New York Road Runners (NYRR), the non-profit that runs the New York City Marathon, has announced a new free community running summer initiative, with two free runs/walks planned for Queens and Brooklyn in July and August.
The organization announced the new NYRR Start Line Series in partnership with the Department of Transportation’s Summer Streets, which converts over 22 miles of New York City streets into car-free zones over five consecutive Saturdays from July 26 to Aug. 23.
The Start Line Series, which features an event in Long Island City on July 26 followed by a second event in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, on Aug. 23, is geared toward beginner athletes taking their first step in their running journeys. The initiative aims to increase access to running, walking and fitness for New Yorkers and is part of a “decades-long” collaboration between NYRR and the DOT.
The LIC event will see community members compete in a 2.5 mile out-and-back course and will also include “fun activities and games” for kids of all ages. The event is due to get underway at 7:30 a.m.
Prior to that event, NYRR will host an educational session featuring tips, tricks and advice for athletes preparing for their first run/walk provided by NYRR coaching staff.
NYRR CEO Rob Simmelkjaer said the upcoming event will help make running more accessible to aspiring athletes and runners across the five boroughs.
“As running continues to grow in popularity, our new Start Line Series is designed to welcome new runners and walkers and introduce them to the transformative power of running,” Simmelkjaer said in a statement.
DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said the upcoming events gives newcomers an opportunity to “get moving.”
“New York Road Runners has long championed the power of running to bring people together, and we’re proud to partner with them for Summer Streets,” Rodriguez said. “By bringing free, beginner-friendly races to our car-free corridors, NYRR is creating new opportunities for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities to get moving, explore their neighborhoods, and connect with their communities.”
Registration for the Start Line Series is now open.
NYRR said the event is an extension of the organization’s “strong year-round presence” in both Queens and Brooklyn, pointing to the existing NYRR Open Run, which features free, weekly community-led runs in 10 locations across the two boroughs.
NYRR also pointed to its Rising New York Road Runners program, which provides youth programming to more than 70,000 kids across Queens and Brooklyn, and NYRR Striders, a free walking and fitness program held at six older adult and community centers across Queens and Brooklyn to help seniors lead a more active life and meet new people in their community.
