Celebrations include award and Hall of Fame honorees, Team Inspire, 1976 Legends,
Honorary Grand Marshals, Past Champions, Parade of Nations, and Grand Finale
RSVP REQUIRED
WHAT:
New York Road Runners—the nonprofit that “runs” New York City—will welcome thousands of runners from around the world to parade across the marathon finish line during its annual TCS New York City Marathon Opening Ceremony Presented by United Airlines, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic 5-boro course.
WHERE/WHEN:
Friday, October 30
TCS New York City Marathon Finish Line
Media entrance: Central Park, West Drive at W. 67th St.
3:45 p.m.
- Photo opportunities with Team Inspire, 1976 Legends, Honorary Grand Marshals, and Past Champions
3:50 p.m. – 4:10 p.m.
- Interview opportunities with NYRR executives, Team Inspire, 1976 Legends, Honorary Grand Marshals, Past Champions
4:30 p.m.
- Opening Ceremony begins
5:20 – 6:30 p.m.
- Interview opportunities with NYRR executives, Team Inspire, 1976 Legends, Honorary Grand Marshals, Past Champions
6:30 p.m.
- Grand Finale
6:45 p.m.
- Event Concludes
WHO:
- New York Road Runners Executives: CEO Rob Simmelkjaer and Chief Event Production Officer and Race Director Ted Metellus
- 2026 NYRR Hall of Fame Inductees: Women’s running pioneer Lynn Blackstone and 5-boro New York City Marathon co-founders George Hirsch and former Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton, who passed in 2009
- 2026 Abebe Bikila Award Honoree: Late Olympian and coach Jeff Galloway
- Honorary Grand Marshals: George Hirsch, Keisha Sutton-James, Gary Corbitt, Estee Stimler
- 1976 Legends: Participants connected to the inaugural five-borough New York City Marathon in 1976, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the race’s 5-boro course including Fred Abramowitz and Dave Obelkevich, who is the only person to run every edition of the 5-boro New York City Marathon
- Past TCS New York City Marathon Champions: NYRR will welcome more than 50 past champions to participate in race-week festivities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the landmark 1976 five-borough marathon, including Kathrine Switzer, 1976 New York City Marathon women’s champion; Gary Muhrcke, the race’s inaugural champion in 1970; Sharon Lokedi, the 2022 and 2025 women’s open division champion; and Tegla Loroupe, the first African woman to win the New York City Marathon.
- Team Inspire: A diverse group of runners with compelling stories that reflect the breadth and diversity of the TCS New York City Marathon field.
- Celebrity Runners: Notable participants in the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon including Jordan Litz who is singing the National anthem
ADDITIONAL INFO:
The event will feature opening remarks from New York Road Runners CEO Rob Simmelkjaer and Chief Event Production Officer and Race Director Ted Metellus, followed by a celebration of the 2026 NYRR Hall of Fame inductees and 2026 Abebe Bikila Award honoree. A special tribute to the 50th anniversary of the 5-boro course will recognize legends from the historic 1976 New York City Marathon. The festivities will also include the Parade of Nations, featuring runners representing countries from around the world, along with past marathon champions, Honorary Grand Marshals, and participants from NYRR’s youth and adult community programs.
The parade will also feature members of 2026 Team Inspire—a diverse group of athletes with some of the most compelling, moving, and inspiring stories at the TCS New York City Marathon—who will be available for media opportunities. The evening will culminate in a spectacular grand finale.
The TCS New York City Marathon is the best day of the year in the best city in the world, bringing together people from all backgrounds and communities through the transformative power of running. As the race celebrates 50 years of its five-borough course, it continues its legacy as one of the most inclusive and accessible sporting events in the world, with the first finishers—including Olympians, Paralympians, and world-record holders—and the final finishers running the same course on the same day.