Gloomy weather was no match for more than 8,000 runners as they hit the pavement Sunday for the New York Road Runners Queens 10K. The community running organization hosts races, training events and school programs citywide.
Fans packed Flushing Meadows-Corona Park as they cheered on family and friends for the 6.2-mile stretch along the former World's Fair grounds.
Just as the fair brought diversity to Queens, people from all different walks of life laced up for the 10K.
"I'm from St. Kitts-Nevis, a tiny Island in the Caribbean," said one runner.
"We're from Arkansas," said another attendee. "We're twins, we're turning 40 next week and so we're here running the Queens 10K as our 40th birthday trip."
Some ran to celebrate Father's Day. Alexander Garrett suffers from V.A.T.E.R. syndrome and finished the race with one leg, with his dad cheering him on.
"It's just a condition, but I don't let it stop me," he said.
The Queens 10K is the third race in the 2015 New York Road Runners "Five Borough Series." The next two are in the Bronx and on Staten Island.
"It's more about a community, New York Runners embracing the community, and it's from start to finish throughout the year, not through the race," said Peter Ciaccia, President of Events for the New York Road Runners.
Until the next race, some runners gave some pointers for those looking to get started.
"I tend to sleep like two days in advance because the night before, you can't sleep. You've got all these jitters going on," said one participant.
Jitters many said were well-worth the feeling of crossing the finish line.