Thousands of runners took part in the Brooklyn Half Marathon Saturday. The wildly popular race wound through the borough from Crown Heights to Coney Island. Our Jeanine Ramirez was there and filed this report.
Stilt walkers greeted runners on the iconic boardwalk, a classic Coney Island finish to the Brooklyn Half Marathon.
"Every year it gets better and better," said one runner. "It's the greatest race in the city. Best half in the world. Love it."
"Great people," said another. "Great course. And it's always really fun."
27,000 people laced up to run down Washington, Flatbush and Surf Avenues. They circled Grand Army Plaza and looped around Prospect Park. Among them was NY1's own Erin Clarke cheered on by her family.
"They were all at mile eight, holding signs cheering for us," Clarke said. "It was a great race."
And representing Coney Island, the staff at Mark Twain Intermediate School.
"What does Coney Island mean to us? It's our home," said Karen Ditolla, Principal Mark Twain. "We're there every day and to start here and to end at home is truly amazing. And we can't wait to get home."
Waiting for each finisher, a hard earned medal.
"It was hard but great when I finished," said one runner.
"I started to get tired but I kept going," said another. "The crowd was just awesome."
In addition to the half marathon, another race took place on the boardwalk. This one just for kids.
It was a one-mile run, part of the New York Road Runners Youth series. A thousand kids from elementary through high school got their turn including these two classmates.
"It made you feel good when you finished the race and you got a medal," said one young runner.
"It made me stronger and I felt more confident," said another.
"For us it's about getting out, running, having fun and learning healthy habits early on," said Michael Rodgers, Vice President of Development and Philanthropy for New York Road Runners.