2023 New York Marathon Preview
This Sunday, the Abbotts World Marathon Majors will reach its final stop on the calendar at the New York City Marathon. The most popular footrace in the world is set to attract more than 50,000 finishers and will see athletes running through all five boroughs of New York as they trace their way along the Harbour and East River to finish in Manhattan’s iconic Central Park.
The annual marathon running season gets split between the northern hemisphere’s autumn and spring (none of the Marathon Majors take place in the southern hemisphere). This year’s autumn marathons have been marked by fast times, with Tigst Assefa smashing the women’s world record in Berlin and Kelvin Kiptum bettering the men’s world record two weeks later in Chicago. While these performances were incredible to watch in their own right, they have left much to be desired in terms of racing: the average margin of victory was almost three minutes across the four men’s and women’s races.
The New York Marathon will be much closer, for two main reasons. The first is the elevation gain, which is more than triple that of Berlin or Chicago. Serving as a great equaliser, the hills consistently punish those who push too hard at the start and reward those who bide their time. This often leads to exciting finishes and is part of the reason why four races in the last five years have been decided by 10 seconds or less.
The second reason is that there is no clear favourite on the men’s or the women’s side.
Elite Women
The New York Marathon, arguably the least premiere of the three autumn Marathon Majors, usually gets the leftover talent not featured in Berlin or Chicago. However, this year’s elite women’s field includes five of the best marathon runners in the world, and while we probably won’t see times like we did in the other autumn marathons, we will undoubtedly be treated to an enthralling race.
Reigning Olympic Marathon Champion, Peres Jepchirchir, is among those five, although her participation in Sunday’s race is still in question. The three-time World Half Marathon Champion and 2021 New York Marathon winner sustained a calf injury last weekend, which was still bothering her at yesterday’s press conference.
“I’m not happy at all because when I’m preparing [for] something, then all of a sudden I get injured. I accept it’s part of it, training and injuries, but it’s disturbed me mentally…I don’t know if I will race.”
It’s a frustrating case of déjà vu for Jepchirchir, who a year ago missed out on trying to defend her 2021 New York title on account of injury.
Jepchirchir’s compatriot, Brigid Kosgei, is also no stranger to injury. The former world record holder has not completed a marathon since the March of 2022, but assures us she is healthy ahead of Sunday’s race.
“Now I’m feeling good,” she explained, although she admitted that her training for New York was not at the standard that it was when she broke the world record in 2019. Nevertheless, she pointed out that the races are very different, and a 2:14 performance will not be necessary to win in the Big Apple.
Also hailing from Kenya is Hellen Obiri, who placed sixth in last year’s New York Marathon and won in Boston earlier this year. Obiri’s coach, former American record holder Dathan Ritzenhein, believes Obiri “can run 2:11 if she was to go to Valencia or Berlin and have pacers and perfect weather. But she’s a competitor. Maybe one day we’ll do that, but really for her it’s about the competition and trying to win the major marathons...She really does want to come back to New York and have another crack at it after last year.”
Ritzenhein noted that Obiri is “definitely [in] the best shape I’ve ever seen her in,” before proudly detailing one of the sessions she completed in the build-up to New York.
Those who follow the sport closely will know of the fabled Magnolia Road. “Mags”, as it is affectionately known, is a hilly, high-altitude road in Boulder, Colorado, with a cult-like following among those looking to punish themselves.
“I ran 17 miles on Mags one time shortly before I won the NCAA championships, at about that pace [5:48/mile],” Ritzenhein explained.
“She ran 21 miles.”
Hellen Obiri trains on Magnolia Road in Boulder, Colorado
The other Kenyan worth talking about is defending champion, Sharon Lokedi. Lokedi has battled injury all year and has not raced since last year’s New York Marathon. However, the former NCAA champion claims she is now healthy and ready to compete in what will be only her second career marathon.
“Last year, I came into the TCS New York City Marathon with the goal of being in the thick of the race, and the result was better than I could have ever hoped for, this year, I'm returning with a different mindset, hungry to defend my title and race against the fastest women in the world.”
The final big name on the list hails from Ethiopia. Letesenbet Gidey is the world record holder in the 10,000m and the half marathon and produced the fastest-ever marathon debut when she crossed the line in 2:16:49 in Valencia in 2022. After competing on the track at the World Athletics Championship in August, Gidey has returned her attention to the road and will start in her second marathon on Sunday. In contrast to Valencia last year, Gidey says she is focused only on winning and is not concerned about the time. If she is to claim the New York Marathon title, she will have to upset a large contingent of Kenyan athletes: of the fastest eight women at this year’s New York Marathon, Gidey is the only one not from Kenya.
Elite Men
Unlike the women’s race, the men’s field is by far the shallowest of the 2023 Major Marathons. Only four athletes on the start line have ever run under 2:06: the lowest of any other Major this year was eight. Nevertheless, there is still a sense of excitement for this year’s race, with Ethiopian marathon stars Tamirat Tola and Shura Kitata expected to clash with North American marathon record holder, Cameron Levins, and Kenyan debutant, Edward Cheserek.
The world champion last year, Tola starts this race as the fastest in the field on account of his 2:03:40 performance in Valencia last December. While he did drop out of his most recent marathon at the World Athletics Championships in August, he regrouped to win the Great North Run two weeks later. The Ethiopian has won just three of his 16 career marathons, but will likely still be the man to beat on Sunday.
Kitata has twice finished second in this race – most recently in the 2022 edition – and will be looking to finally upgrade his silver to gold. While the Ethiopian has produced some impressive performances in the past (including winning the 2020 London Marathon ahead of Eliud Kipchoge), he comes into the New York Marathon in questionable form after finishing just 14th in Boston earlier this year.
Tola and Kitata may be the favourites, but there is plenty of intrigue surrounding Canadian, Cameron Levins, and debutant, Edward Cheserek.
No Canadian has ever won the New York Marathon, but when asked about his chances, Levins responded confidently.
“I believe [I can win]. Yeah absolutely. I’m feeling good about it, and I’ve nailed some big workouts.”
Levins’ journey to the marathon has been arduous, but his recent performances certainly put him within striking distance of the win on Sunday. He is coming off a fourth-place finish at the 2022 World Athletics Championships and a 2:05:36 performance in Tokyo earlier this year to set the North American record. If the Ethiopian pair seeded ahead of him falters, there is no reason why the Canadian should not be able to claim the title.
Edward Cheserek is an unknown quantity over the marathon. The Kenyan claimed an unprecedented 17 NCAA titles in his time at the University of Oregon, but has had a largely frustrating professional career. In six professional seasons, he has competed in just two Diamond Leagues (finishing 15th and 7th) and never run at a global championship. While he has no personal experience on the New York Marathon course, he was in the city last year to watch his fiancée, Sharon Lokedi, win the event.
Aside from his inexperience, Cheserek may also be held back by his shoes. Regardless of your opinion on the matter, it’s undeniable that shoe technology has made a dramatic impact on the marathon-running world. Cheserek is a Skechers athlete, a company that barely sponsors any other professionals and does not have the capacity to compete with the likes of Nike and Adidas in what has been coined “the supershoe arms race.”
“We’re getting better, but probably not close to other shoes,” explained Cheserek, acknowledging that his footwear may present a disadvantage come Sunday.
Nevertheless, the Kenyan is taking his graduation from the track very seriously. He has moved back to his home country to train with marathon world record holder, Kelvin Kiptum, and is reassured by the fact that he “was hanging in there [in workouts]”. Cheserek put his newfound form on display seven weeks ago when he comfortably dismissed 2:04 marathoner Bernard Koech to win the Copenhagen Half Marathon in 59:11.
In what is perhaps a welcome shift away from the tones of the Berlin and Chicago Marathons, the New York Marathon is unlikely to take the form of a glorified time trial. Instead, this year’s race will be exactly that: a race. With no clear favourites on either side, spectators can expect a host of exciting storylines that will likely culminate in a close finish.
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