NYC Marathon returns from pandemic pause for 50th running

By JAKE SEINER
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — A limited field of 33,000 runners will jog off the Verrazzano Bridge and wind its way toward Central Park on Sunday as the New York City Marathon returns for its 50th edition after being wiped out in 2020 by the coronavirus pandemic. Organizers shrank the field by nearly 40% and are requiring runners be vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of the race. Spectators will be encouraged to maintain social distancing, and some race-adjacent entertainment elements will be scaled back to accommodate that.