Belief has no borders

At 8.40 am Eastern Time on November 6, 2022, a cannon fired on Staten Island to signal the start of the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon. Sharon Lokedi, 28, from a small village near Eldoret, Kenya, began the first 26.2-mile journey in her promising career as a professional marathoner.

At 4.40 pm Eastern Africa Time on November 6, 2022, the TCS New York City Marathon app was opened on a smartphone in a small village near Eldoret, Kenya. Rose Lokedi prepared to watch Sharon, her daughter, run a marathon for the very first time.

The life-changing power of running

Running changed everything for Sharon Lokedi. Her talent was evident from a young age. In 2015, Sharon left her home in Kenya and enrolled as a freshman at the University of Kansas. Sharon had a successful collegiate running career and was even an NCAA champion. But along with her achievements came significant sacrifice. Unlike many of her teammates, Sharon’s family couldn’t travel to her races—they lived on the other side of the world.

The 2022 TCS New York City Marathon was different from any race Sharon had run before, and not just because of the distance. This race was different because Sharon’s family watched her run. For the first time in the history of major marathons, the professional races were livestreamed in their entirety on the race app, powered by TCS.

Bringing the marathon to life

When Sharon crested the Verrazzano Bridge, Rose saw and cheered her on. When Sharon turned onto First Avenue in Manhattan, Rose saw and urged her daughter forward. When Sharon entered Central Park—leading the TCS New York City Marathon with less than a mile ago—Rose saw and fell to the ground in anticipation. When Sharon broke the tape, Rose saw and thanked God for Sharon’s victory.

Rose Lokedi wasn’t the only mother who watched a child run the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon. Through the app’s new Course Camera feature, runners were livestreamed at five key points along the marathon route. The technology in the TCS New York City Marathon app made the marathon experience come alive for runners and fans alike.

Belief has no borders

At TCS, we see technology as a bridge between our physical and digital worlds, enhancing our experiences and creating lasting memories of key moments. That’s why we created the TCS New York City Marathon app, which is downloaded by half a million people every year.

Like technology, belief has no borders. Don’t just take our word for it. The real heart of this story comes from Sharon and Rose, who shared an unforgettable experience at the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon.