27°
Hot and hazy, reaching around 80F, the warmest race day in event history
1979 Ballot results
The datasheet
TCS New York City Marathon 1979 ballot: 10th edition, 10,477 finishers
Run on a hot and hazy 21 October 1979 that reached around 80F, the 10th New York City Marathon saw Bill Rodgers of the United States win his fourth straight title in 2:11:42 after running down Kirk Pfeffer past 23 miles, while Grete Waitz of Norway became the first woman ever to break 2:30 with a women's world best of 2:27:33, and the race passed 10,000 finishers for the first time.
Edition
10th edition
Applications not published by race organiser
Field size
10,477
Total finishers
Race day
Oct 21
1979
Time qualifier
M2:53 W3:13
Open category (18–34)
Race day weather
What runners faced on the course
Context
What made 1979 notable
The New York City Marathon began in 1970 as a low-key loop race inside Central Park, won by Gary Muhrcke before just 55 finishers. It stayed a park event until 1976, when the course expanded across all five boroughs and the race began its climb toward the world stage. By 1979 that climb had two faces. On a hot and hazy day near 80F, the warmest in race history, Bill Rodgers ran down early leader Kirk Pfeffer past 23 miles to win in 2:11:42, his fourth straight title. And Grete Waitz crossed in 2:27:33, the first woman ever under 2 hours 30 minutes, a world best. The race also topped 10,000 finishers for the first time, with 10,477.
Year over year
Applications over time
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'13'14'17'18'19'22'23'24'25'26
Qualifying
Time qualifier standards
View full age-group standards
| Age group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:53:00 | 3:13:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:58:00 | 3:15:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:03:00 | 3:26:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:13:00 | 3:38:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:18:00 | 3:51:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:28:00 | 4:10:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:43:00 | 4:27:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:58:00 | 4:50:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:13:00 | 5:30:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:28:00 | 6:00:00 |
| 80-84 | 4:48:00 | 6:35:00 |
| 85-89 | 5:03:00 | 6:35:00 |
| 90+ | 5:18:00 | 6:35:00 |
FAQ
Questions about the 1979 ballot
Why was the 1979 NYC Marathon notable?
Grete Waitz of Norway became the first woman in history to run a marathon under 2 hours 30 minutes, winning in a women's world best of 2:27:33. Bill Rodgers of the United States won the men's race in 2:11:42 for his fourth consecutive New York City Marathon title. The race also passed 10,000 finishers for the first time, with 10,477 finishers.
Who won the 1979 NYC Marathon?
Bill Rodgers of the United States won the men's race in 2:11:42 for his fourth straight title, overtaking front runner Kirk Pfeffer of the United States past 23 miles. Pfeffer was second in 2:13:09 and Stephen Kenyon of the United Kingdom third in 2:13:30. Grete Waitz of Norway won the women's race in 2:27:33, a women's world best and the first marathon by a woman under 2 hours 30 minutes, ahead of Gillian Adams of the United Kingdom in 2:38:33 and Jacqueline Gareau of Canada in 2:39:06.
When was the 1979 NYC Marathon held?
Sunday 21 October 1979, on a hot and hazy day that reached around 80F, the warmest race day in the event's history. It was the 10th edition of the New York City Marathon, and 10,477 runners finished, the first time the race passed 10,000 finishers.
What were the 1979 NYC Marathon ballot numbers?
There were none. In the 1970s the New York City Marathon used open paid entry rather than a ballot, lottery, or drawing, so application and acceptance figures do not exist for this edition. The drawing era came much later.
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