New York, October 27, 2016 – The TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion will return for runners and visitors in Central Park on Sunday, October 30, steps from the iconic finish line of the TCS New York City Marathon, which will take place on Sunday, November 6. Free and open to the public, this welcome center and entertainment hub will feature a variety of events and programming throughout the week for runners, visitors, partners, and members of the media.

“We are excited to bring the TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion back for the second year as our official hub during race week,” said Peter Ciaccia, president of events of New York Road Runners and the race director of the TCS New York City Marathon. “This spectacular two-story structure, which houses our state-of-the-art media and visitors centers, is a place for all to gather during race week to join in the celebration of the marathon, the city, and the amazing accomplishment that comes with crossing the TCS New York City Marathon finish line.”

“The TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion brings the spirit of the race to life. It’s open to the public and a great place to engage in fun activities and connect with this amazing event,” said Michael Capiraso, president and CEO of New York Road Runners. “This year, in partnership with Tata Consultancy Services, we will incorporate enhanced technological features including athlete performance metrics, augmented and virtual reality to offer visitors the most immersive TCS New York City Marathon experience yet.”

The entrance to Central Park at 67th Street and Central Park West will immerse visitors in colorful displays emanating from the iconic TCS New York City Marathon finish line just inside the park. There, visitors will find one of 26 “Smile Markers,” map-pin-shaped markers highlighting noteworthy facts and elements of the TCS New York City Marathon, stationed throughout the city. Smile Markers is also a mobile game where players can “unlock” markers to gain access to a unique digital experience at each location. The interior entrance to the TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion will invite visitors to “Get York Your New York On” through bright, beautiful race imagery and, new in 2016, will feature the name of each registered TCS New York City Marathon participant displayed on a 9-foot by 52-foot wall. Official merchandise and limited-edition posters commemorating the 40th running of the five-borough race will also be available for sale.

Attendees are invited to enjoy light fare and beverages from the onsite bar and café operated by Tavern on the Green and TCS New York City Marathon product partners Poland Spring, PowerBar, Gatorade, Michelob ULTRA, and Snyder’s of Hanover; shop for official TCS New York City Marathon merchandise; and participate in photo opportunities and activations from partners including Tata Consultancy Services, Airbnb, ASICS, Foot Locker, Fitbit, Hospital for Special Surgery and TAG Heuer. Visitors can also view the TCS New York City Marathon awards including the Tiffany & Co. gold, silver and bronze medallions and the Samuel Rudin Trophy (presented by the Rudin Family), which are awarded to the professional winners on race day. The Abbott World Marathon Majors will also showcase the coveted Six Star Finisher Medal, awarded to those who have successfully completed each of the Abbott World Marathon Major races in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City, alongside each of the 2016 race medals. Varied programming, including celebrity and athlete appearances, fitness classes, film screenings, award presentations, and exclusive NYRR-member events, will also take place throughout the week.

In addition to giving visitors the chance to experience the TCS New York City Marathon course in augmented and virtual reality, title partner Tata Consultancy Services will offer athlete performance metrics, TCS Runfographics, and demos of the TCS New York City Marathon Mobile App Powered by Tata Consultancy Services and will host the TCS goIT Marathon App Pitch Contest and Awards Presentation for a second year. Tata Consultancy Services will also offer free charging stations and internet service within the TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion.

Programming Highlights

Mainstage programming highlights include race course strategy sessions, appearances with professional athletes Ryan and Sara Hall (Sara is running the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon) and ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes, a panel with four-time Olympian Shalane Flanagan and chef and food writer Elyse Kopecky featuring their newly released book, Run Fast Eat Slow, a conversation with Lauren Fleshman on her new book Compete Training Journal written with Roisin McGettigan-Dumas, a panel with The New York Times, and film screenings of Tracktown (with an appearance and Q&A by the filmmaker and professional runner Alexi Pappas), Running in America (with ultramarathoner Charlie Engle presenting content about the film), and finalist submissions from Foot Locker’s documentary-style series, “Real Lives, Real Runners” campaign. There will also be musical entertainment throughout race week courtesy of local bands, and DJs from iHeartMedia, an official media partner of the TCS New York City Marathon.

A number of private and special events will take place in the TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion, including the NYRR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Abebe Bikila and George Hirsch Journalism Award Presentation on Thursday, November 3, which is open to the public, the NYRR Night of Champions on Friday, November 4, benefitting NYRR’s free youth and community programs, the NYRR Team for Kids Breakfast and TCS New York City Marathon Eve Dinner on Saturday, November 5, and the VIP Blue Line Lounge Presented by Tata Consultancy Services on Sunday, November 6, followed by Marathon Monday at the TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion on Monday, November 7, featuring official ASICS finisher gear for sale, medal engraving by Fond Memories, and official photo products from MarathonFoto.

The TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion will be open to the public from Sunday, October 30, through Friday, November 4 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. closing on Friday, November 4) and on Marathon Monday, November 7, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. For more information and the full schedule of daily programming, please click here. The full programming schedule also follows below.

Sunday, October 30
• 8:00 a.m.: Official TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion Opening
• 3:00 p.m.: NYRR Coaches Shakeout Run & Course Strategy Session

Monday, October 31
• 8:00 a.m.: Exhale Spa Flow Yoga 
• 6:00 p.m.: NYRR Member Monday
o 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: NYRR Members receive a free commemorative pint glass (while supplies last)  
o 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: NYRR Member Happy Hour 
o 6:30 p.m.: TCS New York City Marathon Course Strategy Session

Tuesday, November 1
• 8:00 a.m.: Exhale Spa Power Yoga  
• 5:00 p.m.: MELT Class presented by Hospital for Special Surgery
• 5:30 p.m.: Yoga for Runners presented by Hospital for Special Surgery

Wednesday 11/2
• 8:00 a.m.: Exhale Spa Core Fusion Yoga  
• 9:00 a.m.: Foam Rolling Session presented by Hospital for Special Surgery  
• 5:00 p.m.: Strength Training for Runners presented by Hospital for Special Surgery  
• 6:00 p.m.: Runner’s World Shakeout Run – Lead by Bart Yasso

Thursday 11/3
• 8:00 a.m.: Exhale Spa Core Fusion Barre 
• 9:00 a.m.: Sara & Ryan Hall Breakfast Q&A 
• 4:00 p.m.: New York Road Runners Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
• 6:00 p.m.: Shalane Flanagan & Elyse Kopecky, Run Fast, Eat Slow – Meet & Greet and Book signing
• 6:45 p.m.: Lauren Fleshman, Compete Training Journal – Meet & Greet and Book signing

Friday 11/4
• 8:00 a.m.: Exhale Spa Core Fusion Barre
• 11:00 a.m.: Dean Karnazes Meet & Greet 
• 12:00 p.m.: The New York Times, Mindfulness & Running Panel Discussion 
• 2:00 p.m.: TCS goIT Mobile App Challenge Presentation 
• 3:00 p.m.: Runner’s World December Issue Cover Search Reveal 

The 2016 TCS New York City Marathon will be televised live on Sunday, November 6, on WABC-TV, Channel 7 in the New York tri-state area from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET, and for the rest of the nation on ESPN2 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET. For the latest TCS New York City Marathon news and media information, please visit the NYRR online media center. Also, follow us on Twitter @nyrrnews. To join the social media conversation, search #TCSNYCMarathon.

About the TCS New York City Marathon
The TCS New York City Marathon is the premier event of New York Road Runners (NYRR) and the largest marathon in the world. Over 1,000,000 people have finished the race since its first running in 1970 with just 127 entrants and 55 finishers running four laps around Central Park. The race expanded to all five boroughs in 1976 and is now in its 40th year as a five-borough affair. Held annually on the first Sunday of November, the race features 50,000 runners including the world’s top professional athletes and a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners. Participants from over 125 countries tour the city, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and running through the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx before ending in Manhattan. In 2015, the inaugural NYRR Youth Invitational at the TCS New York City Marathon gave young runners the opportunity to run 1.8 miles of the race course in Central Park, beginning near mile 24 and finishing at the famed TCS New York City Marathon finish line. More than one million spectators and thousands of volunteers line the city streets in support of the runners, while millions more watch the live television broadcast in the New York area on WABC-TV, Channel 7, nationally on ESPN2, and via various international broadcast partners around the world. The race is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which features the world’s top marathons—Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York—and crowns the top professional male and female marathoners each year. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization, is the premier partner of NYRR and the title sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon. The 46th running of the TCS New York City Marathon is set for November 6, 2016. To learn more, visit www.tcsnycmarathon.org.