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NYC Marathon receives a record-breaking 185,332 lottery applications

The interest in the 2020 NYC Marathon is up 50 per cent from 2019

Marathon running is alive and well in New York City. Wednesday was the 2020 TCS NYC Marathon lottery draw, and the drawing saw a shocking 185,000 entrants–50 per cent higher than in 2019. Only 4,262 (or two per cent) of the lottery entrants were given a spot on the race’s start line this November.

2017 New York City Marathon
Photo: Courtesy of NYRR

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And it’s not just the lottery that received huge interest, 2020 guaranteed entry claims were also the highest in history, up 20 per cent from 2019. Runners are able to guarantee entry by achieving a certain standard in the full or the half (similar to Boston).

In honour of the race’s 50th anniversary, the 2020 NYC Marathon will be recognized by showcasing the marathon’s history and the impact it has had on New York City and millions of people around the world. Approximately 53,000 runners are expected to take part in the historic race.

The race is set to go on November 1, 2020. The date is important to note because this world major is only three months following the Olympic Marathon, making the turn around do-able, but unlikely for many of the world’s top runners.

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What to do if you didn’t get an entry

You can join NYRR’s Team for Kids to get guaranteed entry. Another option is to run for an official charity partner, the full list can be found here.

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