Grant Fisher, one of the most accomplished American distance runners of his generation, will make his half marathon debut this spring in New York City.
New York Road Runners announced on Wednesday that Fisher, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist and indoor world record holder, will headline the professional field at the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half on Sunday, March 15.
The race will also mark the first road race of Fisher’s professional career.
The United Airlines NYC Half is the largest half marathon in the United States. Last year’s race drew a record 28,709 finishers, with nearly 29,000 runners expected again in 2026.
“I love challenging myself and seeing what’s possible, so I’m thrilled to make my half marathon debut at the United Airlines NYC Half,” Fisher said in a statement released by New York Road Runners. “New York has always been a special place for me, and after breaking records here on the track, I can’t wait to experience the city from a new perspective on the roads.”
A major step beyond the track
Fisher, 28, is best known for his success on the track. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he won bronze medals in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, becoming the first American man to medal in both events at the same Olympic Games.
In 2025, he added to his resume by setting indoor world records in the 3,000m and 5,000m. He ran 7:23.14 in the 3,000m and followed it six days later with a 12:44.09 in the 5,000m, breaking a world record that had stood since 2004.
That range has made Fisher one of the most versatile runners in the world. In the same year, he became only the second man in history, and the first American, to run a sub-3:50 mile, a sub-13:00 5,000m, and a sub-27:00 10,000m.
Despite those credentials, the NYC Half will be unfamiliar territory. Fisher has never raced beyond 10,000m on the track and has never competed in a professional road race.
“I don’t want to wait until my track career is completely over to then crawl onto the roads and see what happens,” Fisher said last month to Citius. “I want to give it a real opportunity while I’m still feeling good and competitive.”
A New York connection
While the race will be his first on the roads, Fisher is no stranger to racing in New York City. He has delivered several of his most memorable performances at the Millrose Games, held annually at The Armory in Upper Manhattan.
In February 2025, he broke the indoor 3,000m world record at Millrose. The year before, he set the American indoor two-mile record, and in 2019, while still in college, he broke the NCAA indoor 3,000m record, a mark that stood for three years.
The NYC Half course itself is one of the most distinctive in the sport. The race starts in Prospect Park in Brooklyn and finishes in Central Park, taking runners across the Brooklyn Bridge and through Times Square. It is the only race to cross the Brooklyn Bridge and one of the rare occasions when Times Square is closed to traffic.
Because the course is point-to-point, times run there are not eligible for records. Last year’s men’s race was won by Kenya’s Abel Kipchumba in 59:09, an event record, with American Conner Mantz finishing second in 59:15.
Fisher has said he does not plan to target a specific finishing time in his debut.
“Because I haven’t done the targeted half marathon training yet, I don’t know how the fitness translates,” he said in a recent NYT interview. “I’m kind of going in blind.”
What the race means for Fisher
The timing of the debut is notable.
There are no Olympic Games or outdoor World Championships in 2026, giving Fisher rare flexibility in his schedule. While he has not committed to a full marathon, he has acknowledged that the half marathon could influence his long-term direction, especially with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon.
“Whether it’s 5K–10K or something wilder like 10K–marathon, the next two years will dictate my direction,” Fisher said last fall. “If I debut in the half soon, that’ll influence how aggressively I shift toward the roads.”
For now, the focus is squarely on March 15.
The full professional athlete field for the United Airlines NYC Half is expected to be announced in February. In addition to the elite race, the event will once again include youth programming, with about 1,500 children participating in free races at the Times Square Kids Run.
First held in 2006, the NYC Half has become one of New York Road Runners’ flagship events. United Airlines returns as the title sponsor for the 10th consecutive year, with race weekend activities centered around the United Airlines NYC Half Expo presented by New Balance at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
When the starting gun goes off in Brooklyn, Fisher will be stepping into unfamiliar territory. But for one of the most consistent and accomplished American distance runners of the past decade, that challenge is exactly the point.
