Runners are pushing back against higher fees and tighter qualification rules for the New York City Marathon, accusing organizers of making one of the city’s signature races increasingly difficult for everyday athletes to enter.
The event is operated by New York Road Runners (NYRR), the nonprofit behind the marathon. Its long-running 9+1 program gives local runners a pathway to guaranteed entry by completing nine qualifying races and volunteering at one additional qualifying event.
Runners must also keep an active NYRR membership through December 2026. Annual membership costs $63.45, while qualifying races are listed on individual event pages.
Those requirements, combined with rising expenses, have prompted questions about whether the marathon remains accessible to the broader running community.
Registration currently costs $269.66 for NYRR members and $333.11 for nonmembers.
This year’s race, set for November 1, will mark the 50th anniversary of the marathon’s five-borough course.
The event remains one of New York City’s most prominent community sporting traditions. Yet surging demand and stricter participation rules have fueled a growing dispute between runners and race officials.
According to New York Magazine, the marathon received a record number of applications this year—and turned away a record number of hopeful participants.
Runners are challenging higher fees and tighter requirements as securing a place in the New York City Marathon becomes more difficult
Runners must keep an active NYRR membership through December 2026, at an annual cost of $63.45
NYRR CEO Rob Simmelkjaer, 55, says the organization could charge far more but declines to maximize revenue at the expense of accessibility
The increasingly competitive entry process has intensified debate over both the price of participation and the time, money and planning required to complete NYRR’s events.
Stephanie Fidis, a 33-year-old publishing professional who has taken part in NYRR races since 2018, said entering events has become progressively more challenging.
“Between watching your computer all day to try to get into races before they sell out and all the fees, it feels like these races are becoming more elite all the time,” Fidis told New York Magazine.
NYRR CEO Rob Simmelkjaer, 55, defended the organization’s policies, saying the nonprofit could set much higher prices but has chosen not to pursue maximum revenue.
“If we were a for-profit organization that was focused on maximizing our revenue, we could charge twice or more for races,” Simmelkjaer said, according to New York Magazine.
“But we don’t make that choice, because that’s not what we are. We’re a nonprofit organization.”
“Accessibility is a huge part of what we want to achieve,” Simmelkjaer said.
The changes come as road racing experiences a global surge in interest. New York Magazine reported that applications for the London Marathon rose 35 percent from 2025 to 2026, pushing its lottery acceptance rate down to 1.5 percent.
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Rising fees and revised qualification rules have led some runners to question whether the marathon is becoming less accessible
For almost four decades, the 9+1 program has offered local runners a route toward securing a marathon place
The November 1 marathon will celebrate 50 years of its course through all five boroughs
Growing demand and tougher entry rules are straining the relationship between marathon organizers and runners
Applications for the New York race have followed the same upward trend, increasing from 185,000 in 2020 to more than 240,000 this year.
For nearly 40 years, the 9+1 initiative has helped local runners improve their odds of receiving a marathon entry.
Some participants now fear the latest changes are diverting opportunities away from community-based runners and toward alternative entry pathways, including charity fundraising.
Simmelkjaer said NYRR must weigh the demand from 9+1 runners against the needs of other groups seeking marathon bibs.
He highlighted the charity program, which offers race entry to runners who commit to raising money for nonprofit organizations.
“If it was allowed to grow in an unlimited way, it really starts to threaten other important groups in the marathon, most notably the charity program,” Simmelkjaer said.
“This year, we’re looking to raise $100 million for nonprofits,” Simmelkjaer said.
The marathon’s impact extends beyond the course. It is estimated to generate roughly $800 million in spending for New York City.
The restrictions have also exposed friction between NYRR and independent running clubs, which have played a major role in developing the city’s grassroots running culture.
Some community advocates recognize NYRR’s efforts to broaden participation and make running more diverse.
Others contend that the organization’s financial strength gives it outsized control over the local running ecosystem and access to sponsorship funding.
Parmila Phillips, leader of the Manhattan-based New York Flyers running club, accused NYRR of “cannibalizing” sponsorship dollars that could otherwise flow to smaller nonprofits, according to New York Magazine.
Maria Solis Belizaire, the founder of Latinas Run, has likewise raised concerns about how marathon entries are assigned.
“They’re denying more regular people access to the marathon and allocating more bibs to charities,” Belizaire told New York Magazine.
