David Obelkevich to run 116th marathon at age 83

David Obelkevich, 83, will run his 116th marathon this Sunday at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon.

Obelkevich lives in the Upper West Side and first arrived in New York City in the 1960s to attend Columbia University. He ran his initial marathon in 1974 when the event was held only in Central Park. The New York Road Runners identify him as the only person to have completed every New York City Marathon since 1976, the year the course expanded to include all five boroughs.

His total marathon count includes races in other cities such as Boston and Tokyo. Obelkevich grew up in an active family in Binghamton, New York, before becoming a public school teacher, father, and grandfather. He attributes his continued participation to the people he has met during his running career.

His streak remained uninterrupted even after he suffered a blood clot in his leg in 2020. Obelkevich recorded his fastest time of two hours and 40 minutes in 1982, eight years after his first marathon. He said he does not expect to match that speed again.

Obelkevich met his wife, Lyn, during a run. “She was coming towards me and I was going up, so I said, ‘Hi Lyn,’ and she said, ‘Hi Dave,’” Obelkevich said. “Fell in love with her during that date.” He advises first-time runners to focus on finishing the race, regardless of their pace.

While walking in Central Park, Obelkevich noted that he now gets out of breath after running a quarter of a mile. “If I run a quarter of a mile, I get completely out of breath. So my walking is going to be what I do in the marathon,” he said. “That’s OK. Other people walk too .. Anyone can start it, but it takes a good person to finish.”