Broad Street Run: Doylestown native Joshua Izewski wins men’s race; Amber Zimmerman repeats as women’s champ
More than 40,000 runners took part in the 10-mile race down Broad Street. Zimmerman, of Philadelphia, crossed the finish line first among women again.
Runners approach South Street during the Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run on Sunday. Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
by Mia Messina
Published
More than 40,000 runners made their way down Broad Street for the 46th annual Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run on Sunday morning.
Joshua Izewski, a Doylestown native who now resides in Blowing Rock, N.C., and ran collegiately at University of Florida, finished first in the men’s division in 46 minutes, 13.73 seconds.
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Philadelphia’s Amber Zimmerman captured the women’s division for the second year in a row in 54:01.81. Miguel Jimenez Vergara also took first place for the second year with a finish of 37:19.74 in the wheelchair division.
Bryan Morseman set a course record in the non-binary division with a time of 52:17, beating Winter Parts’ mark of 52:39 set last year. Parts finished second in the division Sunday in 54:17. The non-binary division was added to the run in 2023. An additional $1,000 prize is awarded to any runner who sets a course record.
Amber Zimmerman crosses the finish line. She was the top female finisher for the second year in a row.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Bryan Morseman takes of their bib after taking first place in the non-binary category.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Joshua Izewski comes into the finish line as he takes first place in the men's division. Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Miguel Jimenez Vergara comes into the final stretch as the top male wheelchair finisher.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Runners approach the Navy Yard as they near the finish.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Isabella Nazari and Connie Katcavagenear run side by side as they near the finish line.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Spectators cheer on runners.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Finishers recollect themselves after completing the race.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
A runner passes by spectators as she closes in on the finish line.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
John Phuong nears the finish line dressed as a taco.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Gov. Josh Shapiro films and cheers his daughter, Sophia Shapiro, as she nears the finish line.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Gov. Josh Shapiro embraces his wife, Lori, and daughter, Sophia, after the two completed the race.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Runners passes under I-95 on Broad Street.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
An Eagle's fan carries a Saquon Barkley cutout while running the race.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Firefighter Timothy Rawls encourages runners nearing the finish line.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For The Inquirer
Runners ride the SEPTA Broad Street Line to Olney Avenue for the start.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Runners exit the subway car at Olney Station.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
A sign greets runners as they leave Olney Station.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Kacy Manahan (center) and Aaron Stemplewicz wear “just married” signs as the walk to the starting area.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Participants hustle to the starting line after a SEPTA subway train broke down at the Wyoming Station leaving them stranded.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Runners warm up at the starting line.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Runners begin their ten-mile journey.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Runners pass a beer shop near Windrim Avenue.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Runners make their way to the starting line at 7:23 A.M. on the SEPTA Broad Street Line. A train broke down as runners were trying to get to the start. The race started at 7:00 A.M.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Kelly Follet, of Philadelphia, holds up a sign as she waits near Walnut Street.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Runners approach South Street.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Josie Lemon (left) passes a Jello-Shot to an unidentified runner. Lemon said they were offering the shots as they waited for friends running the race to pass.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Discarded drinking cups cover the street near the Spruce Street water station.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Runners approach South Street.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Kacy Manahan and Aaron Stemplewicz were married last night.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Gage Reber, of the Fishtown neighborhood in Philadelphia, wears a hotdog costume during the race.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Elizabeth Jackson (left), Rachel Kostelz (center) and Gracie Stagliano (right) cheer on runners.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Will Snyder, of Mount Ephraim, N.J., pours a cup of water on his head at one of the water stations.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
The largest 10-mile race in the country started at Broad and Fisher in North Philadelphia and ended at the Navy Yard. For most runners, like Bucks County’s Ryan Walter, 29, it was more about completing a “Philadelphia rite of passage.”
“I always say it’s a 10-mile stampede, but once you get to Center City, and it’s all the crowds on both sides cheering you on, and that’s what kind of gets you at that halfway point,” Walter said, “and then the last mile’s packed, too, by the stadiums, which is awesome.”
Nathan Brown, 28, and his fiancée, Rachel Coleman, 27, ran Broad Street for the first time Sunday, with Brown noting there were more people than he expected in the biggest race he has run so far.
But the energy of the spectators, the ringing bells, the confetti being thrown, and the cheering of the crowd gave Coleman and Brown something to feed off, especially toward the end.
“The energy they bring kind of helps, definitely,” Brown said. “Especially when you’re getting toward the end and you’re dying and looking for a little bit more energy, the crowd definitely helps.”
Alec Wheeler, 30, said it also was his first race. Wheeler, a medical student at Philadelphia College of Medicine, said he’s used to running long distances, but never a race like this.
The native of Gaithersburg, Md., has lived in Philadelphia for a few years for medical school and decided to give it a try.
He described it as a perfect way to relieve stress.
“After being in the hospital for so many hours, being able to run and kind of release those endorphins just feels great for my body [to] kind of reset and recharge for the next day, so it’s great for that,” Wheeler said.
Julia Hopson, 22, said it’s her “favorite day of the year” to see all of the energy in the city. Like Wheeler, Hopson is a student who ran on Sunday to escape some academic stress.
“It’s perfect,” Hopson said. “Finish finals Friday, run Broad Street Sunday, it’s the best way to finish the year.”
Hopson, a senior at Temple, wore a Temple shirt to feed off the “vibes of the city.” In her second Broad Street Run, Hopson said the energy remained consistent while the crowds seemed to grow.
“It really makes all the difference when there’s people out cheering on, so it’s fun.”
