The New York Marathon was a great success this year, with an exciting women’s finish and a new course record set in the men’s division by Ethiopian Tamirat Tola. Many top American marathoners sat out the race to save themselves for the US Olympic Trials in three months. 50,000 runners from countries all over the world ran the marathon and were welcomed with encouragement, excitement, and love from New Yorkers along the course.

The women’s lead pack heading down Fifth Avenue near the 24 mile mark. Kenyan Hellen Obiri (second in this photo) went on to win in 2:27:23.

Viola Cheptoo (Kenya) pulled ahead of Obiri but finished sixth in the end.

The top American woman was Kellyn Taylor. She led for most of the race but was caught by the lead pack and finished 8th.

Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia cruising to victory with no other runner near him. His time of 2:04:58 set a new course record.

New Yorkers with cowbells cheering the runners on

A runner from the Central Park Track Club is cheered by members of his club inside Central Park on the way to the finish line

Sometimes it hurts

Timing is everything at a water station

He ran the whole marathon with an Israeli flag draped on his back like a cape

Finishers got a medal, an orange poncho, and a bag of snacks at the finish line. Central Park West was a sea of orange as throngs of finishers exited the chutes, and this woman was absorbed in her phone.

Finishers resting on a bench on Central Park West