-70s, the New York Times reports<\/a>. On Sunday, he finished the New York City Marathon in 7:25:13\u2014at age 91.<\/p>\n

Kitabatake picked up running after cataract surgery made him give up swimming. Over the past 13 years, he\u2019s run 34 marathons, including three this year.<\/p>\n

His secret to success? Minimal training\u2014Kitabatake runs a few miles twice a week\u2014and stretching.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the only nonagenarian to finish the race this year, and just the seventh ever. And he can\u2019t stop anytime soon\u2014he\u2019ll have to return to Staten Island in 2027 if he wants to set the age record.<\/p>\n

8. Eliud Kipchoge announced his next adventure.
\n\"Eliud(Photo: Derek Call)<\/p>\n

What would marathoning be without the GOAT? Luckily, we don\u2019t have to find out anytime soon. Eliud Kipchoge finished 17th in 2:14:36\u2014a testament that his highest performance days are behind him. But he\u2019s not done yet, kinda.<\/p>\n

After the race, the marathon\u2019s rockstar announced he\u2019s going on tour\u2014running seven marathons on seven continents in the next two years. His goal, he said, is to preach \u201cthe gospel of running, trying to tell people to get out of their doors to run for their lives, for their minds, for their countries, for peace, for purity of this world, for education in this world, for environment and tech health, this planet is the only home we have.\u201d<\/p>\n

His \u201ctransition\u201d (the man will not say the word retirement, it seems) comes on the heels of his running his sixth world major\u2014a feat that he said made him feel like a real marathoner.<\/p>\n

Before the race, he told Outside Run what his goals were in running going forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cA successful race is certainly starting and finishing in a good way, a happy way, able to entertain people,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s a successful race. I don\u2019t measure success by winning. I measure success by the thing that I am finishing. I measure success by closing and crossing the finish line.<\/p>\n

9. You can\u2019t watch the final finisher without shedding a tear.<\/p>\n

Technically, the New York City Marathon cut-off is 10 hours. But technicalities are sometimes overrated.<\/p>\n

Surrounded by friends, fans, and randos swept up in the power of the moment, Juan Pablo Dos Santos, a Venezuelan amputee athlete who lost his legs in a traffic accident, became the final finisher at 12:34 a.m. He broke the makeshift tape in 15:21 to the tune of bystanders singing the Venezuelan national anthem.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is why [the] NYC Marathon is the best marathon,\u201d someone wrote on an Instagram video capturing the moment. \u201cOther races have strict time limits, but NY keeps the streets open for anyone to finish their dreams!\u201d<\/p>\n

A finisher\u2019s medal was dropped around his neck as he pumped one fist in the air and held the Venezuelan flag in the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cTHIS is why I work for the NYC Marathon (I work in HR),\u201d someone else commented. \u201cThese moments are what keep us all going. Many of us had been awake for over 24 hours at this point but we do it gladly every year for moments like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

We can\u2019t wait to do it all over again next year.<\/p>\n