Runners pause during New York half marathon to get married

May 22 (UPI) -- A pair of runners in a New York half marathon race took a break halfway through the run for an important appointment: their wedding.

Alexander Salazar and Krissa Cetner stopped six miles into the Brooklyn half marathon Saturday to get married in Prospect Park.

Salazar wore a tuxedo T-shirt, Cetner wore a white shirt with flowers on the front and "BKHalfWedding" on the back. They also wore custom "bride" and "groom" bibs.

"It was very surreal," Salazar told WPIX-TV.

The couple said Cetner came up with the idea while running a few months ago, and Salazar quickly agreed.

"Running is a big part of how we got together," Salazar said.

Salazar and Cetner were accompanied by some of their wedding guests, while others met them at the park. After the ceremony, they finished the race.

The couple said they first met a few years ago when Salazar was a referee in an adult volleyball league.

"We were actually in the same start crowd group for the New York City half that year and Krissa recognized me and asked if I was the ref from volleyball, so I asked her if she wanted to join my running group and that really kicked things off for us," Salazar told ABC News before the marathon.

"Marriage is like a marathon, it's not a sprint," Salazar said. "There's a lot of years ahead of you in a marriage and sometimes you're both really into it and can push each other and sometimes the other partner has to help pull you through whatever challenge lies ahead. You both have to keep each other motivated in a race and in a marriage."