Feeling thirsty? Christian Delfino snaps NYC marathon runners taking a swig

There’s a point in the New York marathon that’s notorious for burnout; just north of the Queensboro bridge, along the stretch of 1st Avenue. It’s at this point that runners have completed 16 miles, yet still have another ten to go, and the day is reaching its warmest point. Here, the race’s water stations are vital; they need to be at their most organised and efficient to account for the many thirsty participants speeding past. It was also at the exact point that, during last November’s marathon, the photographer Christian Delfino stationed himself, intent on capturing the hectic, yet strangely transfixing process of mass hydration.

Christian is no stranger to capturing fast-paced scenes. He’s photographed surfing on the Eisbach river in Munich, the biggest ice fishing tournament in America’s midwest, and since the early aughts he’s been photographing the world of inline skating, or rollerblading. Despite the dwindling popularity of the sport, Christian has loved his immersion in its “niche” universe, snapping some of the best skaters and collaborating with brands to bring its world to a broader audience. In fact, Christian sees a lot of similarities between running and skating. “I look at the act of photographing [them] as something more similar to photographing dancers than, say, baseball players,” says Christian. “Within that lies a lot of freedom as to deciding which moment in a runner’s stride – or a skater’s spin – best captures the essence of what the athlete is trying to accomplish.”

What drew Christian to this specific scene, at a particularly difficult part of the race, was the repetitive quality of it; runner after runner sipping away from the same white paper cups. It’s these minutiae aspects that Christian has zoomed in on, taking “tight” shots of people’s faces mid-drink, or their hands clasped around the cup. But within this formula, small idiosyncrasies do begin to emerge. Some faces are fixed in determination, some eyes are closed taking in the satisfaction of a drink, some hands are crushing the empty cup, while others – mid-run – are allowing drops to fly from the half finished vessel. Especially, the water and the effect of it stalled in time adds to the enthralling nature of the series, or, as Christian puts it, “chaotic moments in a serene light”.

Other shots, however, have an almost heroic, action-film-like quality to them. One runner wearing iridescent sunglasses is shown staring down the street ahead, the carnage of the hydration station reflected in his glasses – discarded cups and runners from behind – which only becomes clear as nothing too sinister upon closer inspection. Or there’s the shots of the race volunteers, hands gloved in blue latex and wearing white suits, shown pouring water from large bottles, or passing drinks on. Their attire gives these shots an almost clinical feeling, clearly differentiating the precise, repetitive work of the hydrators from that of the singular, goal-oriented work of the runners.

Christian’s partner, an avid runner, was also taking part in the race – her first marathon. Christian tells us that her firsthand perspective gave more meaning to his images, allowing him to understand the mentality of those he captured. “The marathon elicited an unparalleled positivity in everyone. It was clear these runners were embarking on something deeper than just a race,” he says. “Watching 50,000 people push themselves to a new limit is exhilarating.” After catching the marathon bug, Christian has already stocked up on a whole load of SD cards, ready in waiting for 2024’s eager (and thirsty) athletes.