Abbott Dash to the Finish Line serves as 5k warm-up for 2026 TCS NYC Marathon
· Yahoo Sports
Runners lined up on Manhattan's East Side Saturday morning for the start of the "Abbott Dash to the Finish Line."
It was all part of all the excitement ahead of this year's TCS New York City Marathon.
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The 5-k Abbott Dash gives 11,000 athletes the thrill of crossing the iconic finish line in Central Park while also getting their legs ready for the big day.
The course starts outside the United Nations building and takes runners across Midtown Manhattan before ending in Central Park on the Upper West Side.
The first to cross the finish line were professional athletes, including two Olympians, five NCAA champions, and four U.S. national champions.
Both open division champions won in their New York Road Runners debuts.
Habtom Samuel, undefeated in his rookie professional season, won the men's race in 13:31, while Rachael Rudel, the newly crowned USATF 20K national champion, won the women's race in 15:35.
According to New York Road Runners, Samuel, who won the Falmouth Road Race and Houston Half Marathon in course-record fashion earlier this year, led most of the race, with a tight pack following behind.
He won ahead of 2024 Olympian Edwin Kurgat, who finished second, and 2025 Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K champion Amon Kemboi, who finished third.
Rudel pulled away from the field over the final 400 meters to win her first Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K title in 15:35. Her victory followed three consecutive wins by Annie Rodenfels.
The podium was swept by American women, with Josette Andrews, the runner-up at the 2026 New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, and Ednah Kurgat, a two-time national champion, running 15:41 and 15:42, respectively.
NYRR released the following information about other notable runners who completed Saturday's 3.1 mile race:
Gary Corbitt (29:09) - Running historian and son of Ted Corbitt, one of the founders of the iconic 5-boro New York City Marathon course that's celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Corbitt is an Honorary Grand Marshal for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, representing his father's enduring legacy.
Past New York City Marathon champions invited by New York Road Runners to help recognize the 50th anniversary of the 5-boro New York City Marathon, which was the first to feature a professional athlete field:
Hendrick Ramaala (18:32): The 2004 New York City Marathon champion and two-time World Half Marathon silver medalist.
Meb Keflezighi (20:35): Olympic silver medalist and 2009 New York City Marathon champion, the first American man to win since 1982.
Uta Pippig (25:00): Two-time Olympian and 1993 New York City Marathon champion, who made history as the first German woman to win the race.
Franca Fiacconi (32:38): The 1998 New York City Marathon champion and the first Italian woman to win the race.
Abbott World Marathon Majors race directors and CEOs, who celebrated the conclusion of the 2026 marathon season with a friendly competition:
Mark Milde of the Berlin Marathon (18:42)
Jack Fleming of the Boston Marathon (18:54)
Hugh Brasher of the London Marathon (20:32)
Jürgen Lock of the Berlin Marathon (29:47)
Yasuhiro Oshima of the Tokyo Marathon (29:48)