Chelsea Clinton Says Having Parents Cheering Her on at N.Y.C. Marathon Helped Push Her Over the Finish Line

Seth Wenig/AP/Shutterstock Chelsea Clinton

Chelsea Clinton says her completion of the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon in November couldn't have happened without her parents, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who were cheering her on.

Appearing on The View Wednesday, the 42-year-old former first daughter said her participation in the race almost didn't happen, because of an injury she sustained just weeks prior.

"So I fell off a treadmill six weeks beforehand," she said. "I don't have any good story, I just was not really paying attention, so I wasn't sure I was going to make it."

Add to that her father's health struggles (the former president was hospitalized in October due to an infection) and Clinton said she was worried about not being able to finish the race.

"My father had just been in the hospital — thankfully, he's doing great —but I was really horrified by the prospect of 'What if my parents come to the finish line and I can't finish?' " Clinton said on The View.

In an effort to get inspired to finish the race, she called her parents mid-way through the race, Clinton said: "So at mile 11 I call my parents. I'm running along and my mom's like, 'Aren't you running the marathon?' And I'm like, 'I am. I'm going to make it. You have to come.' And she was like, 'Okay, we'll be there.' "

Bryan Bedder/New York Road Runners via Getty Chelsea Clinton with friends and family at the NYC marathon

In addition to her parents, Chelsea's three children, Charlotte, Aidan, Jasper, and her husband Marc Mezvinsky were also at the marathon watching on the sidelines.

Clinton said that "the fact that my parents were able to be there, that my kids were at two different points in the rally," ultimately helped her keep going. That — and the energy from other onlookers.

"I will say, the energy in the Bronx — cause you come over the bridge and have like, 6 more miles to go and the Bronx is like, 'Welcome to the BRONX!' And I'm like, 'I love the Bronx, thank you! I can make it!' "

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The race kicked off on Staten Island and continued via the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. Runners traveled through Brooklyn, then into Queens before reaching Manhattan. After the Bronx, runners headed back down into Manhattan and finished in Central Park.

Clinton was congratulated by her parents at the finish line in Central Park. She finished with a time of 3:59:09, Runner's World reported.

Taking to social media the day after the race, Clinton shared photos of she and her family members once she had crossed the finish line.

"One of my favorite moments of running yesterday's @nycmarathon was spotting my husband and kids on the sidelines. Grateful to my wonderful cheer squad for their love yesterday and always!" she tweeted.