2015 NYC Half Marathon - Runner Tracking, Mobile App, Results, & More

See details on the 2015 NYC Half below, including runner tracking.

Congrats to all runners in the 2015 United Airlines NYC Half Marathon! The overall winners were Leonard Korir of Kenya for the men and Molly Huddle of the U.S. for the women (the first time an American woman has won the race). [See complete NYC Half Marathon race results].

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Runners take over Manhattan Sunday when the 2015 NYC Half Marathon brings elite athletes and everyday runners into the borough's streets. Here are some links to help you enjoy the race, whether you're running or watching.

Starting at 7:30 a.m., more than 20,000 runners will begin running through Central Park, then hit the streets to run to Times Square, west on 42nd St., and then to the West Side Highway, where they'll head south and pass through South Street Seaport and finish downtown Wall Street.

Find must-know information here:

• download the NYC Half Marathon mobile app for Apple and Android devices
• download the course map (PDF)
• see maps of the starting area and finish area (PDF)
• watch the race live on TV or online, starting at 7 a.m.
• find live unofficial results online at liveresults.nyrr.org once the race starts

See updates to the race on the NYC Half Facebook page and on the New York Road Runners Twitter feed. Also, look for and use the hashtag #UnitedNYCHalf.

Plenty of top athletes will be running the NYC Half Marathon, including (on the men's side) Stephen Sambu and Wesley Korir of Kenya,  and Americans including NYC Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi and Dathan Ritzenhein.The women's field includes Sally Kipyego, Joyce Chepkirui, and Buzunesh Deba, as well as Americans Molly Huddle and Desiree Linden.

Good luck to all runners, and here's hoping for fast times and an exciting finish.

Looking for a Marathon in NYC? Get on the Brooklyn Waiting List

The Brooklyn Marathon may be expanding its field.

UPDATE, Nov. 7th: We received an e-mail from NYCRuns late Wednesday night with the bad news that their request to expand the Brooklyn Marathon's field has been turned down, and that no more entries can be added. 
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If you're looking for a marathon in the five boroughs to replace the canceled New York City Marathon, you might want to consider looking into the second running of the Brooklyn Marathon on November 18th. It had already reached its capacity, but the organizers, NYCRuns, have instituted a waiting list as they look into expanding their field of entrants.

From the NYCRuns announcement:

"At this time, we can only offer a non-refundable waitlist. We hope to be able to allow you all in to the race but that is far from certain. If we are not able to increase the field size we will not process refunds but we will allow you to use the credit for any other NYCRUNS owned events through the end of 2013. So, just to recap. No refunds – either you get into Brooklyn or the fee transfers to other NYCRUNS races of your choice.

The cost for waitlist registration is $125. if our request for increased capacity is met the cost will rise to $150. Fifty dollars of this amount will be donated directly to The Prospect Park Alliance at the $125. price point. Seventy-five dollars will be donated at the $150. price point."

 If you're looking into a replacement for the NYC Marathon and don't want to head out of town, consider the Brooklyn Marathon. At least with this race if you don't get in, you can use your non-refundable registration fee to register for other races that NYCRuns holds throughout the year. (And NYCRuns sponsors a lot of races throughout the city and beyond, from 5Ks in Riverside Park to half-marathons in Brooklyn and the Yonkers Marathon.)

One last New York City Marathon note: many of the runners who were supposed to tour the five boroughs on foot did great job of making the best of a disappointing situation by running 26.2 miles in Central Park or by heading to Staten Island to assist in the Hurricane Sandy relief effort.

If you're interesting in contributing to the Hurricane Sandy relief effort, look into the New York Road Runners Club's "Race to Recover" initiative, or consider contributing directly to the American Red Cross at redcross.org.

2012 New York City Marathon - Runner Tracking

The New York Marathon takes place Sunday, Nov. 4th, and you can sign up to track runners here via text message and social media. Unlike many other races, there is a fee for this tracking.

If you don't want to pay a fee or don't need the text/social media updates, you can still track runners on the NYC Marathon website on the day of the race, which is free.

The text/social option is available only in the U.S. More on this option:

"You can track up to three runners via text. As a bonus, you can also choose to track one runner via Facebook and up to three other runners via Twitter. Pre-register by 11:59 p.m. EDT, November 3, 2012, for only $2.99; race-day registration is $3.99. Social media options are not available for purchase on race day. Sign up now or at the ING New York City Marathon Health and Fitness Expo on November 1-3."

For the web option, you can track up to five runners. You don't need to register in advance for this service, and it's available only on the morning of the race.

I'll have more details on the NYC Marathon later, but until then see the race's website for additional information.

2011 ING NYC Marathon: Course Map, Runner Tracking, & More

2012 NYC Marathon: Find information on this year's NYC Marathon course here, including course map, elevation profile, fluids and portable toilets along the course, medical stations, and more.
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The 2011 ING NYC Marathon takes place Sunday, Nov. 6th and here is some information on the course map, how to track runners, and more. (And below you'll find a video that lets you tour the entire NYC Marathon course in a little over seven minutes.)



Some must-know information for the 2011 NYC Marathon:

• the NYC Marathon course: fluid stations, portable toilets, medical help, and more
• NYC Marathon course map and elevation profile (PDF files) 
• track runners with the NYC Marathon app and SMS text message tracking (both $2.99), or free tracking on the we. (See SMS runner tracking info.)
• road closures for the Marathon 
• Marathon coverage: TV and web streaming 

For your family and friends, see the official NYC Marathon spectator guide.

Good luck to all participants!

Spectators anticipating the first finishers passing by during last year's NYC Marathon.

2011 Tunnel to Towers Run, Brooklyn to Manhattan [RESULTS]

[UPDATE: You can view 2011 NYC Tunnel to Towers results here. The official Tunnel to Towers site doesn't link to this page, but the results seem to be correct; at least I was able to find my own time.]

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The annual Tunnel to Towers run/walk takes place at 9:30 tomorrow morning, Sept. 25th, starting in Brooklyn and going through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to Lower Manhattan. I've written about (and run) the Tunnel to Towers race before, so I'll simply repeat what I said then to explain the idea behind the event:

"The race is in honor of NYC firefighter Stephen Siller, who was off duty on 9/11/01 when he heard of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. He headed to his firehouse to get his gear and head for the fire, and since all tunnels and bridges were closed to traffic after the attacks, Siller ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and to the World Trade Center... wearing his full firefighter gear.

Sadly, Stephen Siller was one of the 343 NYC fireman to lose his life when the twin towers collapsed. But the Siller family has turned this tragedy that honors his memory and provides funds for a number of charities, including burn centers in New York and across the country; the New York Foundling Hospital; education funds for the children of fallen soldiers; and even the sufferers of Hurricane Katrina." 

Location: The race starts in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and the race has buses and boats to the Ikea store parking lot, where the registration area and baggage drop-off point is (trucks will transport bags to the finish line area in Manhattan). See the race page here for more information and a map, and see a starting line area map here. Note: they say you'll need to get on line at the bus or boat departure points in Manhattan by 7:30 a.m. There doesn't seem to be any mass transit access to the Ikea, and the starting line is near the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.

As usual, the 5k (approx. 3.1 mile) race ends with a festival near the finish line with food booths, games for kids, and live entertainment, including Forrest Gump and CSI:NY actor Gary Sinise, playing with his Lt. Dan Band.

Check the Tunnel to Towers run frequently asked questions for more information. If you can't make it to the race, you can bid on an auction to benefit the foundation through Sept. 29th, or make a contribution anytime.

2010 NYC Half Marathon Results

2010 NYC Half Marathon results have been posted here at the official New York Road Runners Web site. As usual, you can search for runners by name and bib number, or view results by gender, age group, team, etc. The race was held in the streets of Manhattan this morning under glorious, sunny skies.

Congrats to all finishers of the 2010 NYC Half Marathon, especially my New York-area running friends!

Midnight Run in Central Park a Highlight of New Year's Eve in NYC

See details on the 2011 New Year's Eve Central Park Midnight Run here. There's also a three-mile New Year's Eve race in Brooklyn (near Prospect Park), which starts at 11:15 p.m.
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NOTE: Get details on the 2009 Central Park Midnight Run here.

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One of the highlights of the running year in New York City, and of New Year's Eve in the Big Apple, is the Midnight Run in Central Park. Sponsored by the New York Road Runners Club, the four-mile fun run steps off at midnight with participants dressed in a wide array of zany costumes portraying just about every theme you can imagine.

The run is just the culmination of a night of fun in the Park, though. The festivities begin at 10 p.m. with a DJ spinning tunes to dance to, so you can limber up your muscles before the run. There's a costume parade and contest at 11 p.m., followed by the race, accompanied by fireworks, at 12 Midnight.

The Central Park Midnight Run is not only a fun way to end one year and start the next, but lets you begin your New Year's resolution for a healthier lifestyle before anyone else.

See the Midnight Run Web page for details on how to sign up for the race.

2008 ING New York City Marathon - Running Expos, Viewing Guide, and TV Coverage

The 2008 ING New York City Marathon takes place this Sunday, November 2nd, and even if you're not running it there are plenty of ways to get involved... here are a few.

* NYC Marathon runners have to attend the Health and Fitness Expo to pick up their registration materials, but the rest of us can go whenever we like. There are shoe companies, fitness demonstrations, and more.

* Where are the best spots to view the big race? The New York Road Runners Club offers a 2008 NYC Marathon spectators' guide.

* If you'll be following the race from the comfort of your couch or somewhere else with a TV nearby, the NYRRC lists the TV viewing coverage for the race. The NYC Marathon will be covered live in the New York area on NBC (channel 4) from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. In the rest of the U.S., NBC Sports will show a one-hour highlights program starting starting at 3 p.m. EST on November 2nd.

Universal Sports TV Network will air the race live starting at 9 a.m. EST on its digital network, with a three-hour replay at 9 that night. Check the NYRRC TV article above for information on how to view the race from outside the U.S.

2008 Tunnel to Towers Run in New York City

UPDATE: Monday 9:45 p.m.: 2008 Tunnel to Towers race results are now posted at: http://results.active.com/pages/searchform.jsp?rsID=70345

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The annual Tunnel to Towers Run took place in New York City Sunday, starting in Brooklyn and going to Manhattan through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. You can find information and race results at the official Tunnel to Towers Run Web site. I ran the race last year, and it's a unique event.

The race is in honor of NYC firefighter Stephen Siller, who was off duty on 9/11/01 when he heard of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. He headed to his firehouse to get his gear and head for the fire, and since all tunnels and bridges were closed to traffic after the attacks, Siller ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and to the World Trade Center... wearing his full firefighter gear.

Sadly, Stephen Siller was one of the 343 NYC fireman to lose his life when the twin towers collapsed. But the Siller family has turned this tragedy that honors his memory and provides funds for a number of charities, including burn centers in New York and across the country; the New York Foundling Hospital; education funds for the children of fallen soldiers; and even the sufferers of Hurricane Katrina.

Besides the race, the Tunnel to Towers Run concludes with a big outdoor party near the finish line, with free food, live entertainment, and lots more.

If you're a runner who'll be in New York the last weekend in September, this is quite a unique race to run in.

One-Million Runners Set to Run the Nike Plus Human Race

Nike is gearing up to have one million runners around the world run in an event it is calling the "Nike Plus Human Race." There are actual organized races in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Madrid, Buenos Aires, and London, and many more running on their own. The race is a 10K.

You can find out all the details at the link above, and register to take part in the Nike Plus Human Race. In New York City, the race will start at 6 p.m. on Randall's Island, just east of Manhattan.

New Year's Eve Midnight Run in NYC

NOTE: Get details on the 2009 Central Park Midnight Run here.

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If you'll be in New York City for New Year's Eve and are looking for something different (and even healthy!) to do, check out the annual New Year's Eve run in Central Park.

The Emerald Nuts Midnight Run is a fun way to ring out the old and ring in the new. The festivities start on Monday, December 31 with DJ music and dancing at 10:00 p.m. Runners are encouraged to run in costume, and there's a costume parade and contest at 11:00 p.m. The main event, a 4-mile race, begins at midnight, accompanied by a spectacular fireworks display by Grucci (the same company that puts on the Macy's Fourth of July fireworks each year).

It's a great and healthy start to 2008. What's more, this year there will be a special companion race run by more than 200 service members stationed in Al Asad, Iraq.

Locations: Dancing and the costume contest take place at the Central Park Bandshell, just south of the 72nd Street Transverse in Central Park, New York. (Closest entrance: Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street).

Runners will be making their way to the starting line around 11:30 p.m to the sounds of a live brass band. The race starts on the East Drive of Central Park near 68th Street, then heads north to the 102nd Street Transverse. Runners will then turn (west) across the transverse and then turn left (south) on the West Drive. Runners will make their way from the West Drive to the 72nd Street Transverse, and then turn left (east) and finish near the Bandshell.