NYRR Celebrates Women's History Month
For our annual observance of Women’s History Month this March, we celebrate and highlight women of all ages and abilities in our sport. Runners who identify as female make up 56% of race participants, according to the 2023 Running USA Global Runner Survey.
Read more below to learn about the historical milestones achieved by women in running, celebrate women achievers and leaders in running – including the NYRR Hall of Fame – who have overcome barriers to succeed, and hear the stories of women runners at all levels and from all backgrounds.
Recognize too, that more women are needed in positions of power and influence in running, and that the accomplishments of women runners need to be recognized as much as those of men. BIPOC women runners remain underrepresented, and trans women and non-binary runners struggle for recognition.
We move forward inspiring and empowering girls and women and making running more inclusive for all.
Set the Pace Podcast Celebrates Women's History Month
We dedicated an episode of NYRR's Set the Pace podcast to the many contributions of women in running, featuring Olympian and American marathon record holder Emily Sisson and NYRR Contributors Circle member Dinée Dorame.
Who Inspires the Women of NYRR Contributors Circle?
For Women’s History Month, we asked the members of our NYRR Contributors Circle to answer three questions about women who have inspired them and the importance of running in their lives.
Women Runners in the NYRR Hall of Fame
The New York Road Runners Hall of Fame honors legendary figures in our sport, who through their triumphs and contributions have made NYRR and the TCS New York City Marathon what they are today. Of the 42 inductees into the NYRR Hall of Fame, 17 are women.
A Timeline of NYRR Women's Running History
As we celebrate Women's History Month, we highlight historical milestones achieved by women runners in and around NYRR events and programs and in the running community.
Women's Participation in Running: Where We've Been, Where We Are, Where We're Headed
When NYRR was founded in 1958, all 47 members were men. The earliest records of women members and women finishers in races occur about a decade later. Today, women make up about half of all members of NYRR, and they outnumber men in the younger age brackets. Women also make up about half of all finishers of NYRR races at all distances.
NYRR's History of Women in Leadership
NYRR has a history of women in leadership roles stretching back to our early days. Throughout our history, all of our leaders have worked and advocated for equal opportunities and recognition for women runners.
Mini Moments
The Mastercard New York Mini 10K began in 1972 as the first women-only road race, known as the Crazylegs Mini Marathon. We share five "Mini Moments” that define the history of the Mini.
Community, Representation, and More with Cheryl Donald
NYRR Contributors Circle member Victoria Fortune shares a conversation with Cheryl Donald, a runner, psychotherapist, and member of several NYC run clubs, who has run all six Abbott World Marathon Majors.