New York, June 10, 2025 – New York Road Runners (NYRR), the nonprofit that “runs” New York City producing 60 annual adult and youth races including the TCS New York City Marathon, will host more than 11,000 runners Saturday, June 14, at the sold-out 2025 Citizens Queens 10K, as well as 1,000 youth in the accompanying Flushing Meadows Kids Run.

“As the nonprofit that ‘runs’ New York City, we’re excited to spotlight the diverse, vibrant, and culturally rich borough of Queens in partnership with our title sponsor Citizens,” says Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners. “In addition to this marquee race in the borough, New York Road Runners has been building healthier lives and transforming the Queens community for more than two decades with free and accessible programs year-round for youth, older adults, and residents of all ages and fitness levels.”

The Citizens Queens 10K

Now in its 12th year, the Citizens Queens 10K is New York Road Runners’ marquee event in the borough. The race celebrates “The World’s Borough” with a 6.2-mile course that runs through picturesque Flushing Meadows Corona Park, starting and finishing near the Fountain of the Planets and giving runners spectacular views of the Unisphere, Citi Field, and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The Citizens Queens 10K—which evolved from what used to be the Queens Half Marathon, first produced by New York Road Runners in 1994—is the fourth of six races in New York Road Runners’ NYRR Five-Borough Series, showcasing New York Road Runners’ commitment to the individuals and communities in each borough. The other races in this series include the NYRR Manhattan 10K in February, the United Airlines NYC Half in March, the RBC Brooklyn Half in May, the New Balance Bronx 10 Mile on September 14, and the NYRR Staten Island Half on October 12.

Notable Runners

Among the 11,000 race participants will be Queens-native hip-hop icon and “Drink Champs” host N.O.R.E., who will run his first-ever Citizens Queens 10K alongside 18 members of his Run Champs run club. With Run Champs, N.O.R.E. aims to combine the grit of hip-hop culture and the endurance of running to create a movement to redefine what health, wellness, and mental resilience look like.

“I was born in Lefrak City in Corona Queens, so the Citizens Queens 10K is a homecoming for me to bring the Run Champs platform to where I was raised while running to celebrate my roots alongside my community,” says N.O.R.E. “Run Champs is more than a running club, it’s a movement built on self-love, discipline, and respect because we know that if we don’t take care of ourselves first, we can’t show up for our families, business, or communities in the way they deserve.”

Flushing Meadows Kids Run

In addition to the adult 10K, 1,000 kids ages 2 to 18 will participate in free dashes and races as part of the Flushing Meadows Kids Run, one of more than 20 free Rising New York Road Runners youth events the nonprofit hosts during the year. The youth event will take place near the start of the adult race for a fun and rewarding experience that encourages kids to be physically active and builds their confidence to cross any finish line. Participants will include members of Rising New York Road Runners, NYRR’s free running-based youth program that serves 200,000 students nationwide, with 100,000 students in New York City.

Citizens Partnership

Citizens holds the distinction of being the first-ever title partner for this Queens event as part of its five-year Foundation-level partnership with New York Road Runners—serving as the Official Bank of New York Road Runners since 2023.

Citizens is proud to operate 17 branches across Queens and to invest in partnerships in its local community. In addition to providing bib pickup at the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub, Citizens will be offering bib pick up at their Woodside branch located at 5120 Northern Boulevard on June 12–13 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

“Our partnership with New York Road Runners champions not just a race, but a platform that promotes health and wellness, community pride, and local economic opportunity,” says Rebecca O’Connell, NYC Metro Market President at Citizens. “Citizens Queens 10K race participants, including those on Team Citizens representing both our city and company, join together to highlight how a shared love of running can help build a stronger, more vibrant community.”

Post-Race Festival

For the second consecutive year, Citizens will host a post-race festival in Flushing Meadows Corona Park to celebrate both runners and the Queens community. Open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to noon, the festival will offer live music on the Citizens Stage; family-friendly games and activities; complimentary treats from local-favorite vendors featured in the Queens Night Market presented by Citizens, including brownies from Italian bakery DiLena's Dolcini and Ube Piaya from Filipino restaurant Chick’n Rotonda; exciting prizes drawings, including a signed Eli Manning football jersey, tickets to a New York Giants game and The Public Theater, and entry to the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon; and fun photo opportunities. 

NYRR Year-Round Impact in Queens

New York Road Runners serves 8,000 members in Queens (+14% YoY), with more than 25 local run clubs in the borough. Additional highlights from New York Road Runners’ year-round impact in Queens include:

• NYRR Open Run: Free, weekly community-led runs hosted in five neighborhood parks across Queens that are regularly attended by more than 500 community members of all ages, abilities, and experience levels. 
• Rising New York Road Runners: Free running-based youth program that helps more than 35,000 (+67% YoY) Queens kids build the skills, confidence, and desire to be physically active for life.
• NYRR Striders: Free walking and fitness program with sessions hosted at two Queens sites to help more than 100 Queens-based older adults lead a more active life and meet new people in their community.
• NYRR Race Free: Provides race fee assistance and training to those who financially qualify to make running more accessible for 1,000 participants, including more than 190 Queens residents, with complimentary race entries to events like the Citizens Queens 10K and the TCS New York City Marathon.
• NYRR Group Training: Workout sessions in Astoria Park that meet twice a week to support more than 120 Queens runners of all levels with coaching, camaraderie, and the inspiration that comes from running with others. 

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About New York Road Runners (NYRR)  

A New York City-based nonprofit, New York Road Runners’ vision is to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running – serving nearly a half a million people annually through its races, free community events, youth running initiatives, and school-based programs across the five boroughs. During its nearly 70 years, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, producing more than 60 adult and youth races each year, including the TCS New York City Marathon. Held the first Sunday each November, the TCS New York City Marathon features more than 50,000 runners—from the world’s best professional athletes to a vast range of runners across experience levels, ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.