Race Procedures

Race Number Pickup

Runners pick up race materials at the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub, located at 320 West 57th Street in Manhattan.

Pre-Race Pickup

For weekly races, pickup starts during race week. You’ll receive your race confirmation email the day before the start of pickup.

We strongly recommend you pick up your race number early at the NYRR RUNCENTER. You'll save time on race day and ensure you receive your race souvenir before you run. If you pick up your race number in advance of race day, please arrive on site at the race at least 90 minutes before the race start, so you have time to check your bag or leave it with a friend or family member, use the toilets if needed, and get in your start corral at least 10 minutes before the start.

Your race number will be assigned on demand when you pick up your race number.

When you pick up your materials, an NYRR runner services representative will place a sticker with your lettered corral assignment on your bib. Participants in walk events and youth events, as well as wheelchair and handcycle athletes, receive a special sticker.

Race-Day Pickup

If you are not able to pick up your number at the NYRR RUNCENTER in advance of race day, you may, for many of our races, pick it up at the race location on race morning; check each race page for location and hours, and for a link to register for race-day pickup. Please arrive at least 90 minutes prior to the start of the race to pick up your race materials; this way you'll avoid long lines and have time to check your bag or leave it with a friend or family member, use the toilets if needed, and get in your start corral at least 10 minutes before the start.

Bag Check

The bag check tag is self-adhesive. Bags are sorted by race number.

Best Pace

We use a formula—one that's used at many other races across the country—to predict your pace and make your corral assignment. The formula converts race paces to a 10K race pace. We use your most recent race in the past two years. If you haven't finished a race in that time period, you'll input your expected pace.

You can view your Best Pace when you log into your NYRR account and view your Dashboard.

Please note that your pace is based on your single best pace (converted to a 10K; see chart below), not an average of your race paces over the 24-month period.

Corral Assignments and Bag Check

Your corral assignment is based on your best pace as calculated by NYRR, and each corral has a minimum best pace, called a pace cut. The pace cuts are listed in the chart below, (in the Pace Cuts section), and you can read an explanation of how pace cuts are calculated on our Calculated Pace and Corral Updates page.

Your removable bag check tag corresponds to your race number; it does not reflect your corral assignment. The new corral assignment system reduces congestion in the bag-check area because the flow of runners through bag pickup will be more evenly distributed.

Pace Cuts

Pace cuts create space in corrals and provide transparency on corral assignments. These changes, made to help you in response to your feedback, make your race experience more efficient. They are in line with best practices followed at races around the country.

QR Codes

You have a unique QR code associated with your NYRR account, which you should use to pick up materials for NYRR races. At pickup, an NYRR runner services representative will scan your code to associate your NYRR account with your race number.

You can print the QR code or show it on your mobile device.

If you have children associated with your NYRR account, their unique QR codes are available to you in your dashboard.

Race Numbers

Your race number starts with a letter. The letter, not the race-number color or the number itself, indicates your corral. 

Your race number includes a medical tag, which will be used in the event of an emergency. Note: Please continue to fill out the important medical information on the back of your number.

Staggered Starts

Many of our races will feature staggered starts, which we’re implementing to improve the flow of runners on the course.

The corrals will be released at regular intervals, with corral A leaving at the first starting horn, followed by an additional starting horn for each subsequent start. Runners' race net times will still be recorded from when they cross the start and finish mats. This change is based on runner feedback and will ensure a more enjoyable race for everyone.