New York, June 21, 2018 – New York Road Runners (NYRR) today kicks off year four of its NYRR Open Run program with the launch of a location at Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. NYRR Open Run, a community-based initiative that brings free weekly runs and walks to local neighborhood parks, now has 16 locations across New York City’s five boroughs with the inclusion of Pelham Bay Park.

“Through the first three years of NYRR Open Run, we have witnessed firsthand the benefits and positive impact that offering free access to group runs and walks can have on members of communities,” said Michael Rodgers, vice president of youth & community runner engagement at NYRR. “NYRR Open Run is a program for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities to come together for the common goals of leading active lives, utilizing their local parks, and developing new social connections in their neighborhoods.”

Since the program’s launch in June 2015 at St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx, NYRR Open Run has attracted over 37,000 finishers and 5,000 community volunteers. Participants come from New York’s five boroughs and the greater New York City area, and range in age from the young participants of Rising New York Road Runners to the senior members of NYRR Striders.

Parks selected as NYRR Open Run sites are chosen based on several criteria, most importantly the demand for programming by local community members. Parkgoers interested in bringing the free running program to their local parks can contact NYRR and NYC Parks to prove communal interest in the program, a process that helped bring the free community runs to Morningside Park in Manhattan and Shore Road Park in Bay Ridge, both launched this spring.

Other criteria brought into NYRR Open Run site considerations 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 need thrive as a community hub 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.

“New York Road Runners is committed to providing community members in neighborhoods across the five boroughs with fun and accessible opportunities to run, walk, and play in their local community parks,” said Rachel Pratt, senior vice president of youth and community services at NYRR. “Year round, our team is activating at parks in all corners of the city to help motivate and inspire people of all ages and abilities to get outside and stay active for life.”

In addition to NYRR Open Run, NYRR offers and supports a number of additional programs and initiatives, including the installation of NYRR Mile Markers. Designed to provide parkgoers with wayfinding and distance tracking, NYRR Mile Markers were installed in Astoria Park last month and will be introduced to 10 additional parks across New York City’s five boroughs this year.

Included below are the NYRR Open Run locations and weekly meeting times. More information on NYRR Open Run can be found at http://openrun.nyrr.org/.

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, free youth running initiatives and school programs, the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub, 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.