New York Road Runners (NYRR) is expecting 26,000 athletes to take part in this weekend's Brooklyn Half Marathon, confirming its status as the biggest marathon race in the U.S. and reflecting a hard-fought return to pre-COVID participation rates.
This year, the nonprofit athletic organization, which puts on 50 races a year, including the New York City Marathon, is deepening its focus on running's mental health benefits to lure more participants. Although NYRR itself is back on healthier footing, the sport isn't: participation numbers at races in 2022 were 84% of 2019's and are projected to remain soft in 2023, according to Road Runners Club of America.
