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The 2024 New York City Marathon was more than just a race—it was a celebration of community, resilience, inclusivity, and the authentic spirit of runners of all abilities from around the world. With 55,000 participants weaving their way through New York’s five boroughs, the event transformed the city into a running holiday.

Quite a bit happened on this beautiful November day. It was 46 degrees at the start of the women’s race and the thermometer held steady in the mid- to upper-40s for the majority of the morning. But even with blue skies and cool temps, no course records fell. And, to those who don’t know New York, the winning times might seem mediocre at best. But #IYKYK, as they say, and the real story that unfolded was the smart and tactical races that played out on both the women’s and men’s sides.

There were also celebs, exciting announcements, and emotional moments that made it easy to see why New Yorkers call this the best day of the year, and why most runners, no matter how fast they run, love this race like no other. All in all, 2024 New York City Marathon lived up to the hype.

Here’s a look at 12 reasons why the 2024 New York City Marathon was freaking awesome.

#1 Kenyan Women Sweep the Top 3

This is not unexpected in New York, which is why it suits Kenya’s Hellen Obiri well and why the 34-year-old Boulder, Colorado-based runner, one of the most epic kickers in the sport, came in as the reigning champ and favorite to win again. But her compatriot, Sheila Chepkirui, was ready to challenge her, staying in near lockstep with Obiri until the half-mile to go point when she pulled away.

“The last turn was really tough,” Chepkirui, 33, said after the race. “I was still with Hellen. I told myself to push to the finish line.”

Chepkirui came through the finish first in 2 hours 24 minutes and 35 seconds. Obiri took second in 2:24:49.

“Sheila seemed so strong,” Obiri said. “So I said ‘let me try to fight for second place then.’”

The final Kenyan woman to make the podium was Vivian Cheruiyot who placed third with a time of 2:25:21. Cheruyiot, who is an Olympic gold medalist in the 5K, surged to the front a few times in the latter half of the race and seemed comfortable in the lead pack until the final two miles when Obiri and Chepkirui ran away with it. Having placed second at the 2018 New York City Marathon, Cheruyiot, 41, said that she felt she ran a solid race. As a masters runner, she says she has not changed her training at all since turning 40.

“You have to be focused,” she said following the race. “But the training is the same and has been for a very long time.”

#2 Sara Vaughn Runs a Gutsy Race

After dropping out of the Chicago Marathon on October 13 due to the lingering effects of Covid, she immediately set her sights on New York and extended her training for three more weeks. Overall, she was pleased with her performance. (And said it was worth missing her daughter’s state cross country meet on Saturday to be in New York.)

#3 Three American Women in the Top 10

Arizona-based runners Jessica McClain and Kellyn Taylor came next for the Americans after Vaughn. McClain, 32, of Phoenix, placed eighth in 2:27:19, and Taylor, 38, of Flagstaff, was 10th in 2:27:59. After the race, McClain, who finished fourth in the U.S. Olympic Trials in both the marathon and 10,000 meters—and thus twice missed making it to the Paris Olympics by the narrowest of margins—said she felt strong throughout the race. Taylor said she was coming off knee surgery and felt happy to be out there and able to perform. It was Taylor’s fourth top-10 finish in New York, coming a year after she placed eighth in 2:29:48.

#4 Three American Men in the Top 10

While Somali-born Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands ran to victory in 2:07:39 in his fifth time running the New York City Marathon, Americans Conner Mantz and Clayton Young ran well in their debuts in the Big Apple. The Utah-based Olympians came in sixth (2:09:00) and seventh (2:09:21), respectively.

Known for his fierce racing style, the 27-year-old Mantz said he felt “frustrated” by the slow pace throughout the first half of the race. He reported hearing fellow American CJ Albertson wonder aloud to his compatriots if it might be worth speeding it up and pushing the pace a bit. That’s exactly what Albertson and fellow U.S. runner Frank Lara did as the race wound its way through the final section of Queens and over the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan. Albertson went on to place 10th in 2:10:57 (just three weeks after lowering his personal best to 2:08:17 in the Chicago Marathon), while Lara finished 13th in a new PB of 2:11:21. Mantz said the thought of ramping up the pace seemed like a fun idea, but he ultimately stuck to the race plan of coach Ed Eyestone, which was more or less for Mantz and Young to conserve as much energy as possible to remain strong for the closing miles.

“I’m still figuring out the marathon distance,” Mantz said after the race.

RELATED: Mantz, Vaughn Run to Top U.S. Finishes in the New York City Marathon

#5 Des Gets Gritty in the Second Half

Before the race, two-time U.S. Olympian Des Linden told RUN that she wished she had three more weeks of a marathon build. Of course, that didn’t stop the tenacious 27-time marathoner from running another good race. The Charlevoix, Michigan-based runner wound up 11th in 2:29:32 and second behind Cheruiyot among masters runners.

“I felt like I ran that one really well,” the 41-year-old Linden said after the race. “I exceeded my fitness. I didn’t give up when I was tired.”

She explained that she was between the lead pack and the chase pack, in no man’s land, where she finds herself a lot. “The theme of the day was to be gritty,” she said.

Next up? Some leisurely trail running in New Zealand.

#6 Jenny Takes the Lead (For a Moment)

Jenny Simpson came into the New York City Marathon on a mission to have fun. The four-time global championship medalist in the 1500 meters—which includes winning gold in the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, and taking the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics—announced she was retiring after the New York City Marathon. So, when the opportunity to jump to the front of the pack in mile eight presented itself, Simpson made her move, soaking in the crowd’s cheers. The rest of the lead pack seemed to slow slightly, allowing her to be front and center ahead of the field, almost as if it was a final nod of respect to her career. Simpson placed 18th with a time of 2:31:54, just off the personal best she set in the Boston Marathon in April.

#7 Dakotah and Des Continue Their ‘Rivalry’

Linden told the crowd gathered at the Brooks Hyperion House on Thursday night for the live special edition of her and Kara Goucher’s podcast “Nobody Asked Us” that she was ready to “slay” fellow American Dakotah Popehn (née Lindwurm). Popehn took it all in stride, laughing after the race about Linden’s teasing. And, at least for this race, Linden didn’t even need an age-graded time conversation to slay, which was how she was intending to best the 29-year-old.

Popehn was aiming for a podium finish, and even led the pack briefly, but got dropped from the front group around mile 17. “It felt really good until it didn’t,” she told RUN after the race. She placed 17th in 2:31:45.

#8 Cameron Wurf Goes From Kona to New York

Perhaps the toughest performance of the day came from Australian professional cyclist and triathlete Cameron Wurf. Just eight days after placing seventh at the 2024 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in 7:51:26—with splits of 52:25 for the 2.4-mile swim, 4:03:59 for the 112-mile bike section, and 2:50:11 for the 26.2-mile run—ran the New York City Marathon in 2:36:22. The 41-year-old athlete is no stranger to impressive feats, with four Ironman wins over the span of seven years (Wales 2017, Australia 2019, Italy 2019, Copenhagen 2021). If you’re unfamiliar, Wurf was an Olympic rower and road cyclist before becoming an Ironman pro in 2016. He was the oldest rider on the WorldTour circuit for UCI WorldTeam Ineos Grenadiers this year and notched his third top-10 finish in the Ironman World Championship. Was the marathon was just an easy recovery jog for him?

#9 Vinny Trolls the Jersey Shore Crew

Vincent Guadagnino, the 36-year-old former star of the Jersey Shore series on MTV, finished his first marathon in 4:20:03. The reality TV icon was thrilled to run the race which took him from where he grew up in Staten Island to where he currently lives in Manhattan. When asked if this would replace the “G” in “Gym, Tan, Laundry”—the popular daily routine among the show’s stars—he was adamant that the rest of his castmates would not be able to Run, Tan, Laundry at all.

#10 Announced in NYC: A New World Major Marathon

The excitement from the day was not complete even after the elite and notable racers finished. The Sydney Marathon was named the seventh event of the World Marathon Majors series at a press event on Sunday. It joins Boston, Berlin, London, Chicago, Tokyo, and New York. The 2025 race is slated for August 31. The Chengdu Marathon in China and the Cape Town Marathon in South Africa are also under long-term consideration to join the World Marathon Majors.

#11 Gabby Thomas Loves The Marathon…For You

Three-time 2024 Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas acted as the official Grand Marshal of the New York City Marathon this year. And while the 27-year-old sprinter was inspired by the long-distance athletes, she has no intention of running more than a mile anytime soon. The 200-meter specialist says she’ll stick to the track—sprints specifically. “I love this for them,” she said of the 55,000 New York City marathon runners.

#12 A New Crocs Marathon Record

Kevin Leimkuhler, 31, of the Denver-based Citius Run Club broke the world record for the fastest marathon ever run in a pair of Crocs by running the New York City Marathon in 2:51:27. Not only is that 6:33 per mile wearing semi-soft foam clogs, Leimkuhler’s time was just 13 minutes off his personal best of 2:38 set in super shoes. The previous Crocs world record was 2:58:24 by British runner Chris Howett at the Manchester Marathon earlier this year.

RELATED: An Ode to the New York City Marathon