The Great New York State Marathon took place around Onondaga Lake and provided racers the opportunity to meet personal athletic goals and raise money for charity
Supporters congratulated half marathon racers at the finish line, and encouraged marathon racers to keep going as they entered their second lap of Onondaga Lake. (Photograph by Gray Reed)
The Great New York State Marathon took place Saturday Oct. 19 and Sunday Oct. 20 in Syracuse. The courses consisted of pathways looping Onondaga Lake, taking runners through trails adorned with autumn leaves in the early morning hours of the weekend.
How does it work?
Events on Saturday included the 5K and 10K races, and the half and full marathons were held on Sunday. The full marathon, made up of two laps around Onondaga Lake, is a certified Boston Qualifier.
To participate, racers paid a sign-up fee depending on which event they planned to participate in. Single enrollment fees ranged from $35 to $110. Those looking to push themselves further could participate in the Excelsior Challenge: competing in one race on Saturday and one race on Sunday. Entry fees for this challenge ranged from $120 to $135.
Merchandise was available for participants and their supporters to purchase at the finish line, including hoodie and windbreakers. A food truck was also nearby, serving burgers, chicken tenders and more.
This tent displays the four different events offered at Onondaga Lake this weekend, included the 5K race, 10K race, half marathon and full marathon. (Photograph by Gray Reed)
Who are the racers?
For fiancés Nicole Delany and Tom Brown, signing up to run the half marathon provided an opportunity to continue pursuing athletics as both had been student athletes.
“It provides that challenge that we always kind of went through growing up playing sports,” Delany said. “So it just kind of gives us that challenge and kind of keeps our mental toughness going – and we get to do it together, so that’s the fun part.”
Delany and Brown are a part of the 48% of Americans who report participating in organized sports in either high school or college. Training for participation in a long distance race post graduation is a way for many to keep up with cardio work and stay in shape.
The couple use their shared passion of athletics to bring them closer, noting that running is a hobby they like to pursue together. They mentioned a shared goal of running more races together in the future.
“We always finish them together, start them together,” Brown said.
For others, running long distances is about challenging oneself. Such is the case for Central New York resident, Kyle Dobler, who set a new personal record of one hour and 55 minutes this past weekend while running the half marathon.
“This is probably my fifth or sixth half marathon now,” Dobler said. “So, yeah, I just wanted to get my new PR and I was under two hours.”
Dobler usually has run road races. However, he always felt it would be a good opportunity to run a race around Onondaga Lake. When the opportunity presented itself, he decided to give it a go.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Kyle Dobler: I’ve always seen the lake. I thought it’d be, always would be a good idea to take a lap around the lake. They finally offered that. I’ve been running road races. I ‘ve run a handful of them, and they had this one. This is probably my fifth or sixth half marathon now. So, yeah, just wanted to get my new PR. And I was under two hours.
Nicole Delany: I mean, I’m the one that keeps signing us up. This is our third one. We’re both student athletes, like our whole entire life, so like post-grad, just being in work, and it just helps with, like, getting into routines. And it like provides that challenge that we always kind of went through, like growing up, playing sports. So it just kind of gives us like that, like challenge, and kind of keeps our our, like mental toughness going.
Tom Brown: We always finish them together, start them together.
Delany: It’s our little, like, hobby that we like to do together.
Running for a Cause
While many participate in the races to accomplish personal goals, others run with the aim of helping others and giving back to the greater community. The Great New York State Marathon is partnered with Kayleigh’s Cause, a non-profit that raises awareness for rare diseases and provides support for families impacted. It also raises funds for research in the search to find a cure for arteriovenous malformation (AVM).
Individuals were able to donate directly to the cause on the marathon’s website. Proceeds made by the event also went toward supporting the non-profit.