The New York City Marathon winds through all five boroughs. It’s the largest marathon in the world. The 2025 race set a world record with 59,226 finishers, cheered on by over 2 million spectators. The 2026 race marks the 50th anniversary of the five-borough course.
As one of the seven World Marathon Majors, the 26.2-mile race is a marquee event in international athletics and draws some of the world’s most competitive runners. Only about a quarter of applicants are accepted into the NYC Marathon, but if you’re a seasoned distance runner, it’s absolutely worth applying—or at least looking into.
Securing a spot in the race calls for more than signing up and hoping you’re selected. Having said that, there are multiple paths to qualify for the NYC Marathon. This guide will go over each option, helping you figure out which might work best for your goals, timeline, background, and training level.
Here’s how to qualify for the NYC Marathon.
Chasing a time goal is as much about what you do between runs as the runs themselves. Mobility and recovery work are how serious runners keep training week after week.
Dr. Pamela Mehta, MD — Chief Medical Officer, Stretch*d
Can anyone participate in the NYC Marathon?
Not everyone can participate in the NYC Marathon. It’s a bucket-list item for some of the world’s best runners who work toward it over years of training. The prestigious race is only open to people 18 and older who meet specific eligibility requirements based on previous running times or race participations. There are a few other routes, including the lottery and charity bib entry.
How do you qualify to run the NYC Marathon?
There are a handful of ways to earn a spot in the NYC Marathon. This includes time qualifiers, the 9+1 program, legacy runners, the lottery draw, charity entry, and the ITO program.
Time qualifiers for NYC Marathon
NYRR (New York Road Runners) members can earn guaranteed entry by finishing a certified marathon or NYRR half-marathon within a specific qualifying time before that year’s qualifying window closes at the end of August. That qualifying time is your time standard.
There are a limited number of spaces for non-NYRR members who complete a certified marathon with a qualifying time during the calendar year prior to the race. (Non-members aren’t eligible to qualify with a half-marathon.)
The time qualifiers are set by age and gender, with your age measured as of the day of the NYC Marathon. For men between 18 and 34 years old, the time qualifications are 2:53:00 for a marathon and 1:21:00 for a half-marathon. Then it increases by age group, the highest being 4:55:00 for a marathon and 2:15:00 for a half-marathon for those 80 and older.
For women between 18 and 34, the time qualifiers are 3:13:00 (full marathon) and 1:32:00 (half). It goes up by age group, with those 80 and above set to 6:35:00 (full) and 2:50:00 (half).
There are also time qualifiers for nonbinary athletes. These are the same as the women’s time qualifiers.
9+1 program
Another way to get guaranteed entry is through the 9+1 program. If you have an active NYRR membership (join anytime on NYRR’s membership page), you can complete 9 qualifying races in 2026 and volunteer at one of NYRR’s qualifying events, all within that same window — January 1 through December 31. Qualifying races can be any NYRR race, from 5Ks and 10Ks to half marathons like the United Airlines NYC Half and RBC Brooklyn Half. Do that, and you’d qualify for the 2027 NYC Marathon. Starting with the 2027 program cycle (races and volunteering completed in 2027 for a 2028 marathon entry), NYRR now requires members to first win a free eligibility drawing before they can pursue 9+1. The drawing is open September 17–29, 2026, with the draw taking place on October 1, 2026. Selected members become “9+1 Passholders” for a $99 fee. If you’re completing 9+1 in 2026 for a 2027 entry, this change does not affect you.
Legacy 15+ runners
Anyone who’s finished the New York City Marathon 15 or more times (even if the races weren’t recent or in consecutive years) can get guaranteed entry to run the race in future years. But they aren’t automatically enrolled—they still have to register during that year’s claim period.
NYRR Virtual Racing
A limited number of spots are available for those who finish a virtual version of the NYC Marathon — a helpful alternative to in-person qualifying races for runners who can’t get to one. To do this, you need to create an account on the Strava mobile app, then sign up for a 26.2-mile race and complete it within a specified timeframe. Some virtual races can count toward the 9+1 program.
Annual lottery for NYC Marathon
If you don’t have guaranteed entry to the NYC Marathon, you can try the non-guaranteed lottery route instead. You’ll usually need to apply in February of the race year, but that’s subject to change.
There are three lottery drawings for the New York City Marathon:
- Metro area – This drawing is for residents who live in New York proper or within 60 miles of NYC.
- National – This drawing is for applicants who live in the U.S. but not within the NYC metropolitan area.
- International – Another drawing is for applicants who live outside the United States.
Bear in mind that NYRR receives a huge number of entries each year — up to 200,000 people enter the lottery, and only about 3% to 4% are selected on drawing day.
NYRR member-only drawing
There’s also a second lottery, a “second-chance” drawing that automatically enters NYRR members who applied for the general drawing but weren’t selected. In 2026, about 24,000 eligible members were entered into this drawing, with up to 2% ultimately accepted.
Charity entry
Some runners can run the NYC Marathon through a charity bib entry. This is a non-complimentary entry. It requires fundraising a specific amount of money (typically $3,000 or more) for one of the NYRR’s official charity partners.
International Tour Operator (ITO) program
The NYC Marathon also has guaranteed entries for qualifying companies providing tourism services to runners who live outside the U.S. Once selected into the International Tour Operator (ITO) program, these “tour operators” must agree to purchase at least 20 marathon bibs, meet certain marketing requirements, and make race-day accommodations for the runners.
How Stretch*d can support your marathon journey
If you’re interested in running the NYC Marathon (this year or in the future as part of your multi-year fitness journey), it’s worth carefully researching all routes and weighing your options. Consider which entry is most realistic based on your running history and fitness level, where you live, and how much time you have before the registration windows close.
Qualifying for and finishing the New York City Marathon calls for dedicated training, consistency, injury prevention practices, and a smart recovery plan. Whether it’s your first time trying to run a marathon or you’ve toed the start line before, Stretch*d is here to help. Our assisted stretching and stretch massage services help runners improve their mobility, increase flexibility, recover between races, and feel strong and pain-free on marathon day.
Training to run New York for the first time or coming back for another? If you live in the New York area, make an appointment or stop by one of our NYC locations.
Sources:
New York Road Runners (NYRR). 2024 TCS New York City Marathon Is Largest Ever. https://www.nyrr.org/tcsnycmarathon/getinspired/photos-and-stories/2024/2024-tcs-new-york-city-marathon-race-day
Reuters. NYC Marathon draws record applications of more than 200,000. https://www.reuters.com/sports/athletics/nyc-marathon-draws-record-applications-more-than-200000-2025-03-05/
New York Road Runners (NYRR). Marathon Time Qualifiers. https://www.nyrr.org/tcsnycmarathon/runners/marathon-time-qualifiers
New York Road Runners (NYRR). Streakers and 15+. https://www.nyrr.org/tcsnycmarathon/results/streakers
New York Road Runners (NYRR). Earn Guaranteed Entry. https://www.nyrr.org/run/guaranteed-entry
New York Road Runners (NYRR). Virtual Racing. https://www.nyrr.org/run/virtual-racing
New York Road Runners (NYRR). The Drawing. https://www.nyrr.org/tcsnycmarathon/runners/the-drawing
New York Road Runners (NYRR). TCS New York City Marathon 9+1 Membership Program. https://www.nyrr.org/run/guaranteed-entry/tcs-new-york-city-marathon-9plus1-program#2025-guaranteed-entry
New York Road Runners (NYRR). NYRR Member-Only Second-Chance Drawing. https://www.nyrr.org/run/guidelines-and-procedures/race-entry-methods/nyrr-member-only-second-chance-drawing
New York Road Runners (NYRR). TCS New York City Marathon Official Charity Partner Program. https://www.nyrr.org/getinvolved/charity-partners/charity-partners-tcsnycm
New York Road Runners (NYRR). Become an International Tour Operator. https://www.nyrr.org/getinvolved/international-tour-operators
The New York Times. How to Run the New York City Marathon. https://www.nytimes.com/article/how-to-run-nyc-marathon-qualify.html
NPR. Running in the New York City Marathon? It’s hard to get into but here’s how some do it. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/06/nx-s1-5319130/running-new-york-city-marathon-lottery-bib-runners
