New York, March 3, 2015—The 2015 TCS New York City Marathon official charity partner program opened for runner entry today, as Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners, announced the record-breaking $34.5 million raised at the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon through last year’s program. The 45th running of the iconic five borough race will take place on Sunday, November 1, 2015.

“We are excited to launch our impactful charity running program that benefits hundreds of important causes,” said Wittenberg. “Our passionate charity runners, who together raised a record-breaking $34.5 million last year, are a true inspiration, and we would like to express our sincere gratitude for their efforts. Since its inception, we are very grateful that our official charity running program has raised over $165 million.”

NYRR’s Team for Kids, the TCS New York City Marathon’s largest charity, which raises money for NYRR’s free youth running programs, is accepting runners online at runwithtfk.org. Headlining this group will be actress Natalie Dormer (Hunger Games, Game of Thrones) who will run as an NYRR Team for Kids Ambassador. Team for Kids is a committed group of adult runners from around the world who add meaning to their miles by raising funds for youth running programs for kids who would otherwise have little or no access to regular physical activity. At the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon, more than $5 million was raised by 1,700 Team for Kids charity runners. More than 200,000 students are served locally and nationally through NYRR’s free youth running programs, events, and resources, including more than 120,000 in New York City’s five boroughs. As a Team for Kids Ambassador, Dormer will support and raise funds for the NYRR Team for Kids charity running team. To help support Dormer’s journey and donate to Team for Kids on behalf of her run, please visit her fundraising page, powered by Crowdrise, here.

“We welcome and look forward to supporting Natalie, who will be leading the way as she joins our very own NYRR Team for Kids charity running team,” said Wittenberg. “We wish her and all of our charity runners a memorable journey as they champion important causes and take on the ultimate challenge of the TCS New York City Marathon.”

Dormer is a marathon veteran, having completed the 2014 Virgin Money London Marathon last April in a time of 3:50:57.

“I’m so excited to be running the TCS New York City Marathon this year as an NYRR Team for Kids Ambassador,” said Dormer. “I am inspired to take on this challenge and to run for such a worthy cause.”

More than 14,000 runners will be added to the field today as part of the non-guaranteed application drawing. Runners who are not accepted through the drawing, and those who did not apply during the application period, can register and fundraise with an official charity partner  or by joining NYRR's Team for Kids. Even if runners have been accepted into the race, they can still raise money for their favorite charity—including Team for Kids, any official charity partner, or the charity of their choice—by using Crowdrise.  There are more than 300 official organizations which runners may choose from this year.

Last year, 8,500 charity runners raised $34.5 million during the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon to help hundreds of nonprofit organizations support their missions and services locally in New York City and across the nation. This number represents a mix of charity runners, including those registered to run the race with an official TCS New York City Marathon charity partner, those running on their own but raising money for an official charity partner, and those running on their own and using Crowdrise, the TCS New York City Marathon official fundraising partner platform, to raise money. A total of more than $165 million has been raised by charity runners since the inception of the program.

The 2015 TCS New York City Marathon will feature a talented American and international professional athlete field, charity runners, and thousands of runners of all ages and abilities. More than 10,000 volunteers support participants across the 26.2-mile race route, which touches each of New York City’s five boroughs, and is lined with more than one million spectators. The 2015 TCS New York City Marathon will again air live locally on ABC7 and nationally on ESPN2.

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. Held annually on the first Sunday in November, the race features the world’s top professional athletes and a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners. The race began in 1970 with just 127 entrants running four laps around Central Park, and expanded citywide in 1976. In 2014, a record 50,530 runners from 130 countries toured New York City’s five boroughs, including the one-millionth finisher in the history of the event, 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 at the iconic Central Park finish line. More than one million spectators line the city streets to cheer on the runners, while millions more watch the live television broadcast in the United States and around the world. The race is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, a series featuring the world’s top marathons—Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York—and crowning the top professional male and female marathoners of the series. 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. To learn more, visit www.tcsnycmarathon.com.