Yonkers Marathon
Encyclopedia
The Yonkers Marathon, held in Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...

, is the second oldest marathon in the United States, after the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...

. The course of the Yonkers Marathon is known as being tough and hilly.

The Yonkers marathon (the standard distance, 42.195 km) is typically held on the third Sunday in September. It is a double loop course which also stages a half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...

 (21.1 km).

The first few kilometers (or miles) of the race are very scenic, overlooking the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...

. However, the majority of the race is in urban industrial areas that are less than aesthetically pleasing.

Every year approximately 200 runners participate in the Yonkers marathon.

The first Yonkers Marathon was held on Thanksgiving Day 1907. From 1907 to 1945, the race was typically held in November.
Johnny Hayes
Johnny Hayes
John "Johnny" Joseph Hayes was an American athlete, a member of the Irish American Athletic Club, and winner of the marathon race at the 1908 Summer Olympics...

 and Jim Crowley
James Crowley (athlete)
James F. "Jim" Crowley was an American athlete, distance runner, and a member of the Irish American Athletic Club. In 1910, he was known as "King of the Marathoners" for having competed in and won more marathons than any of the athletes of his day....

 won the first two races.

Sammy Mellor
Sammy Mellor
Samuel Alexander "Sammy" Mellor, Jr. was an American long-distance runner who won the 1902 Boston Marathon and competed in the marathon at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri.-Early life:...

helped establish the Yonkers Marathon with Edward Wetmore Kinsley, and finished second in the event's first two runnings.

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