New York City Half Marathon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New York City Half Marathon |
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Times Square during inaugural race in 2006
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| Date | Usually the 3rd Sunday in March |
| Location | New York City |
| Event type | Road |
| Distance | Half marathon 13.109 miles (21.097 km) |
| Primary sponsor | United Airlines |
| Established | 2006 |
| Course records | 59:24 (men) 1:07:35 (women) 1:12:20 (non-binary) |
| Participants | 24,745 finishers (2023) 24,663 finishers (2019) |
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The New York City Half Marathon, also known as the United Airlines NYC Half, is a super exciting annual running race. It's called a half marathon because it's about half the distance of a full marathon, which is 13.1 miles (or 21.1 kilometers). This race takes runners on an amazing journey through New York City, starting in Brooklyn's Prospect Park and finishing in Manhattan's famous Central Park. Along the way, runners cross the Manhattan Bridge and pass by famous spots like Times Square and Grand Central. The first race was held in 2006, and it's organized by a group called New York Road Runners (NYRR).
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Race History: A Journey Through NYC
The NYC Half Marathon has seen many incredible runners over the years. Some of the fastest people in the world have competed here. For example, Haile Gebrselassie, a famous marathon runner, set the men's course record in 2007 with a time of 59 minutes and 24 seconds. That's super fast! Another amazing runner, Molly Huddle, set the women's record in 2016, finishing in 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 41 seconds.
At first, the race was held in the summer. But in 2010, it moved to March, which is usually a cooler time of year for running. The race has grown a lot since it started. In 2010, over 11,000 people finished the race. The organizers hoped that even more people would join in the future, maybe even over 20,000!
In 2014, United Airlines became the main sponsor of the race. This means they help support the event and make it possible for so many people to run.
Sadly, the races in 2020 and 2021 had to be cancelled. This was because of the coronavirus pandemic, which made it unsafe for large groups to gather. Runners who had signed up were given options like getting their money back or getting a guaranteed spot in the 2022 race.
The Race Course: Exploring NYC's Landmarks
The path that runners take in the NYC Half Marathon has changed a few times over the years. Each course has offered a unique way to see the city.
Early Race Routes (2006–2008)
In the first few years, from 2006 to 2008, the race started inside Central Park. Runners would do a big loop inside the park. Then, they would leave the park and run down Seventh Avenue, right through the bright lights of Times Square. After that, they turned onto West 42nd Street and then headed south along the West Side Highway, next to the Hudson River. The race finished near the very bottom of Manhattan.
Mid-Years Course (2009–2017)
From 2009 to 2017, the course changed slightly. It still started in Central Park, but runners did a different loop. After leaving the park, they still went through Times Square and onto the West Side Highway. But this time, the race continued through Battery Park and ended on Wall Street, which is famous for its financial buildings, near the southern tip of Manhattan.
The Current Course (Since 2018)
Since 2018, the race has had a new and exciting route! It now begins in Brooklyn's beautiful Prospect Park. From there, runners head northwest along Flatbush Avenue and then cross the famous Manhattan Bridge, which connects Brooklyn to Manhattan.
Once in Manhattan, runners go through the Lower East Side and briefly onto FDR Drive. They then exit onto 42nd Street, leading them back to Times Square. After passing through Times Square, the course heads north on Seventh Avenue and enters Central Park. Runners follow a large loop inside Central Park, cut across the park on the 102nd Street Transverse, and finally finish near 75th Street on the west side of the park. It's a fantastic way to see many parts of New York City!
Race Champions: Who Won the NYC Half?
Many amazing athletes have won the NYC Half Marathon. Here's a look at some of the past champions and their winning times. The times in bold show a new course record for that year.
Key: Course record (in bold)
| Ed. | Date | Male winner | Time | Female winner | Time | Non-binary winner | Time | Rf. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2006.08.27 |  Tom Nyariki (KEN) |
1:01:22 | Catherine Ndereba (KEN) |
1:09:43 | not contested | ||
| 2 | 2007.08.05 |  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) |
59:24 | Hilda Kibet (KEN) |
1:10:32 | |||
| 3 | 2008.07.27 | Tadese Tola (ETH) |
1:00:58 | Catherine Ndereba (KEN) |
1:10:19 | |||
| 4 | 2009.08.16 | Tadese Tola (ETH) |
1:01:06 |  Paula Radcliffe (GBR) |
1:09:45 | |||
| 5 | 2010.03.21 | Peter Kamais (KEN) |
59:52 | Mara Yamauchi (GBR) |
1:09:17 | |||
| 6 | 2011.03.20 | Mo Farah (GBR) |
1:00:23 | Caroline Rotich (KEN) |
1:08:52 | |||
| 7 | 2012.03.18 | Peter Kirui (KEN) |
59:39 |  Firehiwot Dado (ETH) |
1:08:35 | |||
| 8 | 2013.03.17 | Wilson Kipsang (KEN) |
1:01:02 | Caroline Rotich (KEN) |
1:09:09 | |||
| 9 | 2014.03.16 | Geoffrey Mutai (KEN) |
1:00:50 | Sally Kipyego (KEN) |
1:08:31 | |||
| 10 | 2015.03.15 | Leonard Korir (KEN) |
1:01:06 |  Molly Huddle (USA) |
1:08:31 | |||
| 11 | 2016.03.20 | Stephen Sambu (KEN) |
1:01:16 | Molly Huddle (USA) |
1:07:41 | |||
| 12 | 2017.03.19 | Feyisa Lilesa (ETH) |
1:00:04 | Molly Huddle (USA) |
1:08:19 | |||
| 13 | 2018.03.18 | Ben True (USA) |
1:02:39 | Buze Diriba (ETH) |
1:12:23 | |||
| 14 | 2019.03.17 | Belay Tilahun (ETH) |
1:02:10 | Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) |
1:10:07 | |||
| — | — | cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to coronavirus pandemic | ||||||
| 15 | 2022.03.20 | Rhonex Kipruto (KEN) |
1:00:30 | Senbere Teferi (ETH) |
1:07:35 | Jacob Caswell (USA) |
1:12:20 | |
| 16 | 2023.03.19 |  Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) |
1:01:31 | Hellen Obiri (KEN) |
1:07:21 | Ian Stowe (USA) |
1:15:26 | |
| 17 | 2024.03.17 | Abel Kipchumba (KEN) |
1:00:25 |  Karoline Grøvdal (NOR) |
1:09:09 | Galo Vasquez (USA) |
1:10:41 | |
