Interview opportunities with inspiring runners honoring loved ones, first responders, recovery workers, and all those lost on 9/11
2025 RACE PHOTOS
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 the National September 11 Memorial & Museum will host 5,000 runners at the sold-out 9/11 Memorial & Museum 4M Presented by RXR Saturday, July 11, in Central Park to honor the 2,977 lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
WHERE/WHEN:
Saturday, July 11
Central Park
Start:East Drive near East 69th Street
- 6:30–7:15 a.m. – Pre-race interview opportunities
- 7:30 a.m. – Race start
Finish:72nd Street Transverse off West Drive
- 7:50 a.m. – First finisher expected
- 8–10 a.m. – Post-race interviews
WHO:
Executives from New York Road Runners and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, along with inspiring participants commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11, will be available for interviews, including:
- Rob Simmelkjaer, New York Road Runners CEO
- Beth Hillman, 9/11 Memorial & Museum President & CEO
- Sonia Agron (Bronx, N.Y.) – A retired New York City EMT and 9/11 recovery worker who has run every 9/11 Memorial & Museum race since 2013. Sonia volunteered at Ground Zero caring for first responders and says completing the race each year gives her a sense of closure after feeling she never got to finish her work following a cancer diagnosis later that year.
- Hanna Born (Alexandria, Va.) – An Air Force helicopter pilot who was just three years old inside the Pentagon daycare when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building. Hanna is marking the 25th anniversary by running 2,977 miles—one mile for every life lost on 9/11—and sharing each victim’s story through her “Run to Remember 2,977” project.
- Ashley Geczik (Astoria, Queens) – Running in memory of her father, Michael, an AT&T telecommunications worker who spent five days at Ground Zero restoring communications after the attacks before later dying from a 9/11-related cancer. Ashley says her family’s story is just one of thousands and hopes to honor everyone impacted by 9/11 illness.
- Carly Faust (Kips Bay, Manhattan) – Running in honor of her father, who came out of retirement as a former auxiliary NYPD officer to volunteer at Ground Zero immediately following the attacks and continues serving his community today as a volunteer EMT.
ADDITIONAL RACE BACKGROUND:
As America prepares to commemorate 25 years since September 11, 2001, New York Road Runners and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum are partnering to host a four-mile race. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum has hosted an annual race since 2013 as an opportunity for remembrance and reflection, and this will be the first year the organization partners with New York Road Runners to host this annual race in Central Park.
The four-mile race will take place exactly two months before the nation marks 25 years since 9/11, bringing together runners of all backgrounds to honor the 2,977 lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, while recognizing the courage and sacrifice of first responders, rescue and recovery workers, survivors, and the families forever impacted by the attacks.
Participants will begin the day with an opening program featuring remarks recognizing the enduring impact of 9/11 and paying tribute to the lives lost. Through the collective act of running, the event will unite individuals of all backgrounds in remembrance and shared purpose.
All funds raised from the event will directly support the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, keeping the memorial free for all and expanding the museum’s educational programs that reach students, teachers, professionals, and communities across the country.
ABOUT THE 9/11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM:
A quarter century after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is the country’s principal institution concerned with exploring 9/11, documenting its impact, and examining its continuing significance. This mission is advanced through commemoration, education, and inspiration. Located on eight of the 16 acres of the World Trade Center site, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum remembers and honors the 2,983 lives lost on September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993. Through exhibitions, a wide variety of programs, and commemorative events, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum seeks to educate the public – particularly the 100 million Americans born since the attacks or those too young to remember – about the consequences of terrorism and its impact on individuals and communities. Through preserving and sharing stories of resilience, compassion, and service, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum hopes to inspire individuals to build a more compassionate and secure world. For more information or to reserve a ticket to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, please visit 911memorial.org.