By Madina Toure
New York City Marathon runners were cheered on by spectators from Queens and other places as they passed through Long Island City Sunday morning.
The marathon starts on Staten Island near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and goes through Brooklyn. It then crosses the Pulaski Bridge and winds its way through the streets of Long Island City to the Queensboro Bridge before it goes through the Central Park and finishes at 67th Avenue on West Drive in Manhattan.
The Queens Tourism Council set up a cheering station at 21st Street and 44th Drive in Long Island City.
Astoria couple Kati Sweetman, 28, and John Bruno, 28, have both run the marathon before, describing it as both an exciting and difficult experience.
Sweetman said they were supporting a friend who was running the marathon this year.
“It’s just really exciting to watch it,” Sweetman said.
Long Island City resident Tran Dinh, 33, ran the marathon a few times, including the Chicago Marathon one year. He said that he came out to support a friend.
“It’s exciting to be on the side when you’re soaking up the environment, but it’s nice to cheer when you run,” Dinh said.
Long Island resident Joanne Messina, 59, said it was her first time coming out to the marathon. Her boyfriend used to work in Long Island City and wanted to come back to the area.
“I’m really enjoying it,” Messina said. “It’s worth getting out of bed.”
Joe Vidals, 14, of Astoria, has been coming to the marathon for the past five years with his father because they are athletic and enjoy watching the event.
“We’re really energized people,” Vidals said. “We do a lot of sports and we just think it’s incredible that they can run from Long Island City to Manhattan. We also like to support the different cultures of people.”
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
