Runners take their mark for 18th annual Philly Marathon

Thousands of runners put their athletic training to the test this morning at the 18th annual Philadelphia Marathon.

25,000 runners were expected to lace up for race weekend – 12,000 in the full marathon, 10,000 in the half marathon and 3,000 competed in yesterday’s Rothman Institute 8K. 

Folisho Tuko of High Plains, New York and Mariska Kramer of the Netherlands won the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, according to the Philadelphia Marathon’s official results page.

The race kicked off at 7 a.m. on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and loops through Fairmount Park, University City and Manayunk. Spectators can track the progress of their friends and loved ones by signing up for text, facebook, and twitter alerts.

Among the crowd was Elizabeth Seeley of Manayunk, who was competing in her third Philadelphia Marathon. Check back tomorrow for a NewsWorks report on how she did.

Whether you’re on the sidelines or crossing the finish line, NewsWorks wants to see the scene by you. Send your photo to newsworks@whyy.org.

A number of roads will be closed throughout the day today. Here are some of the major ones to look out for:

The entire length of Kelly Drive from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
Ben Franklin Parkway – 16th Street to 20th Street – from 6 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Ben Franklin Parkway – 20th Street to 22nd Street – from a.m. to 2 p.m. 
The entire length of Martin Luther King Drive from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. 
In Northwest Philly, Ridge Avenue – from Midvale to School House Lane – will be closed from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Manayunk’s Main Street – from Ridge Avenue to Green Lane – will also be closed from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.