NYCRUNS Central Park Half Marathon
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Event overview
The NYCRUNS Central Park Half Marathon takes place on Sunday, February 22, 2026 in Central Park, New York, NY. The event is a half marathon and the course is USATF-certified. The course starts on West Drive near 93rd Street, heads downtown, crosses the 72nd Street Transverse, turns uptown and climbs over Harlem Hill, completes two and a half loops of the park, and finishes on the 102nd Street Transverse. NYCRUNS uses a pace-based start corral system with letters AA-F located on Well House Drive.
Logistics, services and competition
Bib pick-up and the Festival Area are located by the 102nd Street Crossing adjacent to the North Meadow ballfields next to East Drive; bib mailing is available for NYCRUNS members or for a fee for non-members if registration is completed at least 20 days before the event and the mailing address is in the U.S. Bag check requires a single clear bag (18" x 24") and organizers may search contents. Portable bathrooms, on-course water and electrolyte fluids, cans of smartwater at the finish, post-race bagels with schmear and fresh fruit, a finisher medal and an official race shirt are provided. One complimentary race photo is included; additional photos are available for purchase. Because the course is multi-loop, handcycle and wheelchair athletes are not advised to register for this event. Awards are given to the top three overall male, female and non-binary finishers (gun time) and to the top three in each age group (net/chip time). Prize money is offered for qualifying athletes, with payouts from $1,000 for first place down to $100 for sixth through tenth place. Membership with NYCRUNS provides a 10% entry discount and other benefits; entry fees vary by registration date. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.