NYC Marathon: The Wheelchair Race

For the past 17 years, marathon Sunday has started the same way. I wake up early, put on a pot of coffee, feed the cats, and open my kitchen window to watch the wheelchair racers make their way through Long Island City.

It's a ritual that still gets me every time.

I'm often overcome with emotion watching these athletes. I find myself thinking about the extraordinary determination, strength, and resilience it takes to compete at this level. And, inevitably, I think about my own struggles and how much I sometimes take for granted.

Since becoming a working photographer, I've made a point of heading outside to photograph the race. Not simply to document it, but to capture something of the remarkable beauty, power, and individuality of these athletes.

There is an extraordinary grace in the way they move, and a visual poetry in the race itself. I want to photograph them with the same attention, respect, and reverence I would bring to any subject deserving of a closer look.

Every year, I'm reminded why I keep coming back. And every year, I'm grateful for the opportunity to witness it through my camera.