NEW YORK — The much-anticipated New York City Marathon is set for this Sunday, attracting over 50,000 runners hailing from more than 150 nations. Each winner of the men’s and women’s divisions will walk away with a prize of $100,000.

For those looking to get involved or support participants, here’s an overview of the event. The marathon kicks off in Staten Island, with the finish line located in the scenic Central Park.

The elite lineup for this marathon is impressive, featuring the defending champions Tamirat Tola and Hellen Obiri at the forefront. Both runners aspire to join the short list of athletes who have successfully defended their titles in the past decade. Last year, Tola established a new course record and is now vying to become the first male athlete to capture both an Olympic gold medal and the NYC Marathon within the same calendar year. This remarkable achievement was realized by Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya in the women’s category back in 2021.

In his bid to reclaim his title on the course he favors, Tola faces formidable challengers that include previous champions Geoffrey Kamworor (2017, 2019), Albert Korir (2021), and Evans Chebet (2022), all from Kenya.

Meanwhile, Obiri also has a tough road ahead if she hopes to secure her victory again. Among her competitors are notable past champions such as Sharon Lokedi (2022) and Edna Kiplagat (2010), also both from Kenya. Additionally, American talents Dakotah Popehn and Jenny Simpson are set to participate in the race.

For those interested in following the runners, the New York Road Runners offers a dedicated app that allows fans to track participants and access live updates throughout the marathon. ESPN2 will provide live coverage of the event starting at 8 a.m. ET.

This year’s 26.2-mile marathon route stretches through all five boroughs of New York City, beginning in Staten Island and concluding in Central Park. It marks the 48th year that the race has included all five boroughs. Initially, when the marathon launched in 1970, the course was confined to Central Park, with only 55 finishers in its inaugural run. Last year, the event saw over 50,000 runners cross the finish line.

The running schedule for the marathon begins with the professional wheelchair race kicking off at 8 a.m. ET. The elite women’s division follows 35 minutes later, with the men’s professional race starting at 9:05 a.m. Expect temperatures to hover around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. After the pros, five waves of amateur runners will take to the course, with the last group beginning their run at 11:30 a.m. The official cutoff time for completing the marathon is set for 10:00 p.m.