Have a question not addressed below? Drop us an email.
Where do you run?
The vast majority of our runs are in Central Park. We sometimes mix it up with destination runs on Saturdays, and once or twice a year we venture down to the East River Track. Currently, all our regularly scheduled runs start and end in Central Park at light pole E8301 behind The Met and near the Hamilton statue, unless otherwise noted on the Message Board. For more info, visit our Weekly Runs page.
What distances do you run?
All of our organized runs are generally between 4 and 6 miles (with long runs organized for fall marathoners). Our Wednesday speed workouts may cover shorter distances but with a harder effort.
How fast do I need to be?
We welcome runners of all speeds, but our members typically run between a 6- and 10-minute mile.
How do I become a member?
Joining is easy. Come run with us and see how it feels. If you like it and decide to come more regularly, we ask that you pay our annual $40 membership fee. You can sign up to become a member by filling out our membership form.
Why do you collect dues?
Annual dues help to cover costs related to our social events, website, and other fees associated with the club. Officers all volunteer their time—they do not receive any compensation.
What if I am visiting NYC and want to join for a few runs—do I need to pay?
We welcome visitors to our runs for free. Anyone is welcome to come to a few runs to try us out. We just ask that anyone who comes regularly to register as a member and pay dues to support the activities of the club.
What if I don’t want to race?
While the majority of our runners participate in races (of varying distances), you do not need to race to be a member of the club. All members are encouraged to participate in NYRR Club Points races, but the truth is that we don’t care if you ever race. The idea is to have fun and reach your running goals, whatever they may be.
I am training for a marathon; do you have a training program?
A number of our members run marathons and the majority train for a fall race. Since 2012 we’ve offered a structured marathon training program. We’ve often targeted the New York City marathon, but our run leaders are happy to work with you to adapt the program to any fall marathon.
I am a pretty good runner, you guys sound too laid-back for me.
We have runners of all abilities and goals. If you are an elite runner and want to be challenged by your teammates on a daily basis, then we are probably not the club for you. However, we have a number Boston Marathon qualifiers (both men and women) on our team and many of our members race shorter distances at or below 6:00-7:00mm pace.
Do you have any COVID-19 protocols in place?
Many of our members are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and we no longer require face coverings at our runs or events. If you are not fully vaccinated you are still welcome to join us, but please follow the CDC recommendations around masking and social distancing.
Members should report a positive COVID-19 test to the club’s COVID Task Force, to enable confidential notification to others in the club who may have been exposed on a run. Members also agree to not attend any group events if feeling ill with any COVID-19 symptoms.
