After she ran the U.S. Olympic Trials marathon in February in Atlanta, Durango’s Laura Thweatt had some time to look at what was next. She had decided to return to the New York City Marathon, the scene of her stunning debut in the 26.2-mile distance.
Wednesday, Thweatt once again had to change plans. New York City officials and New York Road Runners, the organizers of the race, decided to cancel the 50th edition of the event scheduled for Nov. 1 because of the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. There was no clear route to host the world’s largest marathon with more than 50,000 runners and thousands more volunteers and spectators who line the route through the five boroughs of New York City.
“While the marathon is an iconic and beloved event in our city, I applaud New York Road Runners for putting the health and safety of both spectators and runners first,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “We look forward to hosting the 50th running of the marathon in November of 2021.”
Thweatt was looking forward to making her first return to the New York City Marathon since 2015. But she applauded the organizers for making the decision.
“It would be a lie to say that, as an athlete, I wasn’t heartbroken upon hearing this morning’s news that the (New York City Marathon) has been canceled,” Thweatt said in a post to Instagram. “However, in saying that, I absolutely 100% agree that this is the right decision. Over these last four months, I have seen the devastation, the grief, the fear and the toll that this global pandemic has had on this city. I also know the pandemic is far from being over and that the safety and health of the public as well as all the individuals involved with putting on this race is the No. 1 priority, especially as Covid cases continue to rise. And I know that even when we do cross that finish line, New York will need time to rebuild and heal.”
It was in 2015 that Thweatt, a 2007 graduate of Durango High School who attended and raced in college at the University of Colorado, made her professional marathon debut in New York City. It was the same year she won the USA Cross Country Championships in the 8-kilometer distance.
Through injuries the next four years, Thweatt was healthy in the winter of 2020 and ready for the Olympic Trials. She would finish fifth in Atlanta, two spots away from qualifying for the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, which have since been postponed to 2021.
So, Thweatt had decided on a return this fall to New York City, where she fell in love with the marathon.
“Running through all five (boroughs), up and over the bridges, turning right off the Queensboro Bridge onto First Ave., where the deafening cheers and screams from the crowds electrified me to my very core, ultimately showed me a whole other side to our amazing sport. And I loved it,” Thweatt said. “As I crossed that finish line in Central Park, I knew that I would be back. I just knew that this was my marathon. And I knew a week after Atlanta that this is where my heart was. I knew that it was time to return to the city where it all began.”
There will be a virtual version of the race held Oct. 17 through Nov. 1. All runners registered for the 2020 marathon will receive a full refund or can have their entry fee moved to any race between 2021 and 2023.
This is the second time the New York City Marathon has been canceled. The first was in 2012 because of Superstorm Sandy, as the event was canceled two days before it was scheduled to take place.
Earlier this year, the Boston Marathon also was canceled for the first time in its 124-year history. Also Wednesday, the Berlin Marathon scheduled for Sept. 27 was canceled.
As for what is next for Thweatt, she indicated after the Olympic Trials that she may once again target the 10K on the track for the 2021 Olympic Trials with the goal of qualifying for the Olympics.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
