Gary Muhrcke was the first champion of the New York City Marathon, in 1970, in a time of 2:31:38. He wore the No. 2 race bib, befitting his status as the best local runner, and was one of 127 runners who started the race and 55 who finished the four-plus hilly laps in Central Park. 

At the time, Muhrcke worked as a firefighter and almost didn’t show up for the race as he worked the entire night previously. He was awarded a wristwatch and recycled trophy for his victory. To mark the 50th anniversary of the first marathon, on September 13, 2020, he re-ran a lap of the original course in Central Park.