New York Road Runners

• NYRR is founded as the Road Runners Club – New York Association with about 40 members. The founder of the Road Runners Club of America, H. Browning Ross, encourages the group, which meets at Macombs Dam Park in the Bronx.
• The club is led by 1952 African American Olympian Ted Corbitt who opens the club to all races, genders, and running speeds.
• Throughout the 1960s and early 70s, under six different presidents (listed at right), NYRR remains a tight band of committed runners, with about 250 members.

• 1970: spearheaded by Fred Lebow and NYRR president Vince Chiappetta, the first New York City Marathon takes place in Central Park in 1970, with 127 entrants, 55 finishers, and a $1 entry fee.

• 1972: New York City Marathon co-founder Fred Lebow takes over as president of NYRR and helps lead the "running boom" that is sweeping the country.
  • NYRR stages the Crazylegs Mini Marathon (now the NYRR New York Mini 10K), the first all-women road race.

• 1976: NYRR, inspired by Fred Lebow's vision, takes the New York City Marathon out of Central Park and into the streets of the city's five boroughs with a field of 2,090 runners.
  • Over the next five years, NYRR launches the Fifth Avenue Mile, the Empire State Building Run-Up, and the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge.

• 1978: Fred Lebow hires high school science teacher Allan Steinfield to oversee the technical and operations aspects of NYRR events.

1980s

• Fred Lebow and Allan Steinfeld recruit some of the world's best athletes to headline races. These runners include Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Alberto Salazar, Lasse Viren, Mary Decker Slaney, and Grete Waitz, who eventually goes on to win the New York City Marathon a record nine times.
• 1981: NYRR purchases a townhouse on the Upper East Side to house its "International Running Center."
• By the end of the decade, membership soars to nearly 30,000.
• NYRR races are among the first to offer prize money.

1990s

• 1990: Fred Lebow is diagnosed with brain cancer, to the heartbreak of the organization. Lebow inspires cancer patients worldwide by running during his months of chemotherapy.

• 1992: With his cancer in remission, Fred Lebow poignantly completes the 1992 New York City Marathon in 5:32:34, accompanied by Grete Waitz.

• 1994: On October 9, just four weeks before the 25th New York City Marathon, Lebow sadly loses his battle with cancer.
  • Allan Steinfeld takes over as NYRR CEO and New York City Marathon race director.

• 1998: Mary Wittenberg, an attorney and the winner of the 1987 Marine Corps Marathon, is hired as NYRR's first director of administration. Wittenberg oversees NYRR's business, administration, and operations.
  • NYRR launches the New York Road Runners Foundation with a commitment to give back to the community. Later in the year, it was decided to focus on youth due to the nation's childhood obesity crisis and a lack of P.E. programs in NYC schools. In 1999 NYRR launched running programs in several NYC middle schools, commencing a long-term commitment to youth programming that has evolved into Rising New York Road Runners.

2000s

• 2001: NYRR, in a demonstration of the power of running to help heal a shattered city, stages the New York City Marathon less than two months after the September 11 attacks.

• 2003: NYRR signs a multi-year deal with financial services company ING as the first title sponsor of the New York City Marathon.
  • NYRR continues to grow—membership reaches 40,000—and to extend its influence on a local, national, and international scale.

• 2005: Mary Wittenberg is named Allan Steinfeld's successor as president and CEO of NYRR and race director of the New York City Marathon. The first woman to hold these positions, she oversees NYRR's 160 full-time employees.

• 2006: The New York City Marathon joins four other leading marathons—Berlin, Boston, Chicago, and London—to form the World Marathon Majors, a two-year series showcasing the sport's top athletes and awarding an unprecedented $1 million champions' prize. (The group expands to six with the addition of the Tokyo Marathon in 2013; Abbott becomes the title sponsor in 2014.)
  • NYRR hosts the USA Cross Country Championships in the Bronx's Van Cortlandt Park.
  • NYRR inaugurates the New York City Half, which starts in Central Park, continues through Times Square, and finishes in lower Manhattan. The inaugural race has some 10,000 finishers.

• 2007: NYRR hosts the U.S. Olympic Trials Men's Marathon, the Team USA selection race for the 2008 Beijing Games. Ryan Hall breaks the U.S. Olympic Trials record with his 2:09:03 marathon finish time on a course in Central Park.

• 2008: World record-holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain wins her third New York City Marathon in as many tries.

• 2009: The 40th running of the New York City Marathon sets an all-time marathon finisher record at 43,660 runners.
  • Meb Keflezighi of Mammoth Lakes, CA, takes first place in the New York City Marathon and is the first American to win the race in the 27 years since Alberto Salazar won his third title in 1982.
  • NYRR enters the social media realm with an array of Facebook fan pages and Twitter feeds.

2010s

• 2010: NYRR and the Department of Parks & Recreation co-sponsor the four-mile Run for Haiti in response to the devastating earthquake there. The event raises more than $430,000 for New York's Haiti Relief Fund.
  • NYRR launches Running Start, a free collection of online fitness videos developed by NYRR, expert youth coaches, and exercise physiologists to teach youth the fundamentals of running through age-appropriate games, activities, and drills.

• 2011: NYRR introduces the Official NYRR New York City Marathon Training Program, a revolutionary online plan that is personalized based on a runner's experience, age, sex, race times, and current training.
  • One-on-one e-coaching becomes available from NYRR's experts. More than 640 runners sign up in the first month of the program.
  • The New York City Marathon has 47,340 finishers, setting a new record.

• 2012: NYRR signs a historic five-year deal with ESPN/ABC7 for a comprehensive year-round national and local television package, the cornerstone of which is the New York City Marathon. (In 2013, the marathon is televised nationally for the first time in almost 20 years.)
  • For the first time in event history, the New York City Marathon is canceled, due to Hurricane Sandy. Thousands of runners gather in Central Park for informal marathons on November 4, and many assist with recovery efforts in hard-hit areas like Staten Island and Coney Island.
  • NYRR makes a donation of $1 million and, together with its partners, a $1.2 million donation of New York City Marathon supplies to the Mayor's Fund for the Advancement of New York City, to be used for Sandy relief and recovery efforts.  

• 2013: NYRR continues to help the city recover from Superstorm Sandy. Contributions include donated goods at our races, donations of race proceeds from the Staten Island Half, and the creation of Staten Island Day, which raises more than $100,000 in donations for Sandy relief efforts.
  • On May 18, the Brooklyn Half hosts some 20,000 runners—about 7,000 more than ever before in the race's 33-year history. They run from the Brooklyn Museum through Prospect Park to the finish line on Coney Island's world-famous boardwalk. The race is broadcast on ABC7.
  • NYRR donates $146,000 to The One Fund Boston, formed to assist victims and families affected by the Boston Marathon bombing, through the sale of "I Run for Boston" T-shirts.
  • NYRR partners with one of the world's top security firms and works closely with the NYPD and state/federal partners to provide enhanced security measures, further strengthening an already comprehensive security plan.

• 2014: NYRR launches the Five-Borough Series, which showcases NYRR's commitment to the individuals and communities in each borough. The races include the United Airlines NYC Half, the Airbnb Brooklyn Half, the Queens 10K, the New Balance Bronx 10 Mile, and the Staten Island Half. The series is a celebration of what makes each borough unique, inspiring, and an amazing place to get out and get moving.
  • The Brooklyn Half becomes the country's biggest half-marathon of the year when 25,642 runners cross the Coney Island Boardwalk finish line.
  • In its first year with new title sponsor Tata Consultancy Services, the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon breaks the previous year's record with 50,530 finishers—the largest of any marathon in history.
  • The 44th New York City Marathon celebrates the event's one-millionth finisher.

• 2015: Molly Huddle becomes the first American winner in the 10-year history of the United Airlines NYC Half, tying the event record of 1:08:31.
  • The first-ever Times Square Kids' Run at the United Airlines NYC Half brings more than 700 school-aged runners through the heart of Midtown Manhattan for a 1500-meter race alongside the half-marathon course.
  • After 17 years at NYRR, Mary Wittenberg steps down as NYRR's president and CEO and TCS New York City Marathon Race Director. COO Michael Capiraso is promoted to NYRR president and CEO, and CPO Peter Ciaccia is promoted to NYRR president, events and TCS New York City Marathon race director.
  • A record-breaking 26,482 runners cross the finish line at the 2015 Airbnb Brooklyn Half, again making the race the largest half-marathon in the country that year.
  • On June 3 at St. Mary's Park in the Bronx, NYRR launches NYRR Open Run, a community-based initiative aimed at bringing free weekly runs to local neighborhood parks in New York City by working with community leaders and volunteers. Other NYRR Open Runs are added at Astoria Park in Queens, Conference House Park and Silver Lake Park in Staten Island, and Marine Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn. NYRR Open Run operates with NYC Parks' Community Parks Initiative to bring programming to smaller public parks throughout New York City
  • Nearly 600 kids run the final 1.8 miles of the TCS New York City Marathon course at the inaugural NYRR Youth Invitational. The event is televised on WABC-TV, Channel 7.
  • More than 1,000 NYC school-aged kids and 100 TCS New York City Marathon pro athletes participate in the TCS Run with Champions by running one mile or 400 meters on the race course during race week.
  • Mighty Milers expands to more schools, community centers, and after-school programs, creating a network that includes private and parochial schools, as well as after-school sites from all corners of NYC.
• 2016: NYRR serves more than 200,000 students locally and nationally—120,000 of whom come from approximately 600 schools and community centers across the five boroughs—through free NYRR youth running programs, events, and resources.
  • The NYRR Youth Running Series—a three-season program initiated in 2015 with events throughout the school year including cross country, indoor track, and road running—and our Youth Jamborees continue to grow.
  • NYRR supports additional free community programming for people of all ages—from kids to seniors—designed to get them moving toward healthier lifestyles. These initiatives include neighborhood walks, high school training programs, Running 101 sessions, and more.
  • The 2016 TCS New York City Marathon breaks its own record for the largest marathon in the world, welcoming 51,394 runners to the finish line on November 6.
  • In December, NYRR opens the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the NB Run Hub, a new community running center. The space also serves as the home of the 1 for You 1 for Youth shoe donation program, which benefits NYRR youth runners. For each pair of shoes purchased at the NB Run Hub, New Balance will donate a pair of shoes to NYRR's youth programs. New York Road Runners will give the shoes to a participant in the programs.

• 2017: The 2017 Brooklyn Half is the largest half-marathon in the country, with 27,440 finishers.
  • On June 6 and 7, 250 runners take part in the NYRR Global Running Day Treadmill Challenge at the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the NB Run Hub. Each runner completes one mile on the treadmill at 9:41 per mile pace or faster, and the relay runs continuously for over 36 hours.
  • In September, NYRR launches Rising New York Road Runners, its new youth program and event platform, focusing on physical literacy and long-term athlete development. Olympian Jenny Simpson becomes the program's ambassador and special advisor.; she wins a record sixth title at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile.
  • NYRR inaugurates the Rising New York Road Runners Wheelchair Training Program, a free, year-round program for youth ages 6–21 with physical disabilities.
  • NYRR and the Trust for Public Land partner to refurbish three NYC playgrounds as state-of-the-art green play spaces serving youth and communities.
  • At the 2017 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 5, 2017, Shalane Flanagan is the first American woman open-division champion in 40 years, crossing the finish line in 2:26:53. The race has 50,773 finishers.
  • Distance-running legend Meb Keflezighi runs his final career marathon at the 2017 TCS New York City Marathon, finishing 11th in 2:15:29.

• 2018: In January, NYRR launches NYRR Virtual Racing Hosted by Strava, a new way to participate in the NYRR community. The initiative gives runners access to more NYRR events, provides runners with more motivation to challenge themselves, and helps runners give back to the running community—no matter where they live.
  • In March, the United Airlines NYC Half debuts a new course layout, bringing runners from Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn over the Manhattan Bridge and through Times Square to Central Park. The race has its largest field in event history with 21,965 finishers.
  • At the 47th annual NYRR New York Mini 10K in June, Susannah Scaroni of the United States wins the event’s first-ever professional wheelchair division title in what is believed to be a world-best time of 22:48. The third annual Rising New York Road Runners race at the NYRR New York Mini 10K, a 1.2-mile event for girls ages 12-18, includes a youth wheelchair heat for the first time, won by Sarah Maher.

Founded by Deborah Marie King (1947–2000), the Central Park Safety Program is a New York City Official Civilian Observation Patrol Program. Volunteers are trained and patrol in pairs, each wearing an orange vest and equipped with a radio that is linked to the NYPD’s 19th Precinct. According to Ms. King, "if we wish to move freely and safely, we should share responsibility with the police, the park’s personnel, and each other. This comprehensive safety program represents community crime prevention at its very best.” Safety Program pairs patrol weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

NYRR conducts free guided group walks through Central Park of up to 3 miles, starting at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays via the Striders program. Groups meet at the NYRR Information Kiosk. This program is open to men and women age 60 and over, there is no pre-registration, and NYRR membership is not required.[2]

Group-based running classes are led by the NYRR Coaching Staff These are 10-week sessions.

NYRR offers 50 complimentary race entries to all weekly races as well as the TCS New York City Marathon and the NYRR Five-Borough Series. Eligibility is based on need. Applications are open all-year round and random drawings will be held bi-monthly for entry into the races.[3]

Rising New York Road Runners is a youth program and events platform built to develop movement skills in kids through a mix of running and fitness activities. Rising New York Road Runners is an evolution of our existing youth efforts: It continues and enhances our free youth programs in schools, after-school programs, and community centers nationwide, as well as free events in New York City. Rising New York Road Runners serves kids in NYC and nationwide, from pre-K through 12th grade.[4]

NYRR Open Run is a community-based initiative that brings free weekly runs and walks to local families in parks throughout the five boroughs.[5]