Thousands of runners from around the region, country and world descended on Pittsburgh before dawn Sunday to pound the pavement in search of accomplishment.

Mulegeta Birhanu Feyissa of Ethiopia was the first to cross the finish line in the Men’s Elite race with an unofficial time of 2 hours, 14 minutes. He was followed by Milton Rotich of Kenya in second place and Ian Carter in third.

Jane Bareikis of the United States won the Women’s’ Elite full marathon race for the second consecutive year Sunday, followed by Ethiopia’s Aberu Mekuria Zennebe in second place and fellow American Megan O’Neil in third.

The estimated 23,000 runners in the half and full marathon, 13.1 miles and 26.2 miles respectively, have donned their best gear as they hit the course that winds up, down and around the city. Thousands more supporters woke just as early to cheer them on from neighborhood streets.

Racers took off on Liberty Avenue to the sound of fireworks Sunday morning. It was quite the welcome for Austin Bush of Central Pennsylvania, who was running his first Pittsburgh Marathon.

Bush said he usually runs one to two marathons annually.

“Just keeps me in shape year to year and keeps (me) reaching for something,” he said. “It’s worth the pain.”

He didn’t have a specific goal for the race Sunday, just was looking to experience Pittsburgh and its hilly course.

David Nelson and his uncle Brian Passmore were representing “Star Wars” on the course in celebration of the informal holiday coinciding with the race - May the Fourth, as fans say. They wore matching Star Wars-themed T-shirts and each had a character from the movies listed on their race bib.

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The two live far apart but don’t let the distance stop them from being competitive with each other. Passmore lives in DuBois. Nelson is originally from there but now lives in Arkansas.

“It’s just to challenge ourselves at this point,” Passmore said.

The pair hoped to run the half marathon in under two hours. They’re trying to “earn the beers that were going to drink - a preemptive strike,” Nelson said.

Sydney Mollica traveled from Tennessee to run the half marathon with her best friend Clarissa Harvey of West Virginia. They wore matching pink tank tops and black leggings and even got their nails done the same.

Mollica said she likes getting a medal at the end.

“Otherwise a Tennessean wasnt typically coming to Pittsburgh,” she said.

Both women have run half marathons in the past. Clarissa Harvey’s husband Kenny joined the duo.

“He’s competitive with himself,” she said.

Kenny Harvey agreed.

“It’s me vs. me,” he said.

Leigh Rounce stopped on West General Robinson Street outside PNC Park to say hello to her husband and their two daughters.

It was great for Brooke, 3, and Summer, 1, to see their mother being a great role model, said David Rounce of Fox Chapel.

“She supports me so much in life, it’s nice to return the favor and it’s nice for the two girls to see their mom doing something,” he said.

It’s Leigh’s first half marathon since having the girls and she’s been training for four months, her husband said.

Runners outside PNC Park got a kick out of a sign Bre Berue McLernan held that complimented their backsides. She got a lot of high fives and positive feedback from those on the course. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised,” she said. Berue McLernan yelled to her wife Adrienne as she ran past and the two had a moment on the sidewalk during Adrienne’s first half marathon. They live in Vermont but Adrienne Berue McLernan attended the University of Pittsburgh.

The Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon officially got underway at 7 a.m. Sunday. Roads around the city will be closed for hours to allow racers space to pass by, and over, iconic Pittsburgh landmarks, such as the sports stadiums, inclines and bridges.

About 41% of participants are participating in their first marathon and 33% are running their first half marathon, according to race officials.