Runner’s World
NEW YORK — In the race for the Mayor’s Cup at the New York City Marathon, 10th place is as important as first.
That’s the race within the race, which pits firefighters from the FDNY running team against police officers from the NYPD squad. The scoring is unusual. It doesn’t matter how fast the first few runners come in. All that matters is which team gets 10 runners across the line before the other team gets its 10 in.
The 10th runner usually crosses somewhere between 3:17 and 3:25, according to those who follow the race closely. Historically, the firefighters have had the advantage. In the history of the cup, which has been contested since 1992, the firefighters had won 26 times before today. The NYPD had taken the cup five times.
Full story: In the Marathon’s Fiercest Rivalry, New York’s Police Race Firefighters