There is nothing like the first Sunday in November in New York City. MARATHON SUNDAY. The whole city turns into the biggest block party in the world. Strangers hand you orange slices and jello shots. Gospel choirs power you through Fort Greene and DJs litter the course. It’s impossible not to get swept up in the marathon magic and find yourself thinking, “Next year, I want to run it.”
HEL YA. Welcome! Now comes the part nobody warns you about, which is that getting INTO the NYC Marathon is becoming just as hard as it is to run it.
I'm Coach Kelly, and I want to see you run the New York City Marathon. So here it is in one place: every way to get into the NYC Marathon, how each one works, and what to do once you have a bib.
One thing before we start. Entry rules, fees and dates change from year to year, and NYRR (New York Road Runners, the folks who put on the race) has been making big changes lately because we’re in the middle of the biggest running boom the sport has ever seen. I've linked the official pages throughout. Don’t shoot the messenger if things have changed. But as of today, here’s how to get into the marathon.
Route 1: The lottery
This is the one everybody knows. NYRR opens an application window, you throw your name in, and they draw names. If you're picked, you pay the entry fee. You're only charged if you get in.
Here's the honest part: a LOT of people apply and a very small percentage get picked. It's a lottery ticket, not a guarenteed spot. Apply every year anyway, because it's quick and costs nothing until you're selected. Dates are announced by NYRR, and the window has typically opened in January every year.
Route 2: The 9+1 program (and then sell your first born?)
This is the one I'd actually plan around, because it rewards effort instead of luck. The idea: you run nine qualifying NYRR races and volunteer at one NYRR event in the same year, keep your membership active, and that earns you guaranteed entry to the marathon down the road. You still pay the entry fee, but the spot is yours.
NYRR has been changing how people get into the program itself, so read their page for the newest rules before you commit. The short version is that the old "just sign up for 9 races and start ticking them off" version has become more structured. There’s now a lottery to get into 9+1. No one is thrilled about it. The core of it is still the same: show up, race a lot, volunteer once.
Confusing? Yes. Annoying? Yes. But the NYRR is doing their best given their races are selling out faster than they ever have before. More people want to run the marathon. So now we gotta work for it or wait 5-10 years for the boom to level out.
My tip: pick races earlier in the year that are most convenient. Nine races only feels like a chore if you chose the ones you dread.
Official page: NYRR 9+1 program | What's changing
Route 3: Run fast enough (time qualifiers)
You can earn guaranteed entry by hitting a time standard for your age and gender at certain NYRR races or a certified marathon during the qualifying window. The standards are quick. They're built for people who are INCREDIBLY fast for their age group. If that's you, amazing. If it's not, same! We don’t need to get into our thoughts on time qualifying, you still have other options to run the race.
NYRR posts the full standards, which races count, and how to claim.
Official page: Marathon time qualifiers
Route 4: Run for charity
NYRR partners with official charities each year, and each one gets a block of guaranteed entries. You apply to the charity, commit to a fundraising goal, and in return you get a bib and a whole cheering section.
Honestly, this is my pick if you want to run the marathon. Pick a charity EARLY (as in November-January) and secure your spot because it’s getting competitive. 9+1 is expensive and time consuming and the lottery is genuinely a crap shoot. The fundraising goal is real, so ask yourself honestly if you can raise it, because it is hard work. And pick a cause you care about. It carries you through the hard miles in a way a stranger's charity won't.
Route 5: Club bibs
This one is a perk of how this city runs.
Every year, the NYC Marathon gives running clubs access to a set of non-complimentary bibs. (Non-complimentary means you still pay the entry fee. You're just not fighting the lottery for the spot.) It's a thank-you to the run clubs that make NYC and our running scene what it is. They’re first come first served and it’s not guarenteed every year. (If I had to bet, I doubt we’re getting them in 2027.)
And here's what makes it interesting: each club chooses how to hand them out to its community. Some do contests. Some do essays. Some use qualifiers like speed or whether you come to meetups. Some run their own lottery. Some give them to members who give back through charity or service.
If you want this route, join a club and get involved. Show up to the workouts. Be an active community member. Clubs notice who's around. Every club does it differently, so ask yours how it works.
Route 6: Sponsor and partner bibs
Race partners and sponsors get bibs to give away too, and they pass them on to influencers, friends of the brand, employees, and people they want to celebrate. There's no formula. These tend to go to people who are already part of a brand’s community and who show up, so be someone a brand would be proud to hand a bib to.
Route 7: Everything else
A few more doors worth a look on NYRR's page: official tour operators if you live outside the US, guaranteed entry for runners who've finished the race many times, and other NYRR membership perks.
Everything in one place: Run in 2027
So which route is yours?
Want the best odds without a fundraiser? Look at 9+1, and apply to the lottery every year.
Fast for your age? Check the time standards.
Love a cause? Charity is a beautiful way in.
Already in a run club? Ask about bibs. Today.
Know people in the running world? Keep showing up.
And if nothing hits this year? That's a real answer, not a failure. Plenty of people get in on year three, five, or eight. Keep applying. Keep running.
Okay, you got in. Now what?
Here's where I get to be your coach instead of your bib-wrangling friend.
I love the marathon. I also hate the marathon. Why? Because it’s a b*tch to train for. But I’m here to be your biggest cheerleader and help you actually have the most fun training for your race.
Here's how I coach it:
Train by time, not distance. Two people can run the same miles at very different paces and have very different days. Time-based training fits YOUR fitness.
Define your why and hone it. You have to know what you’re running towards. What motivated you and inspired you to run a marathon. It has to mean something to you. Your why is going to be the thing that gets you out for a run when you’re tired and it’s 89 degrees and humid. Or when you’re on vacation and over it. Marathon training is HARD. Your why makes it easier.
80/20. Roughly 80% of your running at an easy, conversational effort and 20% hard.
Start the NYC course conservatively. The first bridge is a trap. The crowd is deafening, you feel like you could fly, and you'll want to spend all your energy right away. Bank your coins now. Don't spend them in mile 3.
Pick a race-day strategy. All-out racing, Goldilocks (easier first, race the end), or Party Pace (slow, strong, steady). Only you know which one fits your day.
Define those goals! Outcome goals and process goals make training a hell of a lot more fun. We’ll take time to define what you’re running towards and what you want out of the training process.
Coins in the coin jar. Everything you do in training is like putting coins in a piggy bank. Long runs, rest days, fueling, foam rolling, strength work, speed play, and cross training days. Good and bad, everything is coins in the coin jar. The ugly ones count too.
How BALG can help you get there
Free stuff first.
The BALG app is free to download. You get the community, free tools like the Fuel & Hydration Tracker, Goal Studio and the VO2 Max Calculator, and three free 8-week Training Experiences (Become a Runner, Get Back to Running, and Back to Basics) to get you started. Download the App
The Team gets you a Running Plan built for you, based on your goal, your fitness and the days you actually have. There's also The Team Q&A, where you can post a question and a coach answers. Join The Team
The Team with Coaching adds coach messaging and coaching calls, and it includes every Training Experience. If you want me and the coaches in your corner, this is it. Join The Team with Coaching
The Fall Marathon Training Experience is our 20-week, race-specific program with coaching calls and a whole crew training alongside you. It comes back every year, so keep an eye on balgtraining.com for the next one. See the Training Experiences
And if you're in New York, come run with Badass Lady Gang NYC. Real women, real streets, real post-run coffee. BALG is our free community where you can meet friends and move your body in ways that feel good. You don't have to be fast, and you don't have to be training for anything. You just have to show up. Check the BALG training app (Download the App) for our meetups or find Badass Lady Gang NYC on Instagram.
FAQ
What is the easiest way to get into the NYC Marathon?
There's no truly easy one. The most predictable is the 9+1 program because it rewards effort, not luck. The lottery is the simplest to enter, but only a small share of applicants get picked.
When does the NYC Marathon lottery open?
NYRR announces the dates each year. Check their Run in 2027 page for the latest. But normally the NYC Marathon lottery happens in January every year.
Do I have to be an NYRR member?
Some routes, like 9+1, require membership. If you're serious about running NYC, it's worth a look.
How much does it cost?
Entry fees change every year and differ for members and non-members. NYRR posts the current numbers, and charity bibs have a separate fundraising goal.
I didn't get in. Now what?
Pick another big race as your goal, start club conversations, and apply again next year. The fitness you build doesn't disappear.
— Coach Kelly
Sources and links: NYRR: Run in 2027 · 9+1 program · Changes to membership and 9+1 · Time qualifiers
