NYC Marathon to Return This Fall at 60% Capacity With About 33K Runners Participating

The iconic New York City Marathon will return this fall with a modified size of participating runners.

New York Road Runners (NYRR) announced Monday that it will host about 33,000 runners for the 50th running of the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon. The modified field size was determined in partnership with the State of New York and the Mayor’s Office of New York City.

“In 2019, the New York City marathon broke records to become the world’s largest marathon ever,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “While canceling the race was the right choice in 2020, we are excited to welcome runners back to our beautiful city. New Yorkers worked hard to flatten the curve after the COVID-19 outbreak and it is that work that allows us to be able to take this step in bringing normalcy back to our state.”

Runners registered for last year’s marathon had the option to receive a full refund of their entry fee or a guaranteed complimentary entry for the 2021, 2022, or 2023 marathon, after the 2020 TCS New York City Marathon was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s upcoming race will accommodate all runners who chose to run in 2021. According to NYRR, among the more than 30,000 runners who were registered prior to the cancellation last year, 54% chose to run in this year’s marathon. Registration for runners with guaranteed entry will begin on June 8 and close on June 15.

According to NYRR, health and safety procedures will be in place for the upcoming marathon. NYRR’s guidelines will include social distancing, elimination of touchpoints, enhanced health and safety protocols, and testing and tracing. Runners should be prepared to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or proof of a complete vaccination series prior to running in the marathon. Runners traveling to New York are expected to adhere to federal, state, and local guidelines including pre-travel testing and quarantine requirements.

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To establish social distancing at the marathon, a controllable and scalable start format will be utilized instead of single mass gathering starts, NYRR said. To adapt to this new format, an extended period of time will be needed with the first wave starting an hour earlier, and later waves extending two hours later.

“The New York City Marathon is a reminder of everything New Yorkers can accomplish with persistence, hard work, and community support. As we build a recovery for all of us, there’s no better time to safely reconnect with the iconic events that make our city great,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

The 2021 TCS New York City Marathon will commemorate the race’s 50th running with runners from all over the world participating in-person and virtually. Additionally, the NYRR announced that the fourth annual Virtual TCS New York City Marathon Powered by Strava will also return, bringing together runners from all over the world to participate in a race from their location of choice. The virtual marathon will begin on Oct. 23 and finish on Nov.7. Registration will open on June 10. Last year, 16,031 runners finished the virtual race.

“This will be an unprecedented and historic year for the TCS New York City Marathon as one of the most iconic New York sporting events makes its return,” said Ted Metellus, Race Director, TCS New York City Marathon. “As we stage a safe and memorable race for the 50th running, this year’s marathon will showcase our great city’s strength, inspiration, and determination.”