New York, May 31, 2018—New York Road Runners (NYRR), in partnership with NYC Parks, today unveiled the newly installed NYRR Mile Markers in Astoria Park. The NYRR Mile Markers, designed to provide parkgoers with wayfinding and distance tracking, will be installed in 10 additional parks across New York City’s five boroughs this year.

“Making running accessible to all is at the forefront of New York Road Runners’ mission to help and inspire people through running, and with the support of NYC Parks and Commissioner Silver we are able to expand our reach across New York City,” said Michael Capiraso, president and CEO at NYRR. “With the installation of the Mile Markers, all runners and walkers in Astoria Park, including the participants of NYRR Open Run, can now utilize a measured course to help enjoy the scenic park, map their progress, and improve their health and wellness.”

In celebration of today’s unveiling, NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver announced his plans to run the 2018 TCS New York City Marathon, on November 4—his first marathon. He will be sharing his training journey through Instagram (@mitchell_silver and @nycparks), as well as useful tips, such as his favorite running routes in parks and the different fitness classes NYC Parks offers. 

“I’m excited to begin my marathon journey and I will certainly be using these mile markers as I train in the coming months,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver. “And there’s more to come for Astoria Park! This fall, we’ll start renovating the Astoria Park running track, adding adult fitness equipment, misting posts and drinking fountains. It’s so important to me that our parks serve as places where New Yorkers can exercise and stay fit.”

“New York Road Runners is celebrating its 60^th anniversary and the NYC Parks Department has been an amazing part of our history. We’re thrilled to have the commissioner joining us on race day this November,” said Peter Ciaccia, president of events at NYRR and race director of the TCS New York City Marathon. “Under Commissioner Silver’s leadership and support, New York Road Runners has been able to grow its presence and impact in our community parks, including the launch of NYRR Open Run, our flagship community program.”

Following today’s unveiling at Astoria Park, NYRR Mile Markers will be installed in the following parks:

• Astoria, Cunningham and Flushing Meadows Corona Parks in Queens
• Marine and Canarsie Parks in Brooklyn
• Soundview, Crotona and St Mary’s Parks in The Bronx
• Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan
• Silver Lake and Conference House Parks in Staten Island

All parks receiving NYRR Mile Markers in 2018 are hosts to NYRR Open Runs, a community-based initiative that brings free weekly runs and walks to local neighborhood parks in New York City. Parks selected as NYRR Open Run sites are chosen based on several criteria, most importantly the demand for programming by local community members. Other criteria taken into consideration are park size and infrastructure, and perceived need as measured in conjunction with standards defined by the NYC Parks Community Parks Initiative.

The Community Parks Initiative is an investment in New York City neighborhoods to help parks with the greatest needs thrive as community hubs for active and healthy living. Through this initiative, NYC Parks works directly with city residents to redesign and reconstruct parks through capital projects. Beyond physical alterations, the initiative aims to enhance public programming at sites to maintain the parks’ appeal following a redesign. Parks in dense and growing neighborhoods that have not recently received substantial capital investments are the target sites for the Community Parks Initiative and NYRR.

About New York Road Runners (NYRR)

In 2018, NYRR is celebrating 60 years of helping and inspiring people through running. Since 1958, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization. NYRR’s commitment to New York City’s five boroughs features races, community events, youth running initiatives, school programs, and training resources that provide hundreds of thousands of people each year, from children to seniors, with the motivation, know-how, and opportunity to Run for Life. NYRR’s premier event, and the largest marathon in the world, is the TCS New York City Marathon. Held annually on the first Sunday in November, the race features 50,000 runners, from the world’s top professional athletes to a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners.  To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.