2021: A Year of Regrowing and Moving Forward
2021 has been a year like no other. We continue to face obstacles and uncertainty but together with our runners, we’ve made progress, resuming in-person programs, regrowing our races, and returning to beloved events on our calendar, including the TCS New York City Marathon for its 50th running. We thank you for joining us all year long as together we help and inspire people through running.
Looking ahead, starting with the NYRR Midnight Run on New Year's Eve, NYRR will require runners to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination in order to participate in races. Learn more about this policy.
We look forward to running with you and to a healthy and safe 2022.
Winter: Nourishing and Regrowing
The year kicked off with the Virtual NYRR Resolution Run 5K, the largest NYRR Volvo Cars Virtual Racing event of 2021 with over 18,000 finishers.
Our Rising New York Road Runners Holiday Hoopla Virtual Challenge highlighted the contributions of runners in history and culture.
Our first in-person 2021 race, the NYRR Resolution Run 4M, had 353 finishers including a dedicated wave of Team for Kids runners supporting NYRR youth programs.
The NYRR Founders 3.3M honored the many individuals who have made a lasting impact on NYRR and our community, including Ted Corbitt, Joe Kleinerman, Fred Lebow, and Grete Waitz.
We launched NYRR Coaching Lab for the Virtual United Airlines NYC Half, a 10-week training program for runners everywhere with weekly Zoom sessions.
Our inaugural Virtual NYRR Black History Month 5K had 8,814 finishers around the world.
For youth runners, our Rising New York Road Runners Black History Month Virtual Challenge encouraged fitness and learning about Black historic and contemporary figures.
Our Black History Month celebration included a feature on the early history of NYRR as an outgrowth of the New York Pioneer Club, an integrated Harlem-based running organization.
NYRR Group Training returned, offering small-group coached workouts in NYC parks.
Our first-ever NYRR Mile Series kicked off at the Washington Heights Mile including the return of in-person youth racing at the Rising New York Road Runners at the Washington Heights Mile.
Spring: Bringing It Back, Safely
The Virtual United Airlines NYC Half had over 12,600 finishers, a record number.
We celebrated Women’s History Month with features on runner safety and girls in our Rising New York Road Runners Youth Ambassadors program.
In-person Run for the Future, our program for high school young women in NYC, returned with a class of 10 young women, with more joining in the summer.
The Virtual NYRR Brooklyn Half had 7,712 finishers.
Our NYRR Mile Series continued with the Newport Mile in Jersey City, NJ, including the Rising New York Road Runners at the Newport Mile youth race.
Large-scale in-person racing returned featuring a stellar field of pro runners at the Mastercard New York Mini 10K, with 2,875 finishers led by U.S. Olympian Sara Hall and Paralympian Susannah Scaroni. This was the first year of Mastercard's title sponsorship of the Mini, the world's original women-only road race.
Volunteering also returned at the Mini, helping runners and spectators have a safe, fun race-day experience.
Summer: Taking Bold Strides
The LGBT Pride Run in Central Park had 4,324 finishers and featured the launch of our non-binary finisher category, followed by the Achilles Hope & Possibility for runners of all abilities.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) extended its contract with NYRR through 2029 as the title and technology sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon. A leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization, TCS has been NYRR's premier partner since 2013.
NYRR Group Training Weekend Long Runs returned, helping to prepare runners for the TCS New York City Marathon and other fall marathons.
In-person NYRR Striders, our free program for older adults, resumed in several sites, providing group fitness walks and activities in outdoor locations.
The Harlem 5K Run and Walk Honoring Mayor David Dinkins and Rising New York Road Runners youth event returned to the streets of Harlem.
We brought back NYRR Open Run sites offering free community walk/runs in parks across the five boroughs.
The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile on September 12 showcased athletes of all ages including a pro field led by Jake Wightman (men), Jemma Reekie (women), and Nikki Hiltz (non-binary).
Fall: Filling Streets, Playgrounds, and Arenas
The New Balance Bronx 10 Mile brought over 7,500 runners to NYC’s northernmost borough.
Our Rising New York Road Runners Jamboree featured hundreds of youth in Icahn Stadium for a day of track and field.
Over 5,000 runners around the world joined together for the fourth annual Virtual TCS New York City Marathon (October 23–November 7).
In partnership with the Trust for Public Land, we launched a new schoolyard at P.S. 223Q, one of our Rising New York Road Runners participating schools.
The 50th running of the TCS New York City Marathon featured a field of 25,000+ from 91 countries led by wheelchair champions Marcel Hug and Madison de Rosario and open champions Albert Korir and Peres Jepchirchir. Also on race weekend, the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K and USATF 5K Championships returned to Midtown Manhattan.
Volunteers were back in force throughout marathon weekend; learn more about how to volunteer in 2022!
We welcomed Flow Alkaline Spring Water as the official water of NYRR, launching at the 2022 United Airlines NYC Half.
The NYRR Ted Corbitt 15K returned, running over parts of Central Park's Ted Corbitt Loop and including a coat drive for New York Cares.
The NYRR Frosty 5K and Rising New York Road Runners at the Frosty 5K youth races benefited our youth programs serving more than 100,000 kids in NYC and 240,000 kids nationally.
Looking Ahead
The NYRR Midnight Run returns to Central Park on December 31; registration is open here.
You can also sign up for in-person races in January-April including the United Airlines NYC Half on March 20 (through NYRR Team for Kids or another official charity partner) and the Virtual United Airlines NYC Half, taking place March 12-20.