The Armies of the Night Gather

All runners convene at South Bronx bar Tortoise & Hare to meet, gather their supplies, refresh their costumes, and trade war stories about past runs. For many, 28 miles is a short distance compared to the 50- and 100-milers some of them are used to. One runner returned from finishing the Moab 240, a grueling 240-mile race that he finished in five days. 

Entering the Conclave

In the movie, nine delegates from nearly every gang in the city (except The Orphans), convene to hear Cyrus, the leader of the Gramercy Riffs, detail his plan to take over all of New York City … one borough at a time. For the race, runners are escorted from the bar to an abandoned stadium nearby to get final instructions before beginning their journey.

The Conclave Begins

The most elite runners in the group, naturally, are the Warriors who stand on the bleachers facing the other runners. Brandon Jackson of Black Men Run NYC (standing with hands in air) was the honorary Cyrus this year. Says Jackson: “W.A.R.R.I.O.R.S.: Willpower, Adaptability, Representation, Raw intensity, Oomph, Recovery, Satisfaction.”

Ready to Rumble

Runners from the Party Pace Furies get ready to begin the race. “The Warriors run is otherwordly. No other ultra requires me to put grease paint on my gear list,” says Ellen Bentz, war chief of the Furies. “Other ultras I worry about ticks. The Warriors race, I count the number of rats that scamper over my feet. Running through the neighborhoods of a hot and humid NYC summer, the call from delighted cars and onlookers of ‘Warriors, come out to play,’ and the shared camaraderie of the city that never sleeps makes this my favorite night of the year.”

And They’re Off

After organizers played a pivotal scene from the film in which Cyrus is shot and killed, it was time to start the journey. Runners exited the track at the stadium to hit the New York streets. 

Crossing Broadway

As in the film, the Party Pace Furies, one of about a dozen gangs that also included members of the Moon Runners, the Rogues and the Saracens, are armed with bats, albeit plastic ones.

Entering Riverside Park

The race took a detour at 100th Street and Broadway to enter Riverside Park, the real-life location of the famed gang conclave. “There’s nothing like running through NYC in the middle of the night,” says Jen Curtis, who finished third. “Normally, I would be scared to run at night. But I felt completely safe and adrenaline was high having seen so much of the city before sunrise.”

Posing in the Park

Runner Stella Dellamora leaps for joy having completed the first seven miles. Only 21 more to go. “‘You Warriors are good. Real good.’ What made them so good? They showed up for themselves and each other. Over and over again. Relentlessly. No matter how hard it got,” Dellamora says. “And that’s exactly what we did, too. We just kept showing up. Hard things are easier when you find your people – they can even be fun. And it doesn’t have to be fun to be fun.” 

Bopping Through Times Square

The Warriors, the most elite racers, bopping their way through Times Square in the middle of the night. With the World Cup final set to take place the next day, the area was mobbed with partiers rooting runners on.  

Times Square Takeover

A gang joyously making their way through the big city.

“What I love about the Warriors Race is how it brings together such an eclectic group of people from all parts of New York City and beyond,” runner Nick Synan tells Rolling Stone. “While we start as separate ‘gangs,’ we realize we’re all part of one big gang. We’re all part of a community that cheers each other on through every mile and celebrates every finisher with high fives and hugs on the Coney Island boardwalk. Seeing everyone show up in costumes at one a.m. in the Bronx and bring such fun and positive energy to the streets makes this race so unique.”

Armies of the Night

With most of the race run at night, runners had the unique challenge of making sure they stayed up. Adrenaline and gels, though, fueled everyone.

The Finish Line

While some of the fastest runners finished while it was still dark, most runners ran down Stillwell Avenue and up to Coney Island’s boardwalk after the sun came up. Some runners danced with tourists and blasted Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” at the finish line. “These are the moments that make this race so special and one of a kind,” Synan says.

And the Winner Is

Founder and Race Director Todd Aydelotte stands with winner Mulan Xia, who ran the 28 miles in three hours and 34 minutes to win the race.

“Everyone was so welcoming (not just friendly! There’s a difference),” Xia says. That sense of inclusivity really prevailed through the race – whether it be the runners helping each other with directions, or the commiserated sitting on the boardwalk, and I really love that. There are a million races you can run in search of a PR, but it’s rare to find one that’s as fun during as it is at the very end.”

A Well-Deserved Rest

Xia, men’s winner Haitai Ng (left) and second place winner Richard Scott take a well-deserved rest after crossing the finish line. “Running through the city at one a.m. is a special kind of thrill,” Ng says. “No permits. No barricades. No crowd cheering. Just the city.”

All Smiles

Aydelotte with a pack of finishers. “I wanted to create a unsanctioned, underground running experience that was completely authentic and unique — and bring the world of ‘The Warriors’ to life on the streets that inspired it,” Aydelotte tells Rolling Stone. “From the beginning, the goal has been to immerse our runners in a neon-soaked New York odyssey, one that explores the same themes that have made the film endure for nearly 50 years: identity, unity, power, and the search for home. And above all that, there are few opportunities in life to dress up like a gangster and run through the streets of New York all night long, and this is one of them.”

The Long Run Is Over

“When we see the ocean, we figure we’re home. We’re safe.”