A man dressed as Jesus CARRYING a cross, Pamela Anderson and Bill Rancic join almost 50,000 runners in New York Marathon

The New York City Marathon returned after a one-year absence with big crowds, heightened security and a familiar champion.

Geoffrey Mutai successfully defended his title Sunday, while fellow Kenyan Priscah Jeptoo came from behind to win the women's race. Bronx resident Buzunesh Deba finished runner-up for the second straight time in her hometown event. more pics after the cut..

Fans again packed the 26.2-mile course, undaunted by the events of the past year. The 2012 NYC Marathon was canceled because of the devastation of Superstorm Sandy, but not before many New Yorkers were enraged by initial plans to hold the race.

After the bombings at April's Boston Marathon, bomb-sniffing dogs roamed the course, and barricades limited access points to Central Park. A record 50,740 runners started the race through the five boroughs.

Mutai pulled away around Mile 22 and beat Ethiopia's Tsegaye Kebede by 52 seconds. On a windy morning, Mutai's time of 2 hours, 8 minutes, 24 seconds was well off his course record of 2:05:06 set in nearly perfect conditions two years ago. He's the first man to repeat in New York since Kenya's John Kagwe in 1997-98.

The Professional Women division of runners cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in Brooklyn 

Baywatch did her good: Actress Pamela Anderson smiles after crossing the finish line at the 2013 New York City Marathon

Different to California: Those long runs on the beach finally paid off for Pamela Anderson, who put her best foot forward at Sunday's ING New York City Marathon with her brother by her side

Finisher: Pamela Anderson finished the marathon in 5:41:03 with an average mile pace of 13:02. Which is an incredibly amazing thing to do!

Final few steps: The model and actress sported her new Pixie haircut under a backwards baseball cap as she and her brother completed the race. She smiled , but was visibly tired, grabbing onto her sore right thigh

Marathon-watch: Pamela Anderson was spotted along the final mile of the 26 mile long NY Marathon. She made it all the way to the finish line in 5 hours, 41 minutes

 

Ligia Adriane Camargos Gomes of Brazil screams as she crosses the finish line at the 2013 New York City Marathon in New York

Spectators holding a Japanese flag cheer on runners as they make their way through the borough of Queens during the New York City Marathon in New York

Runners react as they approach the finish line at the 2013 New York City Marathon in New York

New York Road Runners president Mary Wittenberg congratulates Tsegaye Kebede, of Ethiopia, who finished second in the men's division of the New York City Marathon

Front-runners, including Mutai, second from right, race in the New York City Marathon on November 3, 2013

Runners make their way through the Williamsburg section of the borough of Brooklyn during the Marathon

Marcel Hug of Switzerland reacts crossing the finish line followed by Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa, center, as he wins the mens' wheelchair division

Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya, who won the race in 2011, leads the New York City Marathon as he snakes through Central Park

More than 47,000 runners were expected at the start of the 43rd running of the NYC Marathon, taking on the 26.2 miles through the five boroughs

Security was tight from the moment the runners arrived on Staten Island. They were corralled into long bag-check lines, and officers and volunteers repeatedly reminded them to keep cellphones out.
'Security is 100 percent tougher than what I've seen at other races,' said Chris Patterson of Rochester, New York, who was signed up for New York last year and ran Boston in April.
Elizabeth Hutchinson of Seattle recalled the joy at the starting line in Boston this year. People were handing out sunscreen, Band-Aids and energy gels with a smile.
On Staten Island, she said, 'the machine guns are very visible.'
'The atmosphere is so different,' she said, 'It kind of makes me sad.'
Charles Breslin, who lost his home in the storm and was volunteering at the marathon, welcomed the race's return.
'I don't know how the rest of Staten Island feels about, but it can only be a good thing,' he said. 'You have to get back to normalcy.'

Runners cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the start of the New York City Marathon

Athletes in the Wheelchair Division compete of the race that was cancelled last year due to Superstorm Sandy

Some participants opted for fancy dress, with the annual event coming hot on the heels of Halloween

A handful of athletes competed for the $100,000 prize for the men's and women's champions

The 2012 race was called off because of the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, but not before the week's events enraged many residents and runners

City and marathon officials initially vowed that last year's race would go on after Sandy, and many New Yorkers recoiled at the idea of possibly diverting resources after a natural disaster

As the professional women approached Central Park, only a sprinkling of onlookers stood at the police barricades. Ginny Smith, a Manhattan resident who comes to watch each year, said she felt 'very frustrated.'

Three hours after she first arrived at the park, she was finally allowed to walk in. At Columbus Circle, near the 26th and last mile of the route, police kept her waiting for two hours.

'It was difficult, it was horrible - for something that's basically for the people,' she said. 'It's unbelievable; you would think there was a war in the city.'

Ashley O'Brien of Brooklyn was ready with a bullhorn to cheer members of her running group, the Hudson Dusters. She got teary-eyed remembering the events of the past year.

'It's a nice time to all come back together,' she said. 'You still remember why it was canceled last year and you remember Boston. So it's a little bittersweet.'

Some 45,000 were at the start of the 43rd running of the NYC Marathon, taking on the 26.2 miles through the five boroughs. A handful competed for the $100,000 prize for the men's and women's champions.

Security personnel walk near the finish line of the 2013 New York City Marathon in New York, ahead of the event

The extra measures were taken to prevent an attack similar to the one at the Boston race earlier this year

A New York Police Department van is pictured near the finish line area in Central Park before the start of the race

The increased security at the marathon was most evident near the finish line in Central Park. There were barricades around the park to limit entry points, bag checks and bomb-sniffing dogs

Geoffrey Mutai crosses the finish line Sunday to capture the NYC Marathon.

Priscah Jeptoo of Kenya is the first one to cross the finish line during Sunday's NYC Marathon.

Priscah Jeptoo and Geoffrey Mutai have won the women’s and men’s titles in the New York City Marathon in its triumphant return after a 1-year hiatus.
The two Kenyans waved their flag in celebration while thousands cheered in Central Park.
Jeptoo, 29, overtook Bronx resident Buzubesh Deba with an impressive final kick and sped across the finish line to thunderous applause, clocking in at 2 hours, 25 minutes and 7 seconds for the grueling 26.2-mile race.
Deba, 26, finished second for the second straight time, having claimed No. 2 in 2011 as well.
Jeptoo trailed the Ethiopian-born Deba by more than three minutes halfway through. But she made her move as the race entered Manhattan and passed Deba with more than two miles to go.

Mutai, 32, ran away with the men’s crown, powering through the home stretch amid autumn foliage to break the tape at 2:08:24.

Nearly 50,000 runners are making their way through the five boroughs — with tenfold that number of fans and security officials lining the route to ensure safety.
Police officers were “everywhere,” several race fans told the Daily News, with foot patrols on many street corners in response to the bombings at the Boston Marathon earlier this year.
Helicopters hovered over the starting village all morning and the NYPD said it was the first year that metal detector wands were used for everyone at the site.
But tight security or not, marathon mavens said they were thrilled to welcome the runners back after missing out in 2012.

Geoffrey Mutai breaks the tape at 2:08:24.

Last year, officials canceled the mammoth event due to the havoc wreaked by Superstorm Sandy.
“My cousin said, ‘Why are you going? Look what happened in Boston,’” said Jackie Morrison, 49, a tourist visiting from London, said. “I said, ‘This is here. This is now. You can’t be scared.”
Morrison, like others cheering on contenders in the 26.2-mile road race, said she loves the beloved event for its “atmosphere.”

The 43-year-old marathon, which kicked off in 1970 with just 127 participants, now attracts competitors from around the world and boasts a live television audience of 330 million people.
“It’s energetic, and the wheelchair athletes are so inspiring,” Morrison gushed, looking on as American competitor Tatyana McFadden completed a historic marathon “Grand Slam.”

Priscah Jeptoo of  Kenya competes in the NYC Marathon on Sunday. Her winning time was 2 hours, 25 minutes and 7 seconds.

McFadden won the women’s wheelchair race after also triumphing in the London, Boston and Chicago marathons this year. 
No other athlete has won those four races in the same year.
The 24-year-old Maryland resident, who was born with a spinal defect and left at a Russian orphanage as a baby, was adopted by an American family.
She also won the 2010 New York City Marathon.
Mayor Bloomberg, wearing an orange running jacket, hung medals around the necks of the male and female winners, who beamed back at Hizzoner and the crowd.

Geoffrey Mutai heads to the finish line on route to winning the NYC Marathon.

The double win for Kenya marked the third time that the country has captured the men’s and the women’s race titles.
Ryan Vail of Oregon and Adriana Nelson of Colorado were the first Americans to finish in the men’s and women’s competitions. They both placed No. 13.
Enthusiastic supporters buoyed the spirits of tired runners as they covered mile after mile.
On 4th Ave. in Midtown, Eli Zodo, 55, gave air high-fives at sweaty strangers jogging by.
“It’s really exciting to have the marathon back,” Zodo said. “I’ve been coming here for years. It was sad after what happened in Boston and the storm last year.”

A runner carrying the U.S. flag and wearing a T-shirt that says 'Boston Strong' crosses the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge during the marathon.

“They are all struggling to keep pace. But they are smiling. The marathon makes people happy.”
Blue tape separated the runners from the gawkers, but viewer Raul Gomez, 50, still felt 100% part of the marathon action as he pointed at a participant trotting along in a Superman shirt.
“Go Superman, go!” Gomez shouted. “I want to see you fly!”
Many in the race and alongside were remembering the storm that crippled the city last fall.
“When the race got cancelled I grabbed some buddies and went down to the Jersey Shore to help out,” said Jan Wright, a 47-year-old retired police officer.

Even the runners themselves were checked by police before the start of the New York City Marathon Sunday.

Maria Murphy, 55, journeyed from Toms River, N.J., where she weathered Sandy last year.
“There is electricity in the air,” said Murphy, wearing a “Restore the Shore” sweatshirt. “No one is fearful. There are police all over.”
The Boston tragedy was also on the minds of many runners.
“I decided nothing was going to stop me,” said tough Beantown resident Jen Watter, 38.
“What should you be scared about?” added Richard Lindo, 58, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. “Just because something happened in Boston, doesn’t mean it will happen here.”
There were plenty of light moments as the race wore on.
Aaron Bliss and members of his Platinum Mustache singing group trekked up I-95 from Philadelphia to serenade the runners.
“We sing to them and tell them to work hard and keep going,” Bliss said. “We also sing to them about breakups. So if someone just remembers that their girlfriend left them, that will give them the fire to run faster.