It’s been just over 50 years since the first New York City Marathon, which took place in 1970. (The 2012 edition, you might recall, was canceled in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.) The first version of the race was much different than what it’s become — rather than going through all five boroughs, the initial edition involved taking several laps around Central Park. 126 runners competed that year, but only 55 were able to complete the race.
This year’s marathon will involve a tribute to those who competed, known as the First Finishers. But one of them isn’t just being honored at this year’s race — he’s also taking part in it, giving him the rare distinction of being the only person to finish the 1970 New York City Marathon and then run in the 2021 edition.
An article at NPR has more information on the runner in question, one Larry Trachtenberg. He’s now 67 and lives on the west coast, and is returning to New York City for his first time running the marathon in its five-borough configuration. He’s being advised by another First Finisher, Jim Isenberg, who has been unable to walk since an accident in Australia in 2017.
As the NPR article notes, Trachtenberg hopes to finish in four hours and 26 minutes. It he can accomplish this, he’ll carve out an even more distinctive part of running history.
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