How to Qualify for the NYC Marathon 2023
From a 2022 NYC Marathon qualifier, who is also a fairly beginner runner :)
Overview: 3 Ways to qualify for the TCS New York City Marathon
Lottery(click here for application)
Charity Partners
9+1 Program
How do you enter the NYC Marathon Lottery?
To enter the lottery for the NYC marathon, you will first need to create an account on the NYRR (New York Road Runners) website, nyrr.org. Once your account is set up, you can then submit an application for the lottery during the designated application window which is from February 8 to February 22, 2023.
The lottery selection process is random, and not all applicants will be selected to participate. If you are selected, you will be required to pay a non-refundable registration fee to secure your spot in the marathon. The drawing is on March 1, 2023.
Click here to enter the lottery
What are the odds I am selected for the NYC Marathon lottery?
Unfortunately, most universities have higher admission rates than the NYC marathon. The acceptance rate is somewhere around 17%. If you are accepted then you will get charged $255 entry fee to your credit card for the race fee. People often report learning they were accepted because they see the credit card charge before the official drawing results have been posted. If you don't get accepted and had your heart set on running the marathon in 2023, don't worry. There are other options for entry, such as charity.
How do you get a NYC marathon spot through charity?
One way to secure a spot in the NYC marathon is by participating in a charity program. Many charities have official partnerships with the marathon and are allocated a certain number of spots for their runners. To participate in a charity program, you will need to first find a charity that is an official partner of the marathon and then register to run on their team.
Each charity program has their own requirements and fundraising goals that need to be met in order to secure a marathon spot, so it's important to research and choose a charity that aligns with your personal beliefs and that you feel comfortable fundraising for.
Once you've been accepted onto a charity team, you will be required to meet the fundraising goal set by the charity in order to secure your spot in the marathon, but the minimum is $3,000. Some charity programs also require you to pay a non-refundable registration fee to secure your spot. It's worth noting that you will also have to register for the marathon through the official website once you have been accepted into the charity program, and will have to pay the entry fee.
The official charity partners for the 2023 marathon is not released yet, the NYRR website says they will be released in the Spring. Popular charities that have been trusted partners with the marathon for years are Team for Kids and Fred's Team. Once the list is released I will update this section.
What is the 9+1 program and how do I get guaranteed entry?
The 9+1 program is a program through the New York Road Runners that gives you guaranteed entry into the New York Marathon. Unfortunately, it's too late to complete this program for the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon, but it's a perfect time to start the program for the 2024 marathon. When I didn't get accepted in the lottery for the 2022 New York City Marathon, I decided to complete the 9+1 program to be eligible for guaranteed entry for the 2023 marathon, which I'm happy to report that I've officially qualified and gain guaranteed entry for the TCS New York City Marathon!
The requirements for guaranteed entry through the 9+1 program are that you are NYRR member by the last day of the year that you're completing the program, and that you finish 9 qualifying races with the NYRR and that you volunteer at one of the races. On the NYRR Race Calendar, they clearly mark which races are part of the 9+1 program. There's plenty of qualifying races to choose from. I personally didn't run a race longer than a 10K (mostly 5K's TBH) and started the program in May and I comfortably qualified. Volunteer opportunities fill up quickly so be sure to choose one early and get it out of the way so you aren't scrambling for it.
Overall, I personally loved completing the 9+1 program because I now don't have the stress of the lottery and it was a fun way to be part of the New York running community. So if you don't get selected for the lottery this year and don't want to complete the charity program, I would highly recommend deferring your NYC Marathon efforts by a year and completing the 9+1 program.
