Professor Tim Carey, Director of the Centre for Remote Health, recently finished an impressive run in the New York marathon earlier this month.

Professor Carey ran the race, which takes in the five boroughs of New York – Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan – in three hours, 38 minutes and 30 seconds.

“The marathon is 26.2 miles long (42.2 km) and I had a goal to run in it under four hours, so it was great to do that,” says Professor Carey.

The New York marathon began in 1970 and, with 51,394 participants last year, has set the record for the largest marathon in the world.

This year, an estimated 2.5 million spectators lined the race route to cheer on runners.

Professor Carey, who is currently in the United States while completing his Fulbright Scholarship at Antioch University in New Hampshire, says he was amazed by the experience of completing his first marathon in New York.

“The race had an incredible community spirit,” Professor Carey says.

“There were signs and placards along the way and people were playing musical instruments and yelling out welcome messages as we entered their borough.

“There was a terrific sprinkling of Aussies throughout the race, including some Indigenous Australians who were participating through Rob de Castella’s Indigenous Marathon Foundation.

“It was a special privilege to be a part of it all.”