The New York City Marathon in Photos

And they're off!

On Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, some 40,000 runners sweated their way through the New York City Marathon, which winds through the city’s five boroughs. Contestants included elite runners from around the world, celebrities, and plenty of weekend warriors.

To inspire future generations of runners, we’ve assembled some of the most memorable photos from marathons past.

« A stream of runners flows across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the start of the 1994 marathon.

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Credit: Life.com