New York, February 10, 2015—In addition to the 20,000 runners covering 13.1 miles through Manhattan, the 2015 United Airlines NYC Half will host 1,000 youth runners in a special 1500-meter race through Times Square on Sunday, March 15, 2015, it was announced today by Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners.

“The Times Square Kids’ Run at the United Airlines NYC Half is a first for this event, and a great way to celebrate the 10th running of our flagship half-marathon,”  said Wittenberg. “These dynamic youth runners, including the NYRR Young Runners, will help highlight the significance of physical activity for young people as they run their own race through Times Square, alongside some of the world’s top professional runners and thousands of participants of all ages and abilities. This will be a true representation of our ‘Run for Life’ philosophy.”

The inaugural NYRR Times Square Kids’ Run at the 2015 United Airlines NYC Half will feature an out-and-back 1500-meter run along Seventh Avenue with divisions for high school, middle school, and elementary school athletes. Youth runners—ages 7-18—from New York City’s five boroughs and beyond will dash through Times Square alongside the world’s top professional athletes and a range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners participating in the 2015 United Airlines NYC Half.

Many of the youngsters participating will be part of one of NYRR’s largest free youth running programs, NYRR Young Runners,  an after-school program where kids learn to run distances up to four miles while training together after the school day. Overall, more than 200,000 students are served annually through a variety of free NYRR youth running programs, events, and resources, including more than 120,000 students in New York City’s five boroughs.

The NYRR Times Square Kids’ Run will begin at 8:00 a.m. with the high school division, and the first group of kids will be running up Seventh Avenue and finishing their race at the same time the professional athletes will be racing through this iconic part of the half-marathon course. The middle school division will take place at 8:30 a.m., and the elementary school division will follow at 9:00 a.m. The course will begin at 47th Street and Seventh Avenue; runners will turn around between 56th and 57th streets and finish back at the starting location. For more information and to register, visit http://www.nyrr.org/races-and-events/2015/united-airlines-nyc-half/nyrr-times-square-kids-run-at-the-united-airlines-nyc-half.

The NYRR Times Square Kids’ Run is the first event of the 2015 Spring NYRR Youth Running Series. The NYRR Youth Running Series is a three-season program designed for youth with events throughout the school year, including cross country, indoor track, and road running. The races feature kid-friendly distances ranging from three-quarters of a mile to two miles and are perfect for youngsters of all fitness levels. Kids run with their age group, and all races are timed and scored. There will be three other races as part of the 2015 Spring NYRR Youth Running Series, including the NYRR Kids' Boardwalk Run at the Airbnb Brooklyn Half on May 16, which will give kids the exhilarating opportunity to run a mile on the world famous Coney Island Boardwalk, and two series races in Central Park. For more information on the 2015 Spring NYRR Youth Running Series, visit http://www.nyrr.org/youth-and-schools/series-and-events/nyrr-youth-running-series.

The 2015 United Airlines NYC Half will air live in New York on ABC7 and WatchABC from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. EDT and on 7online from 7:00 to10:30 a.m. Outside of the New York area, coverage will also be available on ESPN3 via WatchESPN from 7:00 to 10:30 a.m. EDT on computers, tablets, smartphones, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360, and Xbox One for those who have video or internet subscriptions from affiliated providers. International viewers can watch the broadcast from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. EDT via a variety of global broadcast partners (international viewers should check local listings).

Highlighting the professional field will be U.S. Olympian and multiple American record-holder Molly Huddle. Leading an inspiring group of charity runners will be former New York Giants football player Tiki Barber.

Runners can still run the race by joining NYRR's Team for Kids, which raises vital funds to support NYRR’s free youth running programs, or through an official United Airlines NYC Half charity partner. Runners who have been accepted can also raise money for their favorite charity—including Team for Kids, any official charity partner, or the charity of their choice—by using NYRR’s partner fundraising platform powered by CrowdRise.

A total of 20,828 runners crossed the finish line of the 2014 NYC Half, making it the largest NYC Half yet. Runners from more than 65 countries and all 50 states participated.

About the United Airlines NYC Half

Founded in 1958, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, whose mission is to help and inspire people through running. The United Airlines NYC Half is NYRR’s signature half-marathon, and the opening event of the NYRR Five-Borough Series. The race features a talented American and international professional athlete field, competitive, recreational, and charity runners, some 1,500 volunteers and thousands of spectators. The event offers the quintessential New York experience—a 13.1-mile tour of the Big Apple like no other—from the rolling hills of Central Park, up to Harlem, down through Times Square, along the Hudson River waterfront, to a finish in lower Manhattan. United Airlines, New York area's largest airline, is the title sponsor of the United Airlines NYC Half and an NYRR foundation partner. To learn more, visit unitedairlinesnychalf.nyrr.org.