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2026 NYC Marathon Organizers Set $100 Million Fundraising Goal

By Drooid · Oct 28, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

U.S. organizers of the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon announced a $100 million fundraising goal.
Over 240,000 applications from 160 countries were received for the 2026 edition.
Women comprised about 46% of the field and 58% of U.S. road-race finishers, according to Running USA.
Kenyan champions Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto and Swiss wheelchair racer Marcel Hug will defend their titles.

Summary

Benson Kipruto became the first man to win Boston, Chicago and New York City marathons, clocking 2:08:09 in 2025.
Andreas Almgren, Sweden’s European half-marathon record holder, will debut in New York less than two months after his record.
Deresa Geleta of Ethiopia, Tokyo Marathon winner in 2:03:51, makes his first North American appearance.
Olympic champion Sifan Hassan and Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase withdrew from the 2026 race, removing two top contenders.

History

Fred Lebow’s 1970 Central Park race grew to 187 finishers by the 1972 edition, prompting Ted Corbitt’s 1976 bicentennial redesign that routed the marathon through all five boroughs. Organized by New York Road Runners, the event now fields over 59,000 finishers and more than 200,000 applicants, with Kenyan champions Benson Kipruto and Helen Obiri winning in 2025.

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Fred Lebow’s 1970 Central Park race grew to 187 finishers by the 1972 edition, prompting Ted Corbitt’s 1976 bicentennial redesign that routed the marathon through all five boroughs. Organized by New York Road Runners, the event now fields over 59,000 finishers and more than 200,000 applicants, with Kenyan champions Benson Kipruto and Helen Obiri winning in 2025.

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