This half marathon was full of good will!
Hordes of big-hearted fans packed the sidelines of this year’s Brooklyn Half Marathon, flashing smiles and shouting cheers that helped its more than 25,000 runners power their way to the finish line, according to an athlete, who said the support helped her smash her personal race record.
“I loved the crowd, the cheering, the excitement — it was beautiful,” said Marie Young, who lives in Canarsie. “It was a dream come true!”
Young and 25,345 others — including such notable competitors as former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber, “Good Morning America” anchor Amy Robach, and Olympic athlete Deena Kastor, the bronze medalist in the women’s marathon at the 2004 games in Athens, Greece — jogged their way through the 13.1-mile course on Saturday, making their way from its starting point near the Brooklyn Museum in Prospect Heights through Prospect Park and down Ocean Parkway to the finish line on Coney Island’s recently landmarked Riegelmann Boardwalk.
Many athletes accessorized their sporty ensembles with plastic ponchos to shield them from the steady downpour that fell for several hours that day, but the deluge failed to put a damper on the festivities, according to another runner, who said getting wet just added to the fun.
“I kind of enjoyed running in the rain,” said Canarise resident Marva Joseph.
