New York is the Big City. The Big Apple.
And the New York City Marathon is big. But just how big?
Once upon a time — its first year, 1970 — a mere 55 runners finished. Through the 70s, the race went from a small affair to a mass participation event with over 10,000 finishers.
It helped usher in the modern marathon movement.
For most of its history, NYC has been the biggest race in the country. Recently, it has been the biggest in the world.