Many people ask me why I go all the way to New York and run the New York City Marathon every year. I have done it since 1978 to 2022 without missing any years, except for 2012 when it was canceled because of hurricane Sandy and 2020 because of the pandemic. That means that I have finished 43 times. Here I try to answer why:

❓WHY❓People ask me why I do it each year, paying all that money to go all that way to run the same Marathon year after year. (don't ask me how much I have spent doing it 43 times, I don't want to know! 😆). And the answer is very simple: I just love it!

Me entering Manhattan in 1979

I have run Marathons in other places, but New York is so special.

The city: I feel the atmosphere immediately when I land.

Meeting all the 50,000+ runners: It's so great to meet all these people running the Marathon just like I do. I have made a lot of friends from all over the world, runners that will be my friends for life. When I travel around in the USA, Canada, Australia and many other places I meet many of them. It's great. And they visit me in Norway.

The great volunteers: All of them smile and they are so nice all the time. Even if people are mad at them they smile and are nice!

The crowds: They are incredible. Over 2 million people cheering all the runners on. The first time (1978) I did something that I wanted to do once in my life. I also wanted to visit the USA once in my life. I liked it so much that I came back the next year. Then my goal was to do it 5 times. After that 10 times. Now I don't have a goal anymore. Because I KNOW that I will be on the start each year as long as I'm able to do it. And it's a miracle that I have been able to finish every year since 1978. I have had so many injuries. I have had Achilles surgery 9 times. The first time was in 1984 and the last time was in 2013. I had back surgery in 2015. And knee surgery in 2016 and 2017! In 2019 my back collapsed at mile 16. I had to walk slowly the last 10 miles, stopping for every 200 yards stretching - and visiting 4 medical tents. I still don't understand that I was able to finish! 🤔 Then I had a knee replacement in 2021. And the last big problem (so far) was that I got a fracture in my backin 2022 during NYCM. I could hardly walk inside my house for 3 months after that.

It's very important to point out that the New York City Marathon is so much more than a road race. I said that I have made friends from all over the world. I'm in touch with them EVERY day year-round. And I visit them and they visit me. The last year before the pandemic I traveled to the USA 8 times (including the Marathon) and I visited Marathon friends on each of my trips. I have also traveled to Australia to visit friends from New York for 3 years. 😀

Many people ask me to write a book about everything I have experienced in New York over the years. But I'm not a writer so I don't know if that will happen. But I'm thinking about it and talking to some people. I just need someone to help me. Help me to get the stories out of my head and to write. Anyway, I'm happy to share my stories with fellow runners. And here is the story that most runners find the most special:

The story is from 1978, my first run in New York. Then I met Grete Waitz in the starting village several hours before the start, and we talked for a long time. I knew her from Norway. She was a track runner and she was running her first Marathon. She was nervous and she asked me for advice. I gave her all my best advice. But I was surprised when I met her again after the finish on my way back to the hotel. I asked her how she did, and the answer was "They say that I won and set a new world record!". After that, she won 8 more times in New York! I have a poster of Grete at home where she has written (in Norwegian): "To Runar: Thank you for all the good advice in 1978 in New York. Greetings, Grete Waitz". I have told the story to people who end up calling me a liar and walking away! 😱

New York City Marathon means a lot to me. I think about it all year. I also want to share my experience with other runners, especially first-timers. Therefore I have made a website where I have put together all my best advice for the New York City Marathon based on my 43 runs there. I have also made 4 course videos to help runners who don't know the course and the newest addition is an animated funny video where a Marathoner is confronted with all the "strange" questions from a non-runner. I also invite everybody to write to me and ask if they have any questions. I will try to answer everyone! 😀

And the New York City Marathon Facebook group that I created 5 years ago. It has become a great group, with more than 16,000 members at the moment. 😀You can join us here: New York City Marathon 2025 Help Group

And, of course, I answer free of charge! I do it because I like it, not because I want to earn money. 😁

See you in New York in November! ?? 👍 Or on one of my trips? Or in Norway?

Here are some photos from my travels. I have tried to include most places where I have met Marathon friends, but not all the friends that I have met are represented, that would be too many. You can click on each of the 4 collages to make it larger.

I really appreciate all my New York City Marathon friends all around the world! 😀