When Daniel Mata approached the finish line of the TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 2, the crowds’ cheers weren’t just for another runner — they were for someone helping to redefine what running looks like.
Mata, from Jersey City, New Jersey, was one of 143 participants in what is now the marathon’s fifth year with a non-binary division, finishing first with a time of two hours and 41 minutes. They follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner of the non-binary division, Sofia Camacho Ferral, who concluded the race in two hours and 31 minutes.
This year’s marathon saw several record breakers, including Hellen Obiri, who set a new women’s course record of two hours and 19 minutes, and Benson Kipruto, who finished in two hours and eight minutes, winning the men’s race by just 0.03 seconds — the closest margin of victory ever recorded in the marathon.
But Mata broke a personal record for themselves with their first ever marathon win.
Before New York, they had run the Columbus, Boston, and Chicago Marathons. After finishing second in the Chicago Marathon’s non-binary division, Mata decided to apply for this year’s New York City Marathon.
Mata started running seriously during the 2020 pandemic as a way to manage their anxiety — and also since it was one of the safest ways to get outside. Once they entered more races, though, they felt out of place in strictly binary categories, which made their involvement in the NYC Marathon’s non-binary division especially meaningful.
“Being able to practice a sport authentically means a lot to begin with, so when races like New York City offer sign-ups under different gender categories, I’m going to take advantage of that,” Mata told Gay City News.
Participating in these races, especially in the non-binary divisions, has given Mata the chance to form a community, which culminated in this year’s marathon. Mata mentioned that before the start and at the finish line, they saw people from past races and felt comfortable, even though they had never run this particular race before.
Authenticity and community are what motivated Mata to show up and give the race their all, and the crowd’s support is what kept them going.
Mata noted that what separated the NYC marathon from the past ones they had run was the immense support along the way. The annual marathon draws over two million spectators across the boroughs, many holding signs and cheering to motivate the runners to keep pushing.
Their personal favorite borough was Brooklyn because of the amount of supporters and the curvy route that kept them on their toes, although Queens was a close second.
Since their win, Mata has been celebrating with friends and their partner, making sure to give their body time to properly rest after the intense 26.2 mile run.
“I’ve been using this time to reinvest in my community and my friendships, and not having to worry about running for a little bit has been nice,” they noted with a laugh.
For Mata, the most important part of the race wasn’t the crowd or their win — it was the message of inclusivity. They hope that anyone who has ever felt excluded and misrepresented in running sees the New York City Marathon as an open invitation.
“I can’t stress enough how cool it is to have a category that is open for anyone to sign up and represent themselves authentically and unapologetically,” says Mata. “Running is for everyone.”
