Runners filled the paths of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on March 30 for the Queens Marathon, joined by the QDR Half Marathon and 10K events. Since its inception, the Queens Marathon has done more than test endurance—it has celebrated the borough’s diverse communities and encouraged participants to support local businesses and organizations. This year marked a special milestone as the flagship event of Queens Distance Runners (QDR) celebrated its 10th anniversary, reaffirming its place as Queens’ premier race experience and igniting excitement across the scenic park grounds.
Over the past few months, registered runners have endured rigorous training regimens — adhering to consistent runs and strength training sessions — tailored to their race option. The required commitment is a grueling yet rewarding endeavor that runners strive to accomplish. Whether participants wished to break their personal best or endure the mental challenges of distance running, the Queens Marathon, QDR Half Marathon, and QDR 10K tested runners’ resilience through multiple loops of the urban park. Among the participants were Yubaraj Khanal and his son Xavier Khanal, residents of Jackson Heights, and Omar Gioacchino Cecere, a local runner from East Elmhurst.
Most registered participants spent the winter training for the QDR Half Marathon and QDR 10K. Yubaraj Khanal trained as a pacer for the QDR Half Marathon, while Xavier Khanal prepared for the QDR 10K. Following Xavier Khanal’s nomination for the Runner of the Year award at the 2025 New York Road Runners (NYRR) Youth Awards Night, the twelve-year-old athlete has been training for the QDR 10K for two months. He ran a few miles around his house daily and logged 6.2 miles on Sundays. Xavier Khanal explained that most of his workouts consist of speed work, focusing on running economy and speed endurance.
The Khanal son held a familiar motive for running the QDR 10K: to clock a new personal best. “During the summer, maybe about a year ago, I ran a 10K in Virginia,” Xavier Khanal shared. “I signed up for the QDR 10K to potentially beat my time. Running a 10K will help me improve my running ability.” Xavier Khanal earned a new personal best at the QDR 10K in 52:09, securing second place in the men’s 1-19 age group.
Yubaraj Khanal participated in the QDR Half Marathon as a pacer, helping runners maintain a consistent pace to achieve their goal time. After running the 2025 Tokyo Marathon, one of the seven prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors, Yubaraj Khanal carried the marathon endurance to his pacing duties. The Jackson Heights local is accustomed to running half marathons, so his weekly mileage of 30 to 50 miles is second nature to him. Additionally, signing up for races with his son contributed to his preparation for the QDR Half Marathon.
“Every week, I run 13 to 15 miles at the end of the week, or 18 miles at most if I have to train for a marathon,” Yubaraj Khanal shared about his long runs. This past weekend saw his third appearance as a pacer for the QDR Half Marathon. Yubaraj Khanal finished the QDR Half Marathon in 1:50:49, maintaining a steady 8:27 pace.
On the other hand, Cecere explained that his training schedule fluctuates depending on the 45-50 races he registers for every year. “For this race, I concentrated mostly on endurance in long-distance training over speed workouts,” Cecere shared about his half-marathon training. The running enthusiast added that he ran the Queens Marathon in November 2023 after sustaining a torn meniscus in 2020. After winning his age group in the QDR Half Marathon in April 2024 and the QDR 10K in November 2024, Cecere wanted to see what he could do with more training improvements.
Cecere further expressed his appreciation for the positive impact of the Queens Marathon and other QDR-led races in community building. The East Elmhurst local called the Queens Marathon a “staple in the running community.” “Thanks to those races, I’ve gotten more great friends who share the same passion as I do,” Cecere added. Cecere completed the QDR Half Marathon in 1:38:35 and clinched third place in the men’s 20-29 age group.
The next Queens Marathon, QDR Half Marathon, and QDR 10K will be held on Sunday, Dec. 7. Click the link to secure your spot today.
