This past weekend, President Delbert W. Baker, Ph.D., successfully completed his 32nd state on his way to achieving his goal of running a marathon in all 50 states as part of the Running for Scholarships program. Having already achieved his earlier goal of running a marathon on all seven continents, Dr. Baker took on the challenge of the ING New York City Marathon in 4 hours 49 minutes, raising over $12,000 for student scholarships at Oakwood University.

The race took place in the Big Apple on Sunday, November 1, and kicked off on Staten Island, where excited first-time marathoners, as well as seasoned runners, gathered in the early morning at Fort Wadswort under drizzly skies. The running of the famous New York City marathon draws runners from around the world every first Sunday in November. This year, however, the course was a bit different, and included the largest field in the ING New York City Marathon’s 40-year history. An estimated 43,741 starters, swept through 26.2-miles in all five boroughs, crossing the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, continuing into Brooklyn, then Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan, with the enthusiastic support of well-wishers on every corner.

For the complete story, log on to http://www.nycmarathon.org/race_day_stories.htm .