Hundreds of runners gathered this past weekend for the unconventional Williamsburg Bridge Marathon, an unofficial event in its fourth year that eschews permits, entry fees, and predetermined distances.
The race's distance is set each year by a random computer-generated number between 10 and 100, dictating how many times participants must traverse the 1.38-mile span of the bridge. This year, the generated number was 17, resulting in approximately 21.42 miles, which race organizer Matt White described as "a disappointingly short year."
"Hopefully the random number generator gives us something harder next time," White told The Post. Despite the shorter-than-hoped-for distance, the event saw numerous "did not finish" results, but 13 women and 55 men completed the course. Maya Geller won the women's division with a time of 3:15:04, and Joe Cady took first place for the men at 2:30:13.
White, a software engineer, created the marathon on a whim after failing to qualify for the New York City Marathon. The first iteration saw around 20 runners, while this year's event attracted hundreds. Race volunteer James Cashen estimated between 300 and 400 people participated, drawn by the unique challenge and camaraderie.
"To me, the race is special because it represents the best parts of New York and the running community," Cashen said. "It’s gritty, difficult and continues to build around the energy of fun-loving NYC runners."
Many participants are attracted by the event's absurd nature. Participant Nathan Yan, who ran the course for the first time last year shortly after moving to the city, sought out an "high-effort ridiculousness" endurance event. "It was one of my very first ‘New York’ experiences," Yan said. "I just moved from Colorado where [I] used to do things like 36-hour night skiing marathons — so this was right up my alley."
This year, Yan strapped a 45-pound rig to his back, acting as a DJ. While he completed seven spans, totaling 9.06 miles, he highlighted the interactions with other runners and support groups. "There’s so much back-and-forth between all the runners and support groups, you could be at a PR pace, fun pace or Type II fun pace, but no one ever gets ‘left behind’ on the bridge route," he noted.
First-time marathoner Kaeli T. echoed Yan's sentiment about the community aspect. "My favorite part was, hands down, the people who showed up," she said. "Someone brought a cake and was sharing slices at the midway point. People brought lawn chairs and yoga mats to hang out on the bridge. The vibes overall were fantastic."
Kaeli T. recalled moments of encouragement from strangers, including one woman who shouted "Get it, girl!" at her in the early morning hours. "Those random moments of support are what make running and races so special in general."
Cashen believes that unconventional races like the Williamsburg Bridge Marathon embody the spirit of running: "Having fun, not taking yourself too seriously and putting yourself up to challenges you think may be too steep and learning to overcome them."