Nonprofit that “runs” New York City introduces new brand logo and “Believe in Every Step” brand platform
New York, Jan. 26, 2026 — New York Road Runners (NYRR), the nonprofit that “runs” New York City producing 60 annual adult and youth races and providing free year-round youth and community programs, today announced a comprehensive rebrand, including a new logo and brand platform—its first in 15 years. The brand refresh comes on the heels of New York Road Runners releasing its latest economic impact study—showcasing that the nonprofit’s year-round events drive nearly $1 billion in incremental spending to New York City annually—and hosting the largest marathon in history, with nearly 60,000 finishers of the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon. The refreshed identity also marks the beginning of celebrations around the 50th anniversary of the iconic five-borough marathon course, which will be commemorated at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon Sunday, Nov. 1.
“This rebrand reflects our evolution from a local running club to the world’s premier running organization with expanding global reach and local impact, while representing our commitment to inclusion and the state of running today—an activity for people of all ages, abilities, body types, and backgrounds,” said Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners. “It also reinforces our belief that running and movement can transform the health and well-being of our communities, one step at a time.”
Amid the current running boom, the new visual identity and “Believe in Every Step” platform ushers New York Road Runners into its next era as the nonprofit continues its mission of building healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running.
“We’re thrilled to unveil our new logo and brand positioning, which represents New York Road Runners’ mission and vision with a contemporary, inclusive, and timeless visual identity,” said Juliette Morris, New York Road Runners Chief Marketing and Digital Officer. “The new look and feel elevate New York Road Runners as the powerhouse brand that resonates in New York City and around the world as running continues to surge as both a sport and a lifestyle.”
The platform will roll out alongside a year-long brand campaign across New York Road Runners’ channels, events, and experiences. The new logo will begin appearing digitally today, with the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half in March serving as the first race to fully incorporate the new branding across signage and event materials.
A New Logo for a New Era
To mark its next chapter, New York Road Runners worked with renowned brand consultancy Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv to develop a new visual identity centered on an abstract symbol inspired by the Statue of Liberty torch. Now synonymous with the TCS New York City Marathon’s branding, which the agency also updated in 2023, Lady Liberty is an iconic and unifying image that—like New York Road Runners—is associated with New York City’s welcoming, diverse, and aspirational spirit.
Anchored by the abstract torch—a symbol of achievement and leadership—the reimagined New York Road Runners logo is designed to be more universal, enduring, and inclusive, while creating a clearer, unmistakable connection between the nonprofit and its flagship race. With around a quarter of individuals* previously recognizing that connection, the new logo brings greater cohesion across New York Road Runners’ events and programs while reinforcing the nonprofit’s role as the producer of one of the world’s most iconic sporting events.
Since its founding in 1958, New York Road Runners has undergone multiple rebrands as the organization has evolved and grown from a local run club with a few dozen runners to a globally recognized nonprofit with nearly 95,000 members, producing the world’s largest marathon, year-round races across the five boroughs, and free community programs for all ages and abilities. For more than three decades, beginning in 1977, an apple surrounding a runner was a staple of the logo before the runner became the central design element in the most recent previous brand identity unveiled in 2011.
Introducing “Believe in Every Step”
Alongside the rebrand, New York Road Runners worked with creative agency YARD NYC to develop its new brand platform, “Believe in Every Step,” replacing the long-standing “Run for Life” tagline. YARD NYC is an independent, women-owned, creative company that turns brands into beacons of change that move people, businesses, and the world.
Rooted in New York Road Runners’ vision and mission, the new brand platform speaks to the inherent power of running to transform lives, strengthen communities, and uplift cities. It reflects the nonprofit’s 67 years of inspiring runners of all ages and abilities who have participated in its annual adult and youth races, benefited from its free community programs across the five boroughs, found support through New York Road Runners coaching and training, and been touched by the hundreds of global charities that use New York Road Runners’ events to fundraise for worthy causes.
Celebrating the resilience, determination, and limitless potential found in every runner, “Believe in Every Step” is a confident, reassuring, and empowering call to action. It invites people of all backgrounds and abilities to lace up and discover their own strength through the sport because every stride, no matter how big or small, can transform bodies, minds, and communities and bring us closer to a healthier, more connected, and more inspired world.
*Survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of New York Road Runners between Sept. 5-16, 2025, among a sample of 8,293 adults in the U.S.
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About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
A New York City-based nonprofit, New York Road Runners’ vision is to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running – serving nearly a half a million people annually through its races, free community events, youth running initiatives, and school-based programs across the five boroughs. During its nearly 70 years, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, producing more than 60 adult and youth races each year, including the TCS New York City Marathon. Held the first Sunday each November, the TCS New York City Marathon features more than 50,000 runners—from the world’s best professional athletes to a vast range of runners across experience levels, ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.