Athletics - 2025 TCS New York City Marathon - New York City, New York, U.S. - November 2, 2025 General view of runners on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge during the marathon REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid
(New York, NY) – Over 200,000 people applied to run in the TCS New York City Marathon this year. The event has been steadily growing in popularity since the 70s, but the real boom happened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting a spot in the race has become an uphill battle itself. Let’s take a look at how the 26.2 mile race evolved over the years:
It’s Been A Long Run
The first New York City Marathon, organized by the New York Road Runners, first went down in 1970 in Central Park. Around 127 racers took part in the race for an entry fee of $1, and only 55 people finished. The race gained immense traction over the decade and by 1976, the race made international headlines with over 2,000 entrants. By 2013, the New York City Marathon saw over 50,000 finishers. It is now the largest marathon in history after setting the record in 2024.
Sold-Out Slots
New York Road Runners, the organizers of the marathon and a dozen other races across the city, has acknowledged a growing problem of access to their increasingly popular events. It seems New York has caught the running bug, and now it’s a competition simply to secure a place in a NYRR race. If you want in on the presale – you have to sign up for an exclusive membership at $120. The organization has worked to expand their races and implement more lottery systems. The New York marathon also allows local runners to qualify through the 9+1 program. That requires runners to compete at 9 NYRR events and volunteer at one qualifying event all in a calendar year. Organizers believe that program has led to the spike in popularity of the smaller races along with the growth of the main marathon.
Security: On Your Marks
Racers are not the only ones gearing up – the NYPD laid out their security plans the week leading up to the race. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said authorities did not find any credible threats against the event. She detailed the measures in place to keep runners and spectators safe:
Racing Records
Everyone wants to be a winner, and at the TCS Marathon, winning comes with a big paycheck. The first place winner gets $100,000, and the prize money is equal for men and women. Even if you place 10th in the Open Division, you are walking away with two grand in prize money. Smaller divisions of course have smaller payouts, like the American Division where the 1st place winner takes home $25,000. The hardware you take home is also the big trending accessory this fall. Medals look different each year, this year you can feel the route of the race along the ridges of the medal. This year, Benson Kipruto of Kenya won the men’s race and Hellen Obiri, also of Kenya, set a women’s course record to win the professional women’s race.
