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First Across at the New York City Marathon is a Massage Therapist

The story of the first runner to cross the finish line at the New York City Marathon Nov.1, 2015

Massage Therapist Sets a Pace at the New York City Marathon

By Karen Menehan November 6, 2015

The first person to cross the finish line in the New York City Marathon on Nov. 1 did so in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 34 seconds—and more than 50,000 runners followed him, after taking off in Staten Island and pounding 26.2 miles through Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and The Bronx.

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One of those runners was massage therapist Julia Khvasechko, L.M.T., making this her 154th completed marathon.

For Khvasechko, a cancer survivor, running is more than a recreational pastime. After she was diagnosed with a brain tumor in her 20s, she became bedridden.

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