New York’s most iconic mile returns this Sunday, Sept. 7, and with it comes an elite clash of Olympians, world record holders, and, for the first time, Broadway royalty.
The 2025 New Balance 5th Avenue Mile will welcome over 8,500 runners down the storied 20-block stretch of Manhattan, with headlining appearances from the likes of Yared Nuguse, Karissa Schweizer, Ajee’ Wilson, and ensemble casts from Wicked, Hamilton and Mamma Mia!
Now in its 44th year, the race is a staple of the New York Road Runners (NYRR) calendar.
Part high-stakes mile championship, part end-of-season celebration, and part community spectacle, the Fifth Avenue Mile has carved out a unique place in the running world, equal parts fast, festive, and fiercely competitive.
This year’s race could be one of the fastest yet.
Nuguse vs. Everyone
All eyes are on Yared Nuguse, who makes his long-awaited debut at the event after a breakout season that saw him take Olympic bronze in the 1500m and run three sub-3:48 miles. His 3:43.97 national record, set in 2023, is the fastest mile ever run by an American, and he enters Sunday as the clear favorite, but far from uncontested.
Lining up beside Nuguse will be 2025 World Indoor medalist Luke Houser, 2024 Olympic finalist Hobbs Kessler, and Josh Hoey, last year’s runner-up who has since claimed world indoor gold in the 800m and broken American records in both the 800m and 1000m indoors.
Evan Jager, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist in the steeplechase, is also in the field, along with 2024 NCAA 5000m champ Parker Wolfe and a deep international cast that includes Stewart McSweyn (AUS), Festus Lagat (KEN), and Flavien Szot (FRA).
The men’s course record stands at 3:44.3, set just last year by Josh Kerr. It could be in danger again.
Schweizer Returns, Chasing History
On the women’s side, Karissa Schweizer returns to defend her title after tying the event record in her debut last year, clocking 4:14.8. The 2024 Olympian leads a diverse and talented field, including middle-distance veterans and a few newcomers to the road mile format.
Among them are Ajee’ Wilson and Raevyn Rogers, both world medalists at 800 meters, making their Fifth Avenue debuts. They’ll face off against Heather MacLean, the U.S. indoor 1500m record holder, Olympians Valerie Constien and Courtney Wayment, and rising stars like NCAA champion Katelyn Tuohy and steeple standout Olivia Markezich.
It’s an unpredictable mix that reflects the unique appeal of this event, where milers, half-milers, and steeplechasers all meet in the middle for one last head-to-head.
“I came so close to beating the course record, so I’m excited to be coming back to take another crack at it,” Schweizer said in NYRR’s announcement.
The Curtain Rises on the Broadway Mile
In a first for the race, and maybe for any road mile, the stage is literally coming to the street.
This year’s Fifth Avenue Mile includes the debut of the Broadway Mile, a charity-focused heat featuring nearly 100 performers, producers, and crew from across New York’s theater community.
Actors like Jordan Fisher (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen), Patina Miller (Pippin, Sister Act), Sierra Boggess (The Little Mermaid), and Jeremy Jordan (Newsies) will trade stage shoes for racing flats in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
The theatrical addition isn’t just a gimmick, it’s a full-fledged fundraising partnership between NYRR, Broadway Cares, and The Broadway League, with donations going toward health services and emergency aid for members of the arts community.
A public panel featuring Fisher, Boggess, and organizers will be held Saturday morning at the NYRR RunCenter.
And if there’s ever been a perfect stage for a Broadway-meets-sport spectacle, it’s Fifth Avenue.
A Course Built for Speed, and Spectacle
The race starts on East 80th Street and finishes at Grand Army Plaza near 60th, a downhill-to-flat profile that has consistently produced fast times and dramatic finishes.
Past winners include legends like Jenny Simpson (a record eight-time champion) and Nick Willis (five wins), as well as more recent stars like Josh Kerr and Laura Muir, who share the current course records with Schweizer.
A total of $32,000 in prize money is up for grabs across the men’s and women’s professional races, with $5,000 awarded to each winner and bonuses for halfway leaders who break key time standards (sub-4:00 for men, sub-4:32 for women).
The full schedule includes more than 30 heats: age-group races, youth miles, NYPD and FDNY matchups, the George Sheehan Memorial Mile for older adults, the Media Mile, and the NYRR Road Mile Championships for club runners.
The event will be broadcast live on WABC-TV in the New York Tri-State area and streamed nationwide on ESPN+. A finish-line cam will also be available through the NYRR App, and for the first time, iHeartRadio will provide live race-day coverage on 710 WOR AM and the iHeartRadio app.
Whether you’re a track fan, a theater buff, or just looking for something to cheer for on a Sunday in the city, the 5th Avenue Mile offers a little bit of everything: drama, speed, stardom, and heart.
Full Elite Lineups
MEN’S PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE FIELD
| Name | Country | Mile Personal Best | 1500m Personal Best |
| Ben Allen | USA | 3:52.71i | 3:33.97 |
| Abe Alvarado | USA | 3:53.17 | 3:33.21 |
| Nick Griggs | IRL | 3:52.42 | 3:35.04 |
| Duncan Hamilton | USA | 3:54.91 | 3:36.69 |
| Josh Hoey | USA | 3:52.61i | 3:29.75 |
| Eric Holt | USA | 3:51.46 | 3:32.95 |
| Luke Houser | USA | 3:51.14 | 3:33.99 |
| Drew Hunter | USA | 3:54.80 | 3:33.41 |
| Evan Jager | USA | 3:53.33 | 3:32.97 |
| Thomas Keen | GBR | 3:53.36 | 3:35.12i |
| Amon Kemboi | KEN | 3:53.57i | 3:33.49 |
| Hobbs Kessler | USA | 3:46.90i | 3:29.45 |
| Brannon Kidder | USA | 3:53.09i | 3:35.27 |
| Kasey Knevelbaard | USA | 3:53.64 | 3:34.55 |
| Festus Lagat | KEN | 3:48.93 | 3:29.03 |
| Henry McLuckie | GBR | 3:54.48 | 3:34.42 |
| Stewart McSweyn | AUS | 3:48.37 NR | 3:29.51 NR |
| Yared Nuguse | USA | 3:43.97 NR | 3:27.80 |
| Sam Prakel | USA | 3:50.94i | 3:33.08 |
| John Reniewicki | USA | 3:51.72i | 3:33.58 |
| Waleed Suliman | USA | 3:51.89 | 3:33.82 |
| Flavien Szot | FRA | 3:52.67i | 3:30.74 |
| Cooper Teare | USA | 3:50.17i | 3:32.16 |
i = indoors; WR = World Record; NR = National Record; Bold = Olympian; Bold 1500m PB = run in 2025
WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE FIELD
| Name | Country | Mile Personal Best | 1500m Personal Best |
| Laurie Barton | USA | 4:27.83i | 4:03.46 |
| Lindsey Butler | USA | 4:25.85 | 4:06.28 |
| Anna Camp-Bennett | USA | 4:26.95i | 4:04.99 |
| Alex Carlson | USA | 4:29.14i | 4:10.17 |
| Val Constien | USA | N/A | 4:07.78 |
| Kayley Delay | USA | 4:30.07 | 4:04.99 |
| Ella Donaghu | USA | 4:30.27i | 4:06.98 |
| Eleanor Fulton | USA | 4:23.65 | 4:03.03 |
| Krissy Gear | USA | 4:23.69 | 4:03.65 |
| Bailey Hertenstein | USA | 4:35.22i | 4:06.39 |
| Olivia Howell | USA | 4:34.00i | 4:07.70 |
| Gabbi Jennings | USA | 4:23.99 | 4:04.43 |
| Dani Jones | USA | 4:22.45i | 4:00.64 |
| Jessica Lawson-McGorty | USA | 4:30.90 | 4:08.53 |
| Heather MacLean | USA | 4:17.01i | 3:57.79 |
| Olivia Markezich | USA | 4:24.06 | 4:07.10 |
| Rachel McArthur | USA | 4:23.98 | 4:04.80 |
| Alex Millard | GBR | 4:36.12 | 4:06.91 |
| Gracie Morris | USA | 4:23.74 | 4:04.05 |
| Taryn Rawlings | USA | 4:22.80i | 4:03.78 |
| Annika Reiss | USA | 4:31.07i | 4:07.45 |
| Emily Richards | USA | 4:33.41 | 4:10.56 |
| Raevyn Rogers | USA | 4:29.26 | 4:11.16 |
| Karissa Schweizer | USA | 4:24.32i | 4:00.02 |
| Katelyn Tuohy | USA | 4:24.26i | 4:06.49+i |
| Courtney Wayment | USA | 4:33.42i | 4:09.62 |
| Allie Wilson | USA | 4:26.04 | 4:04.02 |
| Ajee’ Wilson | USA | 4:33.57 | 4:05.18 |
i = indoors; WR = World Record; NR = National Record; Bold = Olympian; Bold PB = run in 2025
