New York Road Runners is reserving a portion of entries in five upcoming races for runners who are not pursuing guaranteed entry to the 2027 TCS New York City Marathon. The pilot program covers select races between August and September 2026, and according to a NYRR representative, fewer than 5 percent of bibs in those events will be set aside for non-9+1 participants.
The change is small in numbers but notable in intent. For years, longtime NYRR members who have no interest in running 26.2 miles have complained that they cannot get into shorter races in the five boroughs because so much of the field is locked up by runners working through the 9+1 program. That program awards guaranteed marathon entry to runners who finish nine qualifying NYRR races and volunteer at one event within the same calendar year.
The pilot does not reduce the number of entries available through 9+1, NYRR confirmed. The set-aside bibs come from a separate allocation.
Which races are affected
Five events are included in the pilot. Three are stand-alone races, and two are training runs that lead up to the November marathon. They are the Percy Sutton Harlem 5K on August 8, the TCS New York City Marathon Training Series 12-miler on August 15, the NYRR Grete’s Great Gallop 10K on August 22, the New Balance Bronx 10 Mile on September 19, and the TCS New York City Marathon Training Series 18-miler on September 20.
The Bronx 10 Mile carries extra weight for many runners. It counts toward 9+1, and it is also one of six races runners can use to qualify for guaranteed entry to the United Airlines NYC Half through the “4 out of 6” program. Bibs that are set aside in the Bronx race for non-9+1 entry will also not count toward 4 out of 6, NYRR said.
At registration, every entry will be labeled so runners know whether the bib counts toward 9+1, 4 out of 6, or neither.
Why now
Demand for the New York City Marathon has reached a point that has reshaped how local runners experience the sport. Just 1 percent of applicants were selected through the lottery for the 2026 race, the lowest acceptance rate in the event’s history. That scarcity has pushed thousands of runners into 9+1, which has in turn made the qualifying races themselves harder to enter.
A NYRR representative told Runner’s World that the goal of capping the set-aside at under 5 percent is “not to impact participants already on their 9+1 and 4 of 6 journeys.”
Local runners have been known for having to sit at their computers at a set time, wait through long queues to register, and still get shut out of races they used to enter without trouble. Some have called for a complete overhaul of the system.
The fine print runners should know
Pricing will not change. Non-9+1 entries cost the same as 9+1 entries for both members and non-members during the July through September window.
Registrations are final. A runner who signs up for a non-9+1 bib cannot transfer it later to a 9+1 entry, even if they decide they want to chase the marathon after all.
If non-9+1 entries do not sell out, NYRR said it does not plan to convert them to 9+1 entries, but it has reserved the right to do so.
All races in the pilot remain eligible for the +1 volunteer credit, and the Percy Sutton Harlem 5K and Bronx 10 Mile will still count toward Club Point Series points for club runners regardless of which type of bib they hold.
A pilot, not a permanent change
NYRR has framed this as a trial run. The organization said it will evaluate how the pilot serves the running community before deciding whether to extend the approach to other races.
For runners trying to finish 9+1 this year, the math has not changed. To complete the program, runners must finish nine qualifying races and one volunteer shift within the calendar year. Runners who are stuck at 8+1 and cannot find a ninth qualifying race will need to keep watching for openings.
Registration for all July through September races opens at noon Eastern on May 5 for member-plus members and May 7 for regular members. The full schedule is posted on the NYRR race calendar.
The NYC Marathon is one of the seven Abbott World Marathon Majors, and that status has helped fuel the relentless demand for entry. The 2025 race set a new finisher record with more than 59,000 runners crossing the line in Central Park. Runners targeting the Bronx 10 Mile this fall can lean on a 10-mile training plan to build into the distance.
