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NYRR: ore Than 8,000 Runners Kick Off Pride Weekend at New York Road Runners’ 45th-Annual Front Runners New York LGBTQ+ Pride Run™ 4M

Jun 29, 2026

For Immediate Release  

WHAT:

New York Road Runners (NYRR)—the nonprofit that “runs” New York City producing 60 annual adult and youth races including the TCS New York City Marathon—and Front Runners New York—the world’s largest LGBTQ+ running club—kicked off Pride weekend in NYC, hosting 8,146 runners at the 45thFront Runners New York LGBTQ+ Pride Run™ 4M in Central Park Saturday, June 27.

The winners of the four-mile race included top man Teshome Asfaha of New York, who set a new event record of 18:47 to break Harbert Okuti’s previous 19:35 record set in 2022; top nonbinary athlete Daniel Mata of Jersey City, N.J., in 21:37; and top woman Alosha Southern of Brooklyn, N.Y., in 22:15.

As part of its vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running, New York Road Runners has collaborated with Front Runners New York since 1982 to host this event championing the LGBTQ+ community. The four-mile race celebrates LGBTQ+ pride and the ongoing movement toward equality, diversity, and inclusiveness. The theme of this year’s race was “Hearts in Motion: United in Every Stride,” celebrating the unity we share through movement and reminds us that pride is strongest when we lift each other up. 

Each year, Front Runners New York makes a donation to an LGBTQ+-related nonprofit organization. This year’s race beneficiary was Housing Works, which has provided lifesaving healthcare, housing, and justice initiatives to vulnerable New Yorkers for 35 years. Since 1982, the Pride Run has raised more than $300,000 for LGBTQ+ nonprofits and is the world’s largest charity pride run. 

VIDEO: LINK

BROLL

  • Participants starting Front Runners New York LGBTQ+ Pride Run™ 4M (00:00-00:18)
  • Participants finishing Front Runners New York LGBTQ+ Pride Run™ 4M (00:18-00:46)
  • Finish line proposal (00:47-1:05)
  • Participants celebrating at post-race festival (1:06-1:13)

SOUNDBITES

  • Rob Simmelkjaer, New York Road Runners CEO (1:14-1:46)
  • J Solle, Front Runners New York LGBTQ+ Pride Run™ 4M Race Director (1:47-2:45)
  • Matt Bernardo, Housing Works President (2:46-3:27)
  • Ish Muhammad, Front Runners New York LGBTQ+ Pride Run™ 4M participant (3:28-3:57)