BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Runners from across Western New York and beyond took the streets of Buffalo to take part in the 25th Annual Buffalo Marathon.
Starting on Delaware Avenue and ending on Franklin Street, participants in either the full 26-mile run or the 13-mile half-marathon were treated to a course that passed many of the city's famous landmarks.
However, while Sunday's event celebrated over two decades of runs, many who crossed the finish line were first-timers.
"It got a little dicey out there, but we got through it, so that's all that counts," Josh Berg said after completing the race.
Berg was joined by Devin Jabcuga, her second time completing the marathon.
"I'm honestly trying to do a full in October for the corning, so I just wanted to do better than I did last year, and I think I did about 10 minutes better off my time, so I'm happy with it," Jabcuga said.
The two were cheered on by their friend Suhe Camberos, dressed as Gandalf the Grey from "The Lord of the Rings" with a sign reading "Have you seen my hobbits?"
"Spectators help," Stacy Hatcher and Morgan Class said. "At mile 12, I was like, 'all right, keep going, keep going,' but it was good. My legs wanted to stop, but we just kept going."
Another runner, Vishal, echoed the sentiment.
"[It was] terrible, then amazing, then terrible and phenomenal at the end," another runner, Vishal, said.
"You just have to apply that mentality to the race, and when you run. The horses don't stop. They keep going," a friend of Vishal said.
Not all runners were first-timers, and not all runners were residents of Buffalo or even New York, for that matter.
Luis Melendez of Windsor, Ontario, said Sunday's event marked his first race of the year.
"My coach told me Buffalo is a race that you have to do," Melendez said. "Not only is it a flat course, not only is the temperature generally quite good, but at the same time, the crowds are incredible."
"People are super welcoming, and it makes for a great race atmosphere," Melendez said. "It's really a testament of the human spirit, of endurance, and of all chasing one goal, working towards the same thing and demonstrating what you can do when you put your heart, your mind, your muscle, and your soul into something."
Rasua Kaylen, visiting from Fort Lauderdale, marked his second time running in the Buffalo Marathon.
"Everybody's really friendly, and there's no culture like Buffalo, truly, as even in Ft Lauderdale, when I ran that marathon, this one's a lot more friendly," Kaylen said. "Buffalo has a great running community in the sense that there are a lot of people outside. They have live bands, people handing out gels, and everything like that. It's really supportive for the running culture here."
