Super Shoes for Long Runs

In the 40th running of the New York City Marathon on Nov. 1, Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia, the eventual winner of the women's race, looked strong and determined coming off the Queensboro Bridge at mile 16. Tulu ran 2:28:52 to beat Ludmila Petrova (left) by 8 seconds. Three-time champion Paula Radcliffe (center) finished fourth in 2:29:27.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

Mayor Michael Bloomberg took a break from his re-election campaign to lead the elite men's field.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

The crowds that line 59th Street and First Avenue, where the runners enter Manhattan, are legendary in noise and number. Many attempted to grab a snapshot of the lead men's pack as it turned onto First Avenue.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

A single pump of a fist or wave from a runner coming off the Queensboro Bridge encouraged an already boisterous bunch to make even more of a deafening racket.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

Texan Christopher Moore soared down the off ramp of the bridge to finish in 2:44:04.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

Gizmo the Pug and Sebastian, both of Manhattan, were too busy getting acquainted to cheer on runners between miles 24 and 25 on the east side of Central Park.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

Olympian Brian Sell, in what was likely his last race, was far behind the other elite men during the final miles in Central Park after having lost contact with the lead pack at mile 5. Sell finished in 2:24:59 after going through halfway in 1:06:46.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

Joan Benoit Samuelson, on the other hand, had a stellar race, beating the 50+ women's age-group course record by almost 4 minutes. Her time of 2:49:09 was one agonizing second shy of the 50+ American record she set at the Olympic marathon trials in 2008.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

A tree on the east side of Central Park worked hard at camouflaging itself, while a runner in bright red knee-high socks didn't.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

The first 40K are all a blur when you're going this fast.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

Published: Oct 01, 2012 11:50 AM EDT.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

Freddy Schuman, a spry 84-year-old known as "the pan man" at Yankee Stadium, put his lucky fry pan and spoon to work cheering on runners on Central Park South while waiting for a blind friend who was running the race to pass by. (Bookmark freddysez.com to keep track of Freddy until next year's marathon.)

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

One of the more than 100 bands that lined the marathon course helped propel the runners back into the park from Columbus Circle, less than half a mile from the finish.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

A colorful Swiss contingent awaited their countrymen post-finish.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

Actor Edward Norton, who has been involved with the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust for 10 years, was responsible for the appearance of three of the ornately adorned Maasai runners in the race. Away from Kenya for the first time, Parashi Ntanin worried about getting lost on the course, but found his way to the finish glitch-free in 3:33:54. Norton ran 3:48:01.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

Alyse Zwick, Miss New York 2009, handed out medals to grateful finishers. This runner said, "If I weren't just getting over the swine flu, I'd ask for a kiss."

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs

After getting their medals, finishers donned Mylar blankets and filed out of the park zombie-like on the road to rest and recovery.

Photos and text by Stacey Cramp

Super Shoes for Long Runs