Runners of the First Running Boom
Photo provided by Larry Sillen Photography.
What was it like to be a runner in New York City back in 1976, the year of the first 5-boro New York City Marathon?
Several weeks before the 50th anniversary of that race, a group of runners gathered to reminisce and trade stories from the 1970s and '80s, when running in NYC was very different.
Those who ran the first 5-boro marathon shared their memories of the race and reflected on the differences between then and now.
Mike Cleary: “Meeting All the Great Runners”
“Two thousand–plus runners crossing the Verrazzano Bridge had never been done before,” said Mike Cleary, a top New York–area runner who finished the 1976 New York City Marathon in 2:54:33. Mike remembered “meeting all the great runners on the Friday and Saturday before at the West Side Y, which was the number pickup center, and talking to the likes of Ron Hill, Jack Foster, and Chris Stewart”—some of the world’s best distance runners in those days.
Mike commented on the differences in the running scene between 1976 and 2026: “Back then, everyone who ran was a serious runner, and now it’s just an event.” That may be an overstatement, but it’s worth noting that the average finish time of the 1976 New York City Marathon was 3:31:55, compared to 4:32:25 for the 2025 race.
Mike, who organized the gathering, called it “a reunion targeting the athletes, officials, and fans of our sport during the early years of NYRR history, 1958–1990.” He reached out to attendees from around the country, including Gary Corbitt, son of the legendary
Ted Corbitt, the founding president of NYRR and the visionary trailblazer of the 5-boro New York City Marathon.
Mike hopes the reunion will be an annual event. “The reason I started this was that we were losing people, and I wanted to get everybody together and remember the old days,” he said.
Lynn Blackstone: “I Felt I Was a Star”
“At the end of Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn, [former NYRR president] Aldo Scandurra was at the right turn and commented as I passed, ‘What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here yet.’ In other words, I went out too fast,” said Lynn Blackstone, who finished 11th in the women’s field, running 3:29:58.
“Running [on] First Avenue remains one of the best experiences of my life and one that I hope every marathoner experiences,” she said. “I felt I was a star with everyone cheering. No matter one’s pace or place, the runner is the star on First Avenue.”
Lynn’s performance qualified her for the 1977 Boston Marathon, where she also ran sub-3:30.
“The New York City Marathon is the best, most spectacular and inclusive event annually in the city,” said Lynn, who at age 86 still runs multiple NYRR races each year. “It positively invites and accepts the participation of all."
Peter Roth: “We Were Birthing Something”
“The race was a new experience for all the runners due to the enormous number of us,” said Peter Roth, who finished in 3:35:32. “I think everyone felt we were birthing something. The crowds along the way were great.”
Peter remembered a feature of the course that’s now considered an urban myth but persists in the minds of some 1976 finishers: “What stands out was to run up the stairway to cross over the FDR Drive and then down again to run over to First Avenue.”
The finish area, Peter said, “was not at all official looking. Just a crowd on both sides and no real designation of crossing the finish line except for timers standing there.” He doesn’t recall receiving a medal.
Peter served for years on NYRR’s board of directors and remains a board member emeritus; he attended many post-marathon debriefings. “There was always a lot for us to discuss,” he said. “This might be the best reason the race kept getting better. The public always thought it was a great job, but we knew so many things that weren't working out like they should have.”
Dave Obelkevich: “The Crowds Were Pressed In So Closely”
Dave Obelkevich has run every 5-boro New York City Marathon, the only person to have achieved this feat.
His most vivid memory from the 1976 race is the throngs of spectators. “When turning onto First Avenue, it was astonishing that the crowds were pressed in so closely that it was impossible to pass the runner in front of me for several miles,” he said.
Dave finished the marathon in 1974 and dropped out in 1975. Both races took place entirely in Central Park, with little fanfare. In 1976, “The dramatic increase in spectators from tens to thousands was an incredible experience and boost,” he said.
Now 83, Dave said he's grateful to have participated back when “all of the people in the race were serious runners.” But he’s equally thankful to be part of this year’s field. “Nowadays, many people finish the race as a lifetime bucket-list event, and forever they can say, ‘I am a marathoner!’”