The end of the summer means that the track and field world now takes divergent paths. Some runners battled to be triumphant at their country’s national showcases to punch their tickets to Tokyo. Others were close but still too far away to reap a view from the podium.
But now the warriors of the road begin to take the attention of the sport as the fall marathon season peaked early — with last week’s Sydney Marathon in its first lap as a major. Closer to home, the Fifth Avenue Mile drew standout names who chose the fastest 20 blocks in New York City. Not quite 1,500m and definitely not a 5k, the race is a must for elites seeking a high profile season-ender.
Yared Nuguse answered that call and punctuated his Fifth Avenue debut with a victory after Gracie Morris booted a final kick in the closing moments of the women's race to grab her own win. Sunday brought dramatic finishes and was coated by rainfall that was more footnote than hinderance. Fifth Avenue served as a loud bridge to the grueling glory of the distance road races that will anchor what's left of the year.
