10,000 Runners Fill Staten Island Streets for Fall Classic

An 80-year-old Bronx grandmother just proved that starting late doesn't mean finishing last.

Mildred Baker crossed the finish line at the sold-out NYRR Staten Island Half Marathon on Sunday, preparing for her first full marathon at an age when most people are slowing down. She didn't start running until her late 70s, joining the NYRR Striders program designed for older adults.

The 13.1-mile course along Staten Island's waterfront drew more than 10,000 runners from across the region. They ran past Fort Wadsworth and through borough parks, with sweeping views of New York Harbor and the city skyline before finishing on Bay Street.

Baker wasn't the only runner with a story worth celebrating. Julianna Mangano, 26, laced up her shoes for a deeply personal reason: her cousin and best friend suffered a cardiac event during a routine run. She turned her grief into action, training to become a professional sports athletic trainer and EMT.

"I'm running to finish the run that he never got to finish," Mangano explained.

Jersey Shore's Vinny Guadagnino returned to run in his home borough for the second time. He joined Pedro Mendez of Goldfinger Track Club and other members of the 2026 Team Inspire, a group recognized for their personal journeys and inspiring stories.

The race also welcomed nearly 200 children ages 2 to 11 at SIUH Community Park for Rising NYRR races. They ran on the same grounds as the Staten Island FerryHawks, getting an early taste of what running communities feel like.

The Ripple Effect

The Staten Island Half represents the final stop in NYRR's Five-Borough Series and the last major race before marathon week. For many runners, it's a crucial test run before tackling the TCS New York City Marathon.

But the impact goes beyond race day. More than 1,100 NYRR members call Staten Island home, and over 4,700 local students participate in Rising New York Road Runners programs. The organization maintains a year-round presence through community programming like NYRR Open Runs and NYRR Striders activities.

These programs create pathways for people like Baker to discover running later in life, and for young athletes to find their stride early. They turn individual goals into shared experiences, transforming neighborhoods into communities of support.

From a grandmother defying age stereotypes to a young woman honoring her cousin's memory, the Staten Island Half proved that every finish line tells a story worth celebrating.