"From Last Place to Blessed: A Runner's Journey at the NYC Marathon"
Joel Kaufman, a 65-year-old runner, finished last at the New York City Marathon with a time of 8 hours 43 minutes and 34 seconds, becoming the final official finisher. Despite not expecting to finish last, Kaufman described the experience as "one of the great moments" of his life and felt blessed by the support of spectators. Determining last place can be complicated due to different start times, and while Kaufman remains the last official finisher, his rank of 51,258th may shift as race organizers verify results. Several runners crossed the finish line after the race had officially ended, with the last unofficial finisher believed to be Francine Silver, who finished at 11:11 p.m. Kaufman advises runners to embrace the energy of the crowd and appreciate the support along the course.