More than 60,000 runners took part in the 50th anniversary New York City Marathon, a 26.2-mile course through all five boroughs that finished in Central Park.

The race brought palpable energy to the city, as millions of spectators cheered runners along the route and Mayor Zorhan Mamdani handed out water.

Andreas Almgren of Sweden and Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya were the first man and woman to finish, while other participants had until 10 p.m. Sunday to cross the line.

For Julia Timpf, the race was a response to her sister’s breast cancer diagnosis, which came 15 hours before her sister gave birth to her first child.

Other runners framed the marathon as a personal test and an emotional milestone, including Audriana Odedina, who wanted to prove she could still be herself and a mother, while finishers described the pain, joy and excitement of completing the race.

NBC New York meteorologist Matt Brickman said cheers from friends, neighbors and strangers as he ran through the boroughs made it a special day in the city.

CBS News New York’s Adi Guajardo finished the 26.2-mile race in about five hours, and Allen Devlin reported on the event.