NYCRUNS Big Apple Half Marathon
New York, NY
- Half Marathon
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Join NYCRUNS for its annual Big Apple race in Central Park! Since 2017, this has been one of their most popular annual events. The NYCRUNS Big Apple Half Marathon is their final race of 2026 while also being the first race of the Central Park winter race series. Oh, and … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Dec 13):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 42 | 35 | 47 | 41 | 52 |
| L (°F) | 27 | 29 | 37 | 27 | 41 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Seven-Time Runner, Always Different Vibe
Since 2017, I’ve run the NYCRuns Big Apple Half seven times. For all but one year, it started toward the west side, made two upper-loop circuits (including the Harlem Hill … MORE
Since 2017, I’ve run the NYCRuns Big Apple Half seven times. For all but one year, it started toward the west side, made two upper-loop circuits (including the Harlem Hill twice) and finishing on the 102nd transverse. Every year was a little different, last year included two full loops after starting farther south. This year was the aforementioned “usual.”
What Worked: Corral is separated by expected pace from the time you register. I was put into corral “A” even though I’m not near the elites’ athleticism on this course. This may imply that other corrals (D,E,F, etc) could be a bit more loaded, but since I can’t say for sure, I’m leaving it in the “well organized” considerations. Also, bib pickup looked like a gargantuan line, yet it never stopped moving. This felt more efficient, as they paired your registration QR to a bib.
What Could Be Better: This might be controversial. Because of the looped nature of the course, faster runners of loop one will intersect with those of a different pace once beginning the second loop. In other words, expect water stations to feel a little congested, and twice I encountered a runner who just *stopped* after grabbing a water cup!
TL;DNR: Great race worthy of annual running, smoother and smoother execution and management as the years go on. Course is very hilly with a tough hill, yet beware other runners if you’re quick.
Super Swag
I have done this race a couple of times before and I have also done NYCRUNS Central Park Half in February a couple of times so I will keep this … MORE
I have done this race a couple of times before and I have also done NYCRUNS Central Park Half in February a couple of times so I will keep this review relatively short. I’ll start by saying this is probably the best weekend to visit NYC but also it is quite expensive. Hotels were even more than usual so I only stayed Friday night and took a train back to Boston Saturday evening and did local races Sunday this year. This year everything was well organized with an emailed athlete guide and pretty clear instructions for race morning. The line for packet pick-up was a bit long but organized and less of a free for all than I have seen. I decided to get my shirt after the race since I didn’t feel like doing gear check so just got my bib. There are corrals to start that you are assigned by pace. The course is boring. Just 3 loops in Central Park. I do like this course better than the Fred Lebow course by NYRR as this one only has the worst hill Harlem hill twice and that one has it three times. I’ve run Central Park a lot and I’ll be back again soon. I do appreciate the familiarity though. This year that weather was a bit cold but not miserably cold which is actually what I prefer for this race. When the weather is too nice there are too many non-race participants getting in the way. Race is well organized though the non-race participants and horse drawn carriages are always a pain in Central park. NYCRYNS did have a section coned off and I even saw a staff members telling some people to avoid the cone off area so at least they were trying. There are mile markers, splits each 5K, clocks with the time each mile and 3 aid stations which you pass by two aid stations 3 times and one twice so you pass 8 total. I need to practice not running with a water bottle for Tokyo (they aren’t allowed in the Tokyo Marathon) and I knew this was the perfect race to practice given the ample aid stations, long time limit and cool weather. No issues with aid stations. The race has a 3.5 hour time limit but NYCRUNS has never been strict. My goals was just to run under 3 hours which I did. There are always delicious bagels at the finish. The swag this year was amazing! NYCRUNS tends to have good swag. I don’t always find their production to be as good as NYRR but their swag is always so much better. This year the swag was exceptional good as it was this cool comic book/pop art sort of the design that was really cool. The medal is awesome and looks great in photos. The shirt is also really nice and not as over the top as last year so it is more wearable. This race is in-between 3 and 4 sneakers but I rounded up this year because of the swag.
Umpteenth time run, but new course!
I’ve run this race nearly every year since the 2017 iteration. Until last year, the course was the same loops around the upper 3/4 of Central Park. This year, it’s … MORE
I’ve run this race nearly every year since the 2017 iteration. Until last year, the course was the same loops around the upper 3/4 of Central Park. This year, it’s a new layout that goes a full loop of the park!
What I liked: big crowds were managed well enough. If you didn’t get your bib in the mail, bring your QR code – you’ll be scanned and assigned a bib and corral on the spot and fairly fast! This year’s swag shirt was controversially tacky but I loved it; others hated it! Per the course itself, it started further south than previous years, yet that also meant the festival area was by the bandshell towards the southern half of the park. You don’t hit the Harlem Hill any later than previously, yet two sharp turns don’t exist anymore.
What could have been better: While overall production value felt polished, the weather didn’t help matters. I’m not blaming the organizers on it being cold, yet the water stations were mostly ice patches. One station was salting itself, another scraping, but it felt sloppy either way.
TL,DNR? Production value improves, course is not more difficult, just watch your step.
The Best Time to Come to NYC
I've done this race before a few years ago and also did the similar NYCRUNS Central Park Half in February last year. Overall these NYCRUNS Central Park races are solid … MORE
I’ve done this race before a few years ago and also did the similar NYCRUNS Central Park Half in February last year. Overall these NYCRUNS Central Park races are solid and a good excuse to visit NYC. Compared to the first time I did this pre race communication was a bit clearer and better. Previously NYCRUNs mailed bibs but now you need to pick them up unless you are a member or pay extra but there is race day packet pick-up so it’s not a big deal. Of note mid December is possibly the best time to visit NYC as it is decorated for Christmas but it is not quite as crowded as on Christmas but hotel prices are quite expensive. If you want the best trip to NYC this is the best time to visit but if you want a cheaper trip to NYC do the race in February instead. Race day was quite smooth for a large race with a few thousand runners and race day packet pick-up. Packet included bib and one of the craziest designed race shirts I’ve seen. It has this very bold and very busy NYC design. It’s kind of hideous but also very creative and very NY. The race is just loops in Central Park which I’ve done enough of by now but I was happy they changed the course a bit and it was the best half course possible in Central Park. In case you aren’t familiar with Central Park there is a 6 mile loop around the park. The northern portion of the park by Harlem is very, very hilly and the southern portion of the park by Columbus Circle is flat. The course this year started on the southern portion of the park and did the main loop twice with an extra mile that was in the flat southern part. The loops get kind of boring but it’s better when races do the full loop and when Harlem Hill is only twice. Production was good with plenty of aid stations with water and gatorade but it was kind of odd the volunteers didn’t hand out the cups just laid them out. It wasn’t really an issue just different than most races. Course was well marked with timing splits, mile markers and clocks at each mile marker. Weather was a bit cold today but it was kind of odd weather I was hot with a jacket but cold without a jacket and I wasted time taking on and off my jacket and figuring out how to wear it. I still managed to finish under my goal of 3 hours and kept my sub 3 hour streak going since October. You are cheered on at the end and get a really nice Big Apple themed medal. There are apples and bagels at the end. Overall this is a solid race. I think the loops in Central Park get a bit boring but this is a good excuse to visit NYC. My recommendation for the race depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for a great vacation with a good half marathon this is the best time to visit NYC but if you are looking for the best race in NY state you either want to deal with the stress of getting into the NYC half marathon or look elsewhere such as Buffalo or the Finger Lakes. I like visiting NYC and it is very easy to take Amtrak there from Boston so I’m sure I will do this race again and I’m coming back in February for the Central Park Half.
Fifth Time & A Charm
What Worked: Race Central is located on 102nd St Transverse and easy to get to, whether you take: a train to Harlem 125th then a taxi; the subway on the … MORE
What Worked: Race Central is located on 102nd St Transverse and easy to get to, whether you take: a train to Harlem 125th then a taxi; the subway on the east side; drive in and park at a garage. If you did not register 30+ days ahead, you bring your confirmation email which has a code – this scans in to match up to a bib, which in turn has a code that is scanned for your swag. Super efficient, there was no long line waiting to get a pre-printed bib. The race was decently supported, but more on that later. Lots of people turned out for cheering on their family and friends.
What Needed Improvement: While there were 8 water stops (three tables passed over 2.5 laps), in the third loop it was a bit slim-pickin’s. Those who were in the lead pack had diminished setup to grab water/electrolites, and some that had longer mile times tended to walk or congregate around the tables. At times, it appeared only one or two volunteers were there to stock the tables. The later start time might have exhausted those who were there for the 5K that started at 8AM. On that topic, splitting the 5K and Half Marathon into two waves 1 hour apart helped with mitigating traffic in the park, though made things a bit of a hassle to pick up or drop off bags. My advice would be that if your race starts at 9am, drop off your bags no later than 8:20am when the mass of 5K runners finish.
Overall: It is a nice race. I’m sentimental to it as it was the scene of my first-ever half marathon. The Harlem Hill in the park’s northeast is no joke, and otherwise the course is a mix of gentle rolling (west side) and long flats (east side). The venue is great, the swag is great, even the post-race bagels are iconic at this point!
Oh the hills
The weather this year was pretty good; the rain/snow didn't really start until later in the day so it was just cloudy and a little chilly. The medal is pretty … MORE
The weather this year was pretty good; the rain/snow didn’t really start until later in the day so it was just cloudy and a little chilly. The medal is pretty spiffy and long sleeve tech tee has the same logo. The cool thing for the 5k is that it’s the same medal as the half just says “5k” instead of “Half” on it.
The course is 2.5 loops of Central Park so the scenery isn’t bad, but oh my the hills. Harlem Hill twice, Cat Hill 3 times. So much fun (said no one ever), yet something keeps me coming back. Not a destination race, but a good local one that is well organized.
The most RUNderful time of the year
This is possibly my favorite weekend to visit NYC since the city is all decorated for christmas but it's not too crowded yet so I decided to use this half … MORE
This is possibly my favorite weekend to visit NYC since the city is all decorated for christmas but it’s not too crowded yet so I decided to use this half marathon as an excuse to visit. Last year I did the 4 miler that NYCRUNS held to replace this race so I’m kind of in between a repeat runner and a first timer. Pre-race communication was pretty good. Things like bag check and porta-potty location were clearer this year. However there were a few details lacking. For instance they referred you to the race page for additional questions but I could not find my question of the race time limit on the race page and had to search around the general NYCRUNS FAQs (BTW – the time limit is 3:30 given my foot injury I was concerned about my finishing time and I wanted to make sure it didn’t have a 3 hour only time limit). This weekend I actually stayed in NJ since I had a race there Sunday and there was a concert I wanted to see in NJ Saturday night. This made parking Friday night easier. I took a cab from NJ to the race and then spent the day in the city and took a cab back. It was nice to not deal with parking in the city. Bibs were mailed which also made race morning pretty stress free. The race started on the upper west side. The finish line and bag check were in the middle of the park a few blocks up. I brought everything with me and didn’t check a bag. Luckily weather wasn’t too bad today. It was in the 40s and drizzly. Even though the weather wasn’t perfect. It was kind of perfect for this race. Last year when I did the 4 miler there was perfect 60 degree weather and all of NYC was in central park so it was a bit chaotic. The weather was just bad enough to deter non-runners from coming to the park but not bad enough to affect the race experience. There was a mass start and self-seeded corrals by pace. It was chipped time with a timing mat at the start and finish. The course is nothing special just 2 1/2 laps around Central Park. If you’ve never run in Central Park it is probably cool the first time. If you live in NYC, you probably get really bored of races here. As a former NYC resident who visits a few times a year I am somewhat in the middle. I don’t mind running in Central Park. It is hilly but I know what to expect. The course utilizes the northern part of the course which is hiller. It only does Harlem Hill twice. I know some runners complained about the hills. I honestly don’t find the hills in Central Park too bad. It’s not a fast course but to me it never seems as difficult as the elevation gain suggest. This felt much easier than the Jingle Bell half last week but my Garmin said they had the same elevation gain. Maybe it’s just I know what’s coming so no hills surprise me. Central Park is pretty. Today was kind of gloomy so it is less pretty than usual. If it snows it is gorgeous. There were plenty of water stops on the course. There were 3, two you passed 3 times and one you passed twice so 8 total and about 1.5 miles apart. I actually wish I didn’t bring a handheld water bottle as I didn’t need it and then was stuck carrying it around the city all day. All aid stations had water and gatorade. There was no on course nutrition so that is one area of improvement. There were also lots of porta potties on the course. Mile markers were accurate and there was a clock at each mile which was great. The race is open so there are occasional tourists and horse-drawn carriages to look out for. The loops are a little annoying since it results in a mix of people running different paces. There were a little over 1000 participants. Overall it wasn’t too bad. I’m guessing it is more annoying for the fast runners weaving around us slow-pokes on their later laps but not much can be done. I was actually feeling good and 5 days of rest allowed my foot to heal somewhat and was making a good pace. I started to feel my foot a bit around mile 8 which is when there were runners around me going to the finish line while I still had a lap to complete which is a bit disheartening. I had to walk a bit more the last lap because of my foot but overall I was very happy with my time for the circumstances and was under 2:45 and over 10 minutes faster than last week. At the finish line you get your medal. It is a nice, big apple themed medal. There were bagels and fruit for snacks along with gatorade. I heard there is normally hot cocoa but I think it was too hot. You can also pick up your shirt at the end. It is a nice long sleeve tech shirt but an ugly mustard yellow this year. Afterwards I walked to Ayurveda Cafe my favorite vegetarian restaurant on the UWS for my post race meal. Overall this is a fine race. It is just laps around central park so don’t expect anything too exciting but production was good and swag was decent. If you are a local or looking for an excuse to visit NYC, it’s a good race to do. However there are more exciting courses in New York state if you are a 50 stater. As I said, I really like visiting NYC this time of year so I will more likely than not do this race again.
Great medal
I always enjoy running this race. It's 2.5 loops of Central Park so it's definitely hilly, but it's well organized and the medal is always nice. This year's medal had … MORE
I always enjoy running this race. It’s 2.5 loops of Central Park so it’s definitely hilly, but it’s well organized and the medal is always nice. This year’s medal had a unique design to look like a subway mosaic. They also gave out buffs at the finish line with the logo for their Brooklyn Marathon.
They also offer fruit, bagels, and hot cocoa at the finish.
This year’s weather was gorgeous. Chilly while waiting for the race to start, but perfect once we got going. Sunny and in the 30s.
Great Course But More Org Needed
Course: Great course doing 2 1/2 laps around Central Park. Some long declines with one substantial uphill stretch on the two full laps (not present on the 1/2 lap). I … MORE
Course: Great course doing 2 1/2 laps around Central Park. Some long declines with one substantial uphill stretch on the two full laps (not present on the 1/2 lap). I feel like we got lucky with the weather… cold at the start only to warm up during the race but then cold again once heart rate fell post-race.
Support: Plenty of aid stations but they needed more volunteers. Post-race refreshments were good however.
Management: Pre-race was a bit of a mess. Bag check/bib pickup was ~ 8 city blocks away from the start line which made things confusing/chaotic. Long lines for race day packet pickup. Also, poor form to allow a politician to give a pre-race political rant disguised as a pep up speech.
Swag: Finisher medal and long sleeve cotton tee
Half marathon in Central Park
I've run this race at least 4 times now. It's not the most exciting race--you do almost 3 laps of the upper portion of Central Park. But it is convenient, … MORE
I’ve run this race at least 4 times now. It’s not the most exciting race–you do almost 3 laps of the upper portion of Central Park. But it is convenient, well run, and a good way to get a training run in that ends with getting a medal!
Central Park Views
Good race in NYC Central Park if you're trying to knock NY State off of your list. It's a looping course that gives you good views of the park. MORE
Good race in NYC Central Park if you’re trying to knock NY State off of your list. It’s a looping course that gives you good views of the park.
Hilly half in NYC Central Park
This is my third time running this particular race. It's a decent race to finish out the year. Central Park is hilly (this route has you going up Cat Hill … MORE
This is my third time running this particular race. It’s a decent race to finish out the year. Central Park is hilly (this route has you going up Cat Hill 3x and Harlem Hill 2x). NYCRuns races are smaller in scale than NYRR. The race production has definitely improved over the years (it was not uncommon for NYCRuns races to start late and to be a bit chaotic). Long sleeve white technical shirt and decent medal are the swag. Packet pick-up is only 6 hours long on Friday in a store near Union Square. Other options are to pick up on race day and/or have the bib mailed to you (for a fee. The t-shirt would need to be picked up on race day). There is plenty of water and Gatorade and a decent number of port-o-potties.
The hills have hills
This was my first time running this race since the name change and the course change. It is now about 2.5 loops of Central Park. This means that you run … MORE
This was my first time running this race since the name change and the course change. It is now about 2.5 loops of Central Park. This means that you run up Harlem Hill twice and Cat Hill 3 times. The course used to start and end basically in the same place, but now the finish area is in the same place, but the start is about a quarter mile down on 96th street, which is a super easy walk.
When registering, there was an option to have your bib mailed to you (you’d still have to get the shirt at the race), there was pre race packet pickup, or you could pick up your packet before the race (which I did and was super easy and not crowded). Bag check is super easy (and again uncrowded). It’s well organized and you can basically check any type of bag you want.
The course itself was hilly, but Central Park is always pretty and you got a thorough tour of it with the exception of the southern tip of the park. There were about 3 water stops, which when you figure the course is 2.5 loops, works out to a water stop roughly every 1.5 miles or so that had both water and gatorade.
The shirts this year were white (boo), but long sleeve tech shirts with this year’s logo which was an apple on its side with a bite out of the top having the skyline in it with a worm coming out of the apple. The medal is good quality and a good size with a printed ribbon. Post race, ever runner also got a heat sheet and the food/drink options were water/gatorade, apples, bananas, bagels (assorted types with cream cheese/butter if you wanted), and hot chocolate!
New name, but same race
Mother Nature added to the scenery for this year's race. Snowfall the day before the race added some beauty and holiday magic to the day. It was cold. And Central … MORE
Mother Nature added to the scenery for this year’s race. Snowfall the day before the race added some beauty and holiday magic to the day. It was cold. And Central Park is hilly. But it was a good day.
NYCRuns has been getting more organized–which is nice to see. They almost started EARLY this year (I feel like the often start late). The medal matched the name–it was a big apple.
The shirt was a long sleeve technical shirt in blue–which I like.
Nice local race
This is a nice local race that is well run. They give a long sleeve tech shirt and the medal this year was really nice and had a printed ribbon … MORE
This is a nice local race that is well run. They give a long sleeve tech shirt and the medal this year was really nice and had a printed ribbon and was unique from past years. After the race, they have hot cocoa with unlimited refills and bagels with cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter. Bag check is super easy and volunteers are always watching your stuff.
The course was new this year and more challenging. It was two 4 mile loops of the “middle” section of the park and then a 5 mile loop including the Harlem Hills. The Harlem Hills were on the last loop and going up Cat Hill 3 times was something I’m not sure I need to repeat, but breaking up the route like that helped break up the distance. The course has a 3 hour time limit.
The race is easy to get to on public transit. The 102st entrance to the park is a short walk from the 103rd St. stop on the 6 subway line which you can pick up at Harlem 125th St. if you’re coming from outside of the city.
A Half Marathon in Central Park
The course: 3 loops of Central Park (2 4-mile inner loops 1 5-mile loop). This includes 3 climbs of Cat Hill and 1 climb of Harlem Hill. Long sleeve shirt MORE
The course: 3 loops of Central Park (2 4-mile inner loops 1 5-mile loop). This includes 3 climbs of Cat Hill and 1 climb of Harlem Hill.
Long sleeve shirt and nice medal.