NY Road Runners Guide: Every Way to Get Into the NYC Marathon

All NYC Marathon entry routes at a glance

1. The public drawing (lottery)

The drawing is the default route most runners try first. You apply during a window in early spring (February for the 2026 race), and a random selection is held in March. For the 2026 race, over 240,000 people applied and roughly 1% of US applicants were accepted. International applicants have slightly better odds at around 3%.

There's no strategy to improve your drawing odds — it's random. But it costs nothing to enter, so you should always apply regardless of which other route you're pursuing. Think of it as a free lottery ticket you pick up every year.

For drawing dates and deadlines, see our NYC Marathon registration guide.

2. The NYRR 9+1 program

Complete 9 qualifying NYRR races and 1 volunteer shift within a calendar year (January 1 – December 31), and you earn guaranteed entry to the NYC Marathon the following year. No qualifying time required. This has been the most popular guaranteed-entry route for NYC-area runners — but the program is in crisis.

What's going wrong with 9+1

The math has broken. With only ~1% of drawing applicants getting in, demand for the 9+1 program has surged. In 2025, there was a 7% increase in runners completing 9+1, and well over a quarter of all 2026 marathon entrants came through this program. That means tens of thousands of runners are competing for spots in NYRR's ~33 qualifying races per year.

NYRR opens registration for the next few months of races in quarterly batches, typically at 6:00 PM ET. Runners report needing to join the queue by 5:00 PM, and races selling out within an hour of registration opening. One runner told Runner's World she logged on at 5:55 PM and by the time she got through the queue, every race for April, May, and June 2026 was already full.

NYRR's "Member Plus" tier ($126.90/year vs. $63.45 for standard) gives 2-day early registration access. NYRR's CEO has said races haven't sold out during the Member Plus window yet — but it's getting close, and many runners feel that paying double for membership is becoming a requirement just to have a chance at completing 9+1.

NYRR can't simply add more races — events require NYC Parks Department permits with strict participant caps, and Central Park course logistics limit how many runners can participate in each event.

Is 9+1 still worth pursuing?

If you live in the NYC area, have schedule flexibility to register the moment batches drop, and are willing to pay for Member Plus, 9+1 is still a viable path to a guaranteed entry at the lowest total cost. But if your job or schedule means you can't be online at exactly 6 PM on registration days, this route has become unreliable. Consider charity entry (below) as a more predictable alternative.

3. Time qualifier

NYRR publishes age- and gender-graded qualifying standards. If you run a certified marathon faster than the standard within the qualifying window, you can apply for guaranteed entry.

The catch: if too many runners meet the standard, only the fastest are accepted. For non-NYRR qualifying races, the cutoff has been as much as 22 minutes and 52 seconds faster than the published standard. That effectively means you need to be significantly faster than the posted time.

This route is realistically limited to competitive runners. For reference, typical qualifying standards start around sub-2:53 for men 18–34 and sub-3:23 for women 18–34, with adjustments by age group. Check nyrr.org for current standards.

4. Team for Kids (NYRR charity program)

NYRR's own charity program, Team for Kids (TFK), provides guaranteed NYC Marathon entry in exchange for a fundraising commitment. TFK supports NYRR's youth running programs and is the single largest charity entry pathway into the race.

Fundraising tiers typically range from $3,000 to $10,000 depending on the package you select, plus a separate NYRR entry fee of $315 (or $255 for NYRR members). Over 4,000 runners enter through Team for Kids annually.

TFK registration usually opens in late October of the year before the race. This is one of the most reliable routes if you have a network willing to support your fundraising — friends, family, colleagues, and social media followers. Many runners are surprised how achievable the $3,000 minimum is when they break it down: that's 30 people donating $100, or 60 people donating $50.

5. Official charity partners

Beyond Team for Kids, NYRR partners with dozens of nonprofit organizations that purchase blocks of guaranteed marathon entries. Each charity sets its own fundraising minimum, which typically ranges from $2,500 to $4,000+.

Examples of charities that have offered NYC Marathon spots:

• +POOL — $4,000 fundraising minimum
• Hope Community Inc. — $3,000 fundraising minimum + $125 sign-up fee
• New Neighbors Partnership — $3,600 fundraising minimum
• Alzheimer's Association, Michael J. Fox Foundation, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and many others

Charity entries are the most underutilized route into the NYC Marathon. Many runners don't realize these spots exist, or they assume "charity runners" are a separate category. They're not — you run the same race, on the same course, with the same bib. You just also raise money for a cause you care about.

The best strategy: pick a cause that resonates with your personal story. Donors give to people, not charities. A genuine connection to the mission makes fundraising dramatically easier.

6. International travel partners

Non-US residents can book guaranteed NYC Marathon entry through NYRR-approved international travel operators. These packages typically include your marathon bib, hotel accommodations, and logistical support (expo access, transport to the start line, etc.).

Packages generally start around $1,500 and can exceed $3,000 depending on the operator and hotel quality. This is the most expensive route, but it's guaranteed and includes the travel logistics that international runners need anyway.

This option is only available to runners living outside the United States. Check nyrr.org for the list of approved travel partners for your country.

7. Marathon Streaker status

Complete 15 or more NYC Marathons and you qualify for lifetime guaranteed entry. This is obviously not a path for newcomers, but it's worth knowing about if you're planning a long-term relationship with this race.

So what should you actually do?

For most recreational runners who want to run the NYC Marathon, the realistic path looks like this:

• Enter the drawing every year. It's free and you might get lucky. Apply even if you're pursuing other routes.
• If you live in NYC and have schedule flexibility: try 9+1, but have a backup plan. Consider investing in Member Plus ($127/year) for early registration access.
• If you want a guaranteed spot without the 9+1 stress: charity entry is your best bet. A $3,000 fundraising commitment is real money, but it's achievable, it supports a good cause, and you get a guaranteed bib without fighting registration queues.
• If you live outside the US: international travel partners are the most straightforward route.
• If you're fast enough: check the time qualifying standards for your age group, but note that the effective cutoff is significantly faster than the published standard.

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