2006 NYC Marathon Has Drama, Surprises
BY LINDA J. WILSON
When the 37,000-plus runners in last Sunday's New York City Marathon crossed the Pulaski Bridge and entered Long Island City, they Wcould take pride in having passed the halfway point of the 26.2-mile racecourse. As was the case through the rest of the five boroughs, a crowd of volunteers handed cups of water to the runners and joined with other spectators in providing a psychological boost with their cheers.

Photo Linda Rose Runners pass the Citicorp Tower in Long Island City in the Queens stretch of the 2006 New York City Marathon. Some 37,000 athletes participated in the race, starting out on Staten Island and going through part of all five boroughs before coming to the finish line in Manhattan's Central Park.

This year, Brazilian Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil finished far ahead of the rest of the pack to complete the race in 2 hours 9 minutes 58 seconds. The 29- year-old Gomes dos Santos was the first South American to win the race and for the final seven miles was far ahead of the other finishers. His victory meant that for the first time in a decade an African runner did not win the New York City Marathon. Last year's winner, Paul Tergat of Kenya, came in third at 2:10:10. Two American runners, Peter Gilmore of San Mateo, California and Dathan Ritzenhein of Boulder, Colorado came in 10th and 11th, respectively, at 2:13:13 and 2:14:01; Gilmore was the fastest American man in the 2006 race.

Latvian Jelena Prokopcuka led the women racers with a time of 2:25:5, and, like Gomes dos Santos, left a field of favorites behind as she defended her 2005 title. Tatiana Hladyr of Ukraine finished a minute behind Prokopcuka. American favorite Deena Kastor, on whom had rested hopes to put and end to a 29-year-long dearth of American winners in the women's division, finished sixth in 2:27:54.

In contrast to the media extravaganza that is today's New York City Marathon, the first race had humble beginnings. In 1970, 127 runners paid a $1 entry fee to the New York Road Runners (NYRR) to participate in a 26.2-mile race that looped several times within Central Park. Fiftyfive runners crossed the finish line.

NYRR President Fred Lebow, also the New York City Marathon co-founder, in 1976 redrew the racecourse, taking it through all five boroughs. Some 2,090 runners lined up at the start for the chance to run through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Manhattan. The expanded course attracted two-time Olympic marathon medalist Frank Shorter, along with reporters and television cameras. Thousands of spectators lined the streets and cheered the runners. By reconfiguring the course, Lebow had drawn the city together and attracted recognition from around the world.

In 2000, NYRR added an official wheelchair division; today the ING New York City Marathon has grown to become one of the most competitive wheelchair marathons anywhere in the world, with more than 140 wheelchair and handcycle athletes. In addition, a wide variety of ambulatory athletes with disabilities participate. In 2003, ING became the title sponsor of the race.

The race has grown bigger and more significant during the past 30 years and today is considered a major sporting event that draws participants and coverage from around the world. Among the athletes

entered in the 2006 marathon was Lance Armstrong, seven-time winner of the Tour de France bicycle race. Armstrong crossed the finish line in 2:59:36 seconds, finishing 869th. The marathon was the greatest physical challenge he had experienced, he said.