NEW YORK (AP) — The New York City Marathon takes place Sunday and is expected to draw more than 50,000 runners from more than 150 countries. The winner of the men's and women's divisions will each receive $100,000.

Here's a guide to the NYC Marathon, which starts in Staten Island and ends in Central Park.

Who is part of the elite field of the NYC Marathon?

The field of participants for the marathon is stacked, especially the defending champions Tamirat Tola and Hellen Obiri. They strive for it Become the first repeat winner in almost a decade. Tola set the course record last year. He is attempting to become the first male runner to win both an Olympic gold medal and the NYC Marathon in the same year. Peres Jepchirchir from Kenya achieved this feat among women in 2021.

To defend his title at his favorite course, he will have to beat a stellar field that includes previous winners Geoffrey Kamworor (2017, 2019), Albert Korir (2021) and Evans Chebet (2022), all from Kenya.

To repeat, Obiri must beat her own overloaded field. Other previous winners of Sunday's race include Sharon Lokedi (2022) and Edna Kiplagat (2010), both from Kenya. The outstanding Americans Dakotah Popehn and Jenny Simpson are also in the running.

How to watch and follow runners while racing?

The New York Road Runners has an app This can be downloaded to track runners and stay up to date on events. There are also Live results available. The marathon will air at 8 a.m. ET on ESPN2.

What is the NYC Marathon route?

The 26.2-mile route takes runners through all five boroughs of New York, starting in Staten Island and ending in Central Park. This is the 48th year the race has been held in all five boroughs. Previously, the route ran entirely in Central Park when it launched in 1970. The first race only saw 55 participants finish, while last year more than 50,000 participants took part in the event.

When does the marathon start?

The professional wheelchair races begin at 8 a.m. ET, with the professional women's races starting 35 minutes later. The men's professional race begins at 9:05 a.m., when the temperature is expected to be around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. There will then be five waves of runners, with the last wave starting at 11:30 a.m. The official cut-off time for the end of the race is 10:00 p.m

___

AP Sports: https://apnews.com/sports