The countdown to the much-anticipated TCS New York City Marathon is on, and Brooklyn has two new hometown heroes to cheer for.
With just 26 days to go until the race, New York Road Runners announced the formation of Team Inspire — a team comprised of 26 runners, each representing a mile of the marathon and each with compelling personal stories highlighting the transformative power of running.
Two Brooklyn representatives — LaDawn Jefferson from Ocean Hill and Larry Lewis from South Slope — are among the remarkable members of Team Inspire.
While battling stage 4 breast cancer, Jefferson discovered Red Door Community, a nonprofit that helped her sons connect with other kids facing similar challenges. Now in remission, she will run in support of the Red Door Community, embodying resilience and hope for families dealing with illness.
“I’m most excited about crossing the finish line. I’m going to let out the loudest cry of joy and triumph for completing the best marathon in the world,” Jefferson said in a statement. “The finish line is where I would leave all of my self-doubts, fears, and insecurities of thinking I couldn’t achieve the goal of completing the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon.”
Lewis, an accomplished athlete with Achilles International — a leading adaptive running nonprofit — was set to run his 34th TCS New York City Marathon in 2018 when he suffered a stroke just days before the event.
After undergoing extensive therapy and relearning how to walk, Lewis returns to the marathon this year as part of a duo team, with an Achilles International guide pushing him in a racing chair.
Jefferson and Lewis join a host of athletes who are displaying an indomitable spirit of survival powered by a lifetime supply of community support.
According to Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of NYRR, Team Inspire reflects a small part of the marathon’s broader participant base. It showcases first-time marathoners alongside seasoned veterans and charity runners — all of whom have experienced the profound impact of running in their lives.
“Every year, on the first Sunday in November, two million spectators line the streets of New York City to cheer on strangers running the TCS New York City Marathon,” Simmelkjaer said. “Among those runners will be 26 incredible members of Team Inspire whose powerful stories remind us why New York City is the best city in the world and the TCS New York City Marathon is the best day of the year.”
Since its inception in 1970, more than 1.4 million runners have completed the iconic marathon, and this year, over 50,000 participants from all 50 states and more than 150 countries are expected. The TCS New York City Marathon is renowned for its inclusivity and accessibility, allowing both the fastest and slowest runners to share the same course on the same day.
For more race day information and events, visit nyrr.org.
