While we can’t be there with the thousands of our fellow running brothers and sisters who will descend on New York City this weekend for the annual ING NYC Marathon, we thought it would be fun to take a stroll through some of the race’s recent history. Enjoy.

Here in this photo by Matthew Hutchinson, runners line up at the starting line on Staten Island before heading across the Verrazano-Narrows bridge at the 2007 race:

Here in this photo by Fergal Carr, runners cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge early in the race:

An even closer-up shot from the air over the bridge, from Fergal Carr:

Later in the race, runners stream through Sunset Park in this photo by Rebecca Wilson:

Runners enjoy the 2010 race in these two photos by Tom Thai:

Runners trek through Brooklyn in this 2008 photo by Fergal Carr:

And here:

Runners ham it up for the cameras here in these Flickr photos by emilydickinsonridesabmx:

The scenery for spectators at the 2008 race, by Corey Butler:

Here, runner and former Olympian Carrie Tollefson announces near the finish line at the 2011 New York City Marathon:

What it must feel like to cross the finish line, taken in 2008 by Corey Butler:

And finally the finish line itself, taken in 2008 by Fergal Carr: