The day after a record-setting New York City Marathon, runners from the Bronx and beyond celebrated and recharged at the annual Bronx Medal Monday event, held this year at the Andrew Freedman Home.
The event featured food and drinks from Bronx-based vendors, medal engraving, yoga, massages, portraits, a DJ and more.
Headley Duncan, co-founder of the event, said turnout appeared to be lower than last year’s 400 but included many representatives from the borough’s 16 established running clubs — about 900 of whom ran this year’s marathon, he said.
“I couldn’t be happier. We made it happen,” said Duncan, adding some advice for others who plan major events: “It’s all women. Women make things happen.”
Ismelvin Vargas of Rhode Island said this year’s New York City Marathon was his first after running several other races throughout the city.
Vargas said he enjoyed the marathon, which he said was a great “resilience” route. “It looks flat, but it’s really not,” he said.
Now, with his first time under his belt, Vargas said he was already looking to the future. “I felt like it was not gonna be my last New York City Marathon.”
Friends Fredy Gonzalez, 60, and Silvana Cruz, 50, both attended Bronx Medal Monday and sported medals from not only the New York City Marathon but also the Marine Corps Marathon, held Oct. 26 in Arlington, Virginia.
The fact that they both ran two marathons in one week is remarkable — and possibly a bit insane, they admitted.
Even more remarkable is the fact that Gonzalez had open-heart surgery in January, and Silva ran on a torn meniscus that requires surgery.
“Runners are not the smartest people,” said Silva. She also spoke to the Bronx Times at last year’s event, when she had completed three marathons within a few months.
Gonzalez, who lives in Co-op City, said he had always been athletic but was never a runner until 2016. A friend who loved running developed cancer, and when she felt well enough to run again, Gonzalez accompanied her as a running buddy. “She took me to one 5K in Queens, and that was it,” he said.
Gonzalez and Cruz, both members of the Boogie Down Bronx Runners, said that in some ways, their running family is closer than their actual family.
“They know the torture of training. They know what it’s like preparing for a race,” Cruz said.
Both spoke to the mental benefits of running. During long races, especially the tough sections, Gonzalez and Cruz said they use the time to think, pray and even speak to loved ones who have passed on.
At Medal Monday, Gonzalez got his medal engraved with the words, “In memory of Mom 10/7/2025,” as she died just weeks ago. Throughout the race, when things got difficult, he said he spoke to her: “Mom, get me through this. Now you have to help me.”
Cruz said running has become a form of therapy for her. “You realize how much stronger you are than what you think you are,” she said. “By the time you finish running, you work out the problems you had.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
