Celebrating the TCS New York City Marathon

NEW YORK -- This year marks the 50th anniversary of the New York City marathon.

ABC7NY celebrated it with a special half hour program that showcased some of the most memorable moments from the past 50 years, and highlighted the impact this now-iconic event has had on the city.

In our special half hour....

Born in Central Park: Learn about the early years of the race, including September 13, 1970 - the first time runners completed two loops of Central Park to vie for the NYC Marathon title. Find out how the event became a street race, forever changing the nature of urban marathoning, and hear from those who were there to see it all come together.

Elite and Everyday Runners: Our special spotlighted the best of the field over the years, and looked at how the blend of expert runners and citizen runners had given this event so much impact for so many in the city and around the world.

Pioneers: Who are still running today: Meet Gary Muhrcke, the amateur winner who got not much more than a handshake back in 1970, but who dedicated his career to running. See how he is still out there, putting in the miles around Central Park, running alongside his grandson, and cheerleading for the sport.

Going Virtual and Changing Up How We Race: We look at the need to change how we race in the COVID-19 era, and how technology is helping people execute on their running dreams during the pandemic.

Getting Going: The pandemic is affecting people in so many ways - including, often, a decrease in the amount of time spent commuting and on the move. Learn how to fight back - and hear from a man who is running again despite his own battle with COVID.

Learn about some Legends: The late Ted Corbitt is a towering figure in the history of running- who faced racism and discrimination and refused to slow down. He finished more than 200 marathons and ultra-marathons - and now his son is sharing his story with new generations of runners. And, we'll meet Joseph Gray - a man accomplishing many firsts as a Black athlete; he is one of the few elite level African-American long distance trail runners.

All that and much more is in our special, "Celebrating the TCS New York City Marathon."