The 2025 New York City Marathon will take place on November 2nd, at 8:00 a.m., with about 50,000 runners starting the 26.2-mile (42.2 km) route through New York City’s five boroughs.
If you want to be one of the runners at the starting line, this guide is for you. I’ll tell you all you need to know about qualifying for the 2025 New York City Marathon.
To qualify for the NYC Marathon, runners must meet specific time standards based on age and gender categories in a certified marathon. For example, male runners between the ages of 18 and 34 must complete a marathon in 2 hours and 53 minutes or faster, while female runners in the same age range need to finish within 3 hours and 13 minutes.
So, it is important to prepare carefully and make an attempt to meet the demanding qualification times established by the organizers if you wish to take part in the NYC Marathon.
What Are The Qualifying Time Standards For Each Age Group?
These requirements differ according to participant gender and age, reflecting the wide variety of participants. Let’s examine the qualifying times for the various age groups.
Men’s Qualification Time Standards
| Age | Marathon | Half-Marathon |
| 18-34 | 2:53:00 | 1:21:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:55:00 | 1:23:00 |
| 40-44 | 2:58:00 | 1:25:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:05:00 | 1:28:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:14:00 | 1:32:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:23:00 | 1:36:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:34:00 | 1:41:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:45:00 | 1:46:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:10:00 | 1:57:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:30:00 | 2:07:00 |
| 80+ | 4:55:00 | 2:15:00 |
Women’s Qualification Time Standards
| Age | Marathon | Half-Marathon |
| 18-34 | 3:13:00 | 1:32:00 |
| 35-39 | 3:15:00 | 1:34:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:26:00 | 1:37:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:38:00 | 1:42:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:51:00 | 1:49:00 |
| 55-59 | 4:10:00 | 1:54:00 |
| 60-64 | 4:27:00 | 2:02:00 |
| 65-69 | 4:50:00 | 2:12:00 |
| 70-74 | 5:30:00 | 2:27:00 |
| 75-79 | 6:00:00 | 2:40:00 |
| 80+ | 6:35:00 | 2:50:00 |
Now that you know the qualification times to meet according to your gender and age, let’s look at the multiple ways to earn a spot in the famous NYC Marathon.
How To Earn a Spot In The NYC Marathon
The good news is that there are other ways to gain entry to the New York City Marathon other than qualifying by time. Any of the following methods can be used to register for the race:
- TCS New York City Marathon Lottery Drawing
- Road Runners Club 9+1
- Running For a Charity
- International Travel Partners
- 15+ Legacy Program
- NYRR Virtual Racing Series
- NYRR Club Entry
TCS New York City Marathon Lottery Drawing
This method is wholly dependent on luck. Each year, tens of thousands of runners enter the drawing in the hopes that their names would be chosen. Although there isn’t a significant likelihood that your name will be picked, we think it’s worth a shot.
Even if your name is selected, you must still pay the entrance fee to participate in the race. According to statistics from the 2022 NYC Marathon draw, just 12% of the 84,000 entrants were selected.
Three lotteries will be conducted, one from each of the candidate pools listed below, to fill the available entries:
- Applicants who live in or within 60 miles of the NYC metro region
- Applicants who live outside the NYC metro region
- “International” applicants: Non-U.S. residents, including Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories
A drawing will be conducted within each applicant pool.
Enter the 2025 New York City Marathon draw here.
Road Runners Club 9+1
The 9+1 program offers a guaranteed spot in the New York City Marathon for local New York City residents.
Members of the New York Road Runners (NYRR) who complete nine qualifying NYRR races and volunteer at one qualifying event are eligible to claim guaranteed entry to the New York City Marathon. The deadline for claiming this entry is specified. However, participants are still required to pay the entry fee.
Runners who successfully complete the 9+1 program become eligible for guaranteed entry to the next New York City Marathon.
For more information about this program, you can find details on the official website.
Running For a Charity
For runners who want to secure guaranteed entry to the marathon while making a positive impact, participating in one of the official charity programs is an excellent option. One such program is Team for Kids, the featured charity partner of the New York City Marathon.
Please Note: By running for Team for Kids, participants commit to fundraising a minimum amount, which is due by a specified deadline. For instance, there is a minimum fundraising pledge of $2,620 (or reduced to $2,500 per runner for teams of 10 or more) that needs to be fulfilled by a specified deadline.
Runners who already have entries can register with Team for Kids and enjoy a reduced fundraising commitment of $2,100. In addition to supporting a worthy cause, runners who join Team for Kids receive training, coaching, and various perks on race day.
To learn more about running for a charity, including Team for Kids, you can find additional information here.
International Travel Partners
If you’re a non-resident of the United States, you have the option to secure your entry into the NYC Marathon through international tour operators. These tour packages typically include flights, accommodations, and various other benefits.
Please note that there is a comprehensive list of approved International Tour Operators for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon. If your country does not have an official International Tour Operator, you can reach out to any operator listed on the approved list.
It’s important to choose a tour operator from the provided list as they are affiliated with the New York Road Runner’s Program and authorized to sell Travel Packages or Entry Only options.
For the complete list of International Tour Operators for the New York City Marathon 2025, you can find it here.
15+ Legacy Program
This method of entry is reserved for the most dedicated runners of the New York City Marathon. To qualify for this type of entry, runners must have completed 15 New York City marathons.
Qualified runners can claim their guaranteed entry during the designated claim period. For the 2024 NYC Marathon..
If you believe that you meet the criteria and your name should be included on this list, you can check it out here for further information.
NYRR TCS New York City Marathon
The NYRR TCS New York City Marathon entry offers runners an exciting opportunity to participate in the New York City Marathon remotely. With this virtual race series, runners can create their own 26.2-mile course filled with the magic of the TCS New York City Marathon.
Whether you’ll be on the start line in Staten Island or celebrating with friends and family across the globe, you can take on the Virtual TCS New York City Marathon from anywhere.
The Virtual TCS New York City Marathon provides four entry tiers for participants. Here’s an overview of each tier:
- Guaranteed Entry: This tier offers runners a guaranteed entry to the next year’s virtual marathon. Participants can complete the 26.2-mile distance at their own pace and in their preferred location.
Entry Fee:
- $155 for NYRR members
- $180 for non-member
Spots
- Limited Capacity
- Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis
Registrants receive:
- Digital race day toolkit
- 60-day Strava subscription
Finishers receive:
- Virtual TCS New York City Marathon finisher medal and keychain
- Strava digital finisher badge
- Printable finisher certificate
- Guaranteed, non-complimentary entry to the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon
- Team for Kids: By selecting the Team for Kids tier, participants have the opportunity to support NYRR youth and community programs, including Rising New York Road Runners. This program brings free running and fitness initiatives to students nationwide through school-based programs, youth events, and digital resources.
Entry Fee:
- $155 for NYRR members
- $180 for non-member
Additional requirements:
- Fundraise $1,000
Spots
- Limited Capacity
- Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis
Registrants receive:
- Digital race day toolkit
- 60-day Strava subscription
- Training with NYRR Coaching Lab by Runcoach
- NYRR Team for Kids singlet
Finishers receive:
- Virtual TCS New York City Marathon finisher medal and keychain
- Strava digital finisher badge
- Printable finisher certificate
- Guaranteed, non-complimentary entry to the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon
Entry Fee:
- $55 for NYRR members
- $65 for non-member
Spots
- Limited Capacity
Registrants receive:
- Digital race day toolkit
- 60-day Strava subscription
Finishers receive:
- Virtual TCS New York City Marathon finisher medal and keychain
- Strava digital finisher badge
- Printable finisher certificate
Entry Fee:
- Free
Spots
- Unlimited
Registrants receive:
- Digital race day toolkit
- 60-day Strava subscription
Finishers receive:
- Strava digital finisher badge
- Printable finisher certificate
NYRR Club Entry
NYRR Club Entry offers an opportunity for members of New York Road Runners (NYRR) clubs to participate in the TCS New York City Marathon.
This entry category is designed to promote camaraderie and foster a sense of community among NYRR club members, providing them with a unique chance to represent their club while participating in the marathon.
Now that we’ve covered all the exciting ways to enter the New York City Marathon, let’s talk about the financial side of things and figure out how much it’s going to cost you. It’s always good to have a clear idea of the expenses involved so you can plan your budget and make the most of this amazing marathon adventure.
Cost Of Entering The New York City Marathon 2025
The New York City Marathon drawing offers a free entry option, allowing participants to enter without any cost. Keep in mind that this option is limited to one entry per person.
Here are some of the costs for the race below:
| NYC Marathon Draw Fee | Free |
| Race Entry Fee (New York Road Runners Members) | $255 |
| Race Entry Fee (NON-New York Road Runners Members) | $295 |
When you purchase an entry to the New York City Marathon 2025, you receive the following:
- Participation in the race itself
- Access to fluid/fueling stations, medical support, entertainment, and security throughout the course
- An official New Balance technical shirt
- Official transportation to the start from designated locations in Midtown Manhattan, Lower Manhattan, or the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey
- Entry to the start area, which includes breakfast and entertainment
- Finisher materials, including a medal, post-race food, beverages, and a post-race poncho
The New York City Marathon is known as one of the largest and most prestigious running events globally. Consequently, securing an entry can be quite challenging.
You can increase your chances of securing a spot in this exceptional event by trying one of the many entry options mentioned previously.
Once you have successfully secured your spot, the next thing on your to-do list is to ramp up your training strategy. If you need assistance in this area, we are here to help. Take advantage of our New York Training Plan, tailored specifically for this marathon.
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