NYRR announces innovative virtual racing and training opportunities for 2021 TCS New York City Marathon

The Virtual TCS New York City Marathon Powered by Strava will return for the fourth time and will include four different ways to sign up when registration opens on June 10, New York Road Runners announced today. The race period will begin on October 23 and finish on November 7 and is part of New York Road Runners’ Volvo Cars Virtual Racing Powered by Strava, which allows runners anywhere in the world to run a race at their convenience and in the location of their choice during a specified period of time.

“The Virtual TCS New York City Marathon provides runners around the world a chance to take part in the world’s greatest race from the location of their choice,” said Christine Burke, NYRR’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Runner Products. “New York Road Runners has exponentially grown its virtual running community since the start of the pandemic through racing and training opportunities, and we look forward to welcoming additional runners virtually around the world again this fall.”

Runners can register for the 2021 Virtual TCS New York City Marathon in the following four ways:

• Guaranteed Entry: 1,300 entries will be available on a first-come, first serve basis, with finishers receiving non-complimentary guaranteed entry to the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon. Runners will also receive a 60-day Strava subscription, medal, running buff and printable finisher certificate.
• Team for Kids: 200 entries will be available on a first-come, first serve basis to runners who commit to raising at least $750 for Team for Kids, NYRR’s charity that supports its Rising New York Road Runners youth program. Runners will also receive the same benefits mentioned above in addition to a Team for Kids singlet.
• Finisher Medal: An unlimited number of entries will include a 60-day Strava subscription, medal, running buff, and printable finisher certificate.
• Love of Running: An unlimited number of free entries will include a 30-day Strava subscription and printable finisher certificate.

Participants of both the in-person and Virtual TCS New York City Marathon will have the option to register for the NYRR Coaching Lab by Runcoach, a new virtual training app, at NYRR.org beginning June 8. The app will create a personalized training plan for runners and will provide them access to NYRR coaches for insider training tips and a dedicated coach for one-on-one personalized coaching. It will also feature resources for runners on the go before, during, and after their training runs.

NYRR Volvo Cars Virtual Racing launched together with Strava at the beginning of 2018 and has now attracted more than 300,000 total finishers from 100 different countries across 45 virtual races. The largest virtual race thus far was the 2021 Virtual NYRR Resolution Run 5K with 18,375 finishers. Last year’s Virtual TCS New York City Marathon recorded 16,031 official finishers. Proceeds from the virtual races support NYRR’s mission to help and inspire people through running, and benefit NYRR’s youth and community programs.