WHERE CULTURE
COURIER L 10 IFE, NOVEMBER 8-14, 2019
Connie Pitsouis greeted runners as they ran through Brooklyn. Photo by Todd Maisel
KINGS OF
ENDURANCE
Brooklyn hosts 11 miles of world-renowned,
26.2-mile, fi ve borough marathon
BY BEN VERDE AND TODD MAISEL
More than 50,000 fi tness fanatics
took to the streets on Sunday for the
49th annual New York City Marathon,
where an international cadre of runners
pushed the limits of human endurance
during a grueling 26.2-mile
run through the fi ve boroughs.
“It’s tempting to just go home and
give it up,” said marathoner Jennie
Wang at the halfway mark by the Pulaski
Bridge in Greenpoint. “But, we
will keep going.”
The runners, who hailed from over
125 different countries, kicked off
their journey on Staten Island, before
crossing the Verrazzano Bridge for an
11-mile stretch through Kings County
— where thousands of Brooklynites
lined the running route to cheer on
the marathoners as they pounded the
pavement from southern Brooklyn to
Queens.
“We want them to know this is the
best borough in the city,” said Connie
Pitsouis, who welcomed the racers as
they fi rst entered Brooklyn with a sign
that read “Brooklyn: home to everyone
from everywhere.”
Mike Basile, who watched the runners
with his kids near 92nd Street,
said he’s made a yearly tradition of
watching the athletes with his children.
“It’s exciting for them, they like
the runners,” he said. “It’s a nice little
day.”
City transportation honchos had
blocked off the marathon route during
the day before the race, forcing parked
cars to vacate the streets — while thousands
of anti-terrorism cops manned
the route, despite no credible threats.
Runners ended their journey in
Central Park — where 26-year-old runner
Joyciline Jepskogi was the fi rstplace
female fi nisher at 2:22:38, and
26-year-old Geoffrey Kamworor took
home the gold medal in the men’s race
at 2:08:13.
Friends embrace as they spot eachother
along the route. Photo by Derrick Watterson
TICKETS FROM
KINGSTHEATRE.COM
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BROOKLYN, NY 11226
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