Here’s the least you need to know for the NYCRUNS Central Park Half Marathon this Sunday, February 22.
Getting to the Race
Mass transit is the best way to get to the race. Check MTA.info for schedule information, details on any planned service changes, and the latest updates on train or bus service. Parking around the park is limited.
The Pre-Race Festival Area is located near the Naumburg Bandshell, south of the 72nd Street Transverse. The entry lane to the Start Corrals will be located on East Drive near 67th Street.
Pre-Race Festival Area Opens at 6:30 AM
This is the hub of pre-race activity where you’ll pick up your bib, check a bag, use the bathroom, and get any questions answered before the race.
Pick Up Your Bib On Race Morning
If you haven’t received your bib in the mail, you’ll pick it up at the Bib Pick-Up Tent in the Pre-Race Festival Area. Bib pick-up closes at 8:00 AM, so please arrive no later than 7:30 AM to give yourself enough time to move through the line and check your bag.
Get Your Swag After The Race
For this race, you’ll pick up your official race shirt after you finish! Shirts will be available near the Finish Area at the 102nd Street Transverse by the ballfields.
Check a Bag By 7:50 AM
If you’ve got gear you want to drop off before the race and pick up after you finish, please go to the Bag Check Area in the Pre-Race Festival Area. Bag check will close promptly at 7:50 AM so we can transport all the bags to the Finish Area by the 102nd Street Transverse, which is where you’ll pick up your bag after the race. Please pick up your bib by 7:30 to ensure you can check your bag on time. For security reasons, all items must be in a clear bag. NYCRUNS can provide an 18” x 24” clear bag if you don’t have one.
Be in Your Start Corral by 8:15 AM
The Start Corrals will be lined up by letter (AA – F). Your corral assignment will be noted on your bib and is determined by the pace you selected in the Profile section of your NYCRUNS Dashboard.
The Course
Check out the 13.1-mile USATF-certified course which starts on East Drive near 68th Street, makes two loops of the park (with the first loop cutting across the 102nd Street Transverse), before a final run up East Drive to the Finish on the 102nd Street Transverse. Which means you’ll only do the Harlem Hills a single time! Please familiarize yourself with our Rules of Competition and our time limits.
At The Finish
We’ll be there with a lot of high fives and one very cool looking medal, along with water, Gatorade, an apple, and a bagel (with a shmear, of course) for your post-race refueling needs.
Friends & Family
We love seeing your friends and family cheering you on at the Finish Line Area, but please remind them to keep the emergency lane next to the course clear and not to cross over into any taped off or barricaded areas. And please help us keep Central Park clean by refraining from using confetti cannons, which are extremely difficult to clean up.
Track Your Run
Get real-time runner tracking and an interactive course map with the NYCRUNS Events App. Download the app now at the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Check Your Results
You’ll receive an email after the event concludes to review your preliminary results. If you’re an overall or group award winner, you’ll receive an email notifucation within two weeks, once the results are official.
Share Your Run on Social
Share your race day experience on social and tag @nycruns on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook #NYCRUNS #CentralParkHalfMarathon #WinYourRace
Check here for more race details.