TCS NYC Marathon Hacks: How to Get In

The lottery for the TCS NYC Marathon opens on Jan 14th this year. And a lot of people will be applying. According to to a news release by the NYRR “For the 2018 New York City Marathon, 105,184 hopeful runners applied for the drawing—15,640 were accepted.” That’s just under 15 percent, making the New York City Marathon more selective than many top universities.

Some other ways to get in is via the 9+1, or the 9+$1K where you donate $1K to NYRR’s youth and community services programs, effectively buying your way out of the volunteering requirement.

9+1 for the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon

Join NYRR by December 31, 2018 (must have an active NYRR membership by year’s end)
Complete nine scored, qualifying races in 2018
Volunteer at one NYRR event in 2018
Apply for guaranteed entry to the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon (information available in late 2018)

Other ways you can get into the race include:

Charity – raise a minimum of $2,500 (plus race entry fees)
US-Based Tour Package – $2,600 (plus entry fees and travel and meals)
International Tour Packages – up tp $10K (plus entry fees and travel and meals)
Professional Runners – chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re not, so . . .
Qualify – but the numbers make it even harder to get into than the Boston Marathon.

So what category makes up the biggest number of applicants for the race?

It’s clearly not 9+1 or the lottery. I can’t imagine that it’s qualifiers or professionals. I’m guessing it’s the tour operators since the entry fee is nearly double the marathon makes a KILLING.

But that’s not what I’m here to talk about.

Let’s talk about the lottery and running the NYC marathon.

Even with less than a 15% chance of gaining entry, why wouldn’t you?

I’ve run 17 marathons, from LA to the Flying Pig in Cincy. I’ve run small races like the Newport, RI marathon. And iconic races like Boston and lonely races like Jersey Shore, but nothing stacks up to the crowd and the scenes of the NYC Marathon. Peter Ciaccia, the former directer of the race used to call it the biggest block party in the city.