Transcript of NYC Marathon runners share their inspiration to compete in the race

New York City Marathon, more than 50,000 runners are going the distance across all five boroughs, including our very own Will Gans, who's running for the very first time. We're really excited about that. That's happening tomorrow. He's in Central Park with all the excitement. Will, are you making friends out there already?

That's right, you guys. I'm making friends. And literally right now, there are finishers, the very first finisher from the 5K this morning with the New York Roadrunners. How exciting is that? These are members, though, of Team Inspire, who are running tomorrow. Nate is running his second New York City Marathon. Janey is running her fourth New York City Marathon, and Zara is running her very first, just like me. We're in it together. But here's more on their inspiring stories. Take a look.

The New York City Marathon, the largest in the world, with over 55,000 runners from nearly 150 countries around the globe. Some of the loudest cheers this Marathon Sunday will be for the 26 members of Team Inspire, like climate activist and influencer Zara Bia Bani.

I know it's definitely a hard first course for any marathoner, so trying to give myself grace, but excited to just cross the finish line.

Zara is lacing up to support both Team Inspire and Team 4 Climate. The first entry in a major marathon tied to sustainability efforts and the environment.

I really hope to inspire people to see the imperative for acting on climate and within that scope, really reflect the positive trends that have been happening and how they can be a part of it.

Other participants coming from as far away as Hawaii, like middle school teacher Nate Kahaia Lee, who's running with the one thing he salvaged from his home before losing everything in the Maui wildfire inspires his sneakers.

It was a few days later, we went back to the neighborhood, unrecognizable, that we saw the house completely reduced to ash.

He wears the shoes now as a symbol of strength and resilience to honor his home in Hawaii.

Every step I take with them is a step that I take with Lahaina as well.

The point of Team Inspire is to really just showcase that anybody can be an inspiring athlete. Anybody can be a runner, right? We all have our own journeys, and it doesn't matter how we get there.

For Janey Deegan, the path to this marathon began with a step into sobriety.

I got sober when I was 25, and the year before that, I had been homeless due to alcoholism and addiction. And when I got sober, I knew that if I was going to stay sober, I had to find some joy and purpose.

Running became her purpose. After completing her first 10K, she, along with a friend, set her sights on running the New York City Marathon.

I'm getting a little teary thinking about it. 2017, we were running that New York City Marathon and crossed the finish line together in under 5 hours, and it was just such a cool thing.

And for each marathon she ran, Janey crossed the finish line on a new professional milestone at the same time, opening three bakeries here in Manhattan. In fact, hers are now the official cookie of the New York City Marathon.

We're selling joy, right? We're not selling an unhealthy lifestyle. We're selling joy and balance.

I love that you say you're selling joy. How far away did that reality feel when you were unhoused?

I remember a family member of mine when I turned 30 saying, I didn't think you'd make it till you were 30. I've been sober 11 and a half years, and it's just been God, it's been the marathon of a lifetime. It's been the adventure of a lifetime. I didn't know what I was capable of.

Well, here we are, and we have got some of these delicious cookies, the official cookie of the New York City Marathon. All right, I I'd like to ask. I'll ask Nate and Janey some advice for first-timers. What would you tell us before we run this thing tomorrow?

Just enjoy it. Try not to worry about a PR. Just take it in the energy from the crowds. Just enjoy it.

Thank you, Nate.

Try wear headphones as little as possible because the crowd's energy is more motivating than any headphones.

I love that. All right, now I'm going to go down the line. One word to describe how you're feeling heading into your first New York City Marathon.

Grit or gritty.

Gritty. Love it. Janey, your fourth?

Inspired.

Inspired. And Nate, your second New York City Marathon?

Motivated.

Motivated. All right. I am now motivated to carbo-load. This looks delicious. I know you guys have some of Janey's life-changing baked goods there in the studio. Enjoy, you guys. You're allowed to carbo-load with us, I think. Oh, yeah.

So good.

Yeah. And Will Gans, you have been on your own little personal journey and revamping your life. So you training for this is huge. We are all so proud of you. We've been watching you on weekends as you've been getting your runs in, and we are all cheering you on, our friends.

He's like, Thanks for talking. We love you guys. Thank you. You're the best, Will. Cheering all of you on out there. And remember, you can catch coverage of the New York City Marathon on our ABC station right here in New York and on ESPN 2 starting tomorrow at 8:00 AM.

These cookies are real. Yeah, you guys go ahead, eat.