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The 2025 NYC Marathon buzzed with the rhythm of over 55,000 runners—and more than 24,000 of them were women.
Professional athletes like Olympians Fiona O’Keefe, Sifan Hassan, Emily Sisson, and VIS Mentor Sara Hall powered through the city’s challenging 26.2-mile course alongside thousands of other competitors who were chasing something greater than miles.
Some ran to honor family. Some to find strength again. Others simply to prove they could. Together, their stories created a powerful portrait of what it means to run with purpose.
“When I finished I almost cried, because I had to dig deep so much, and I went through it, and I did it, I finished it, and I was really happy about it.”
Beyond The Finish Line
While the elite women battled it out up front, the race’s heart could be found among the community runners—a diverse group of women who trained through early mornings, busy work schedules, motherhood, and long travel just to make it to the start line. Even for professionals like Fiona O’Keefe, who finished as the top American with a mark of 2:22:49 despite injury setbacks over the past year, and Emily Sisson, who placed eighth in 2:25:05 after a challenging buildup, the day was about more than performance.
“I had a rough last week and a half, and my confidence was just so low,” Sisson said in a post-race interview. “I went through halfway in 1:11 and thought that might’ve been a little too fast for where I’m at right now, but the crowd just kept me going. I feel like I’m on the road up.”
Her gratitude echoed through the crowd-filled streets. And that feeling was shared by thousands of women running for their own versions of victory. From first-time marathoners chasing a lifelong dream to seasoned runners returning for redemption, each woman reflected the deeper meaning behind the miles.
“I run for Ukraine, for all those people who survive each day in my hometown and our entire country”
Every Runner’s Why
While the pros drew the crowds and cameras, the spirit of the marathon lived just as strongly among the community runners—women whose reasons for running were as unique as their journeys.
VIS spent time at the marathon asking these women why they run.
“I run for my family, basically,” one runner said. “My whole year I wanted to finish, so it was a great way to finish it.”
“I was just running for fun, for myself,” another runner said. “Wow, it was very painful—the hills killed me. It was so much fun until mile 18… When I finished I almost cried, because I had to dig deep so much, and I went through it, and I did it, I finished it, and I was really happy about it.”
“I run for Ukraine, for all those people who survive each day in my hometown and our entire country,” another runner said. “It was unbelievable… it was the best marathon I did ever,” she added when asked about the feeling of finishing.
When asked what got her through the finish line, another runner said, “Oh my God, the crowd… unbelievable. I felt like I was cheating ‘cause they helped so much—they made it so much easier!”
Every woman—from the first finisher to the last—showed up to NYC with a purpose last week.
Whether chasing healing, hope, or purpose, each runner crossed the same finish line with a story worth telling. The NYC Marathon wasn’t just about racing the miles. It was about remembering the “why” beyond the run.
