Experience the magic of TCS New York City Marathon and its iconic 5-boro course with FREE activation in Vanderbilt Hall®
Open to the public during race week—Tuesday, Oct. 27–Friday, Oct. 30
WHAT: Before opening to the public, New York Road Runners (NYRR), the nonprofit that “runs” New York City producing 60 annual adult and youth races and free community programs, will give media a first look at its “50 Years Through the 5 Boroughs Experience” in Grand Central Terminal. During TCS New York City Marathon race week, NYRR will take over Vanderbilt Hall® for the free, four-day activation celebrating the 50th anniversary of the New York City Marathon’s 5-boro course. From Oct. 27 to 30, visitors can explore the history, culture, and spirit of each borough through interactive experiences that bring to life the marathon route, plus enjoy a DJ spinning tunes, a projected race participant name wall, giveaways, and special guests, including past marathon champions.
WHERE/WHEN:
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 8–10 a.m.
Vanderbilt Hall®, Grand Central Terminal
89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
- 8 a.m. Media arrivals
- 8:15 a.m. Opening remarks and photo opportunity w/ NYRR leadership and special guests
- 8:25–10 a.m. 1:1 interviews with NYRR leadership, content capture opportunities
- 10 a.m. Activation opens to public
WHO:
- Rob Simmeljaer, New York Road Runners CEO
- Members of NYRR Team Inspire
- Representatives from TCS, Justworks, GetYourGuide, and Volvo
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:
For the first time, New York Road Runners will take over Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall® to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the New York City Marathon’s 5-boro course with an activation that invites visitors to journey through the five boroughs along the marathon route. Central to the experience will be an interactive track installation, with New York Road Runners setting a goal for visitors to reach 1,976,000 steps—in honor of the year of the first 5-boro New York City Marathon—inspiring people to get moving, complete their own marathon, and be part of something bigger.
Highlights of the experience include:
- Interactive Track: Visitors will work together to reach NYRR’s goal of 1,976,000 steps over four days, commemorating the first 5-boro course, run in 1976.
- Queens Presented by TCS: Explore the 2026 marathon course through a large-scale video projection. Around the bend, check out a stadium-inspired scoreboard tracking visitors’ collective steps, miles, and laps.
- Brooklyn Presented by Justworks: Celebrate Brooklyn’s vibrant small-business community and unmatched spectator spirit. In support of the local businesses that make the borough thrive, Justworks invites visitors to create personalized cheer signs to inspire marathon runners.
- The Bronx Presented by GetYourGuide: Discover all there is to explore in NYC beyond the course at the GetYourGuide booth and enjoy guest DJ sets celebrating the Bronx’s hip-hop heritage and vibrant music culture.
- Staten Island Presented by Volvo: Like the real TCS New York City Marathon course, the experience starts in Staten Island, with a Volvo pace car leading the way. Visitors will be able to pose for a photo moment under a replica of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge before setting off on their 5-boro journey around the track.
- Manhattan: The journey will end in Manhattan with a TCS New York City Marathon finish line photo opportunity and giveaways from New York Road Runners, including race entries and branded gear, as well as Shake Shack vouchers.
The experience will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. fromWednesday, Oct. 28, through Friday, Oct. 30.