Information on Non-Guaranteed Entry Applications
MARATHON FIELD
The ING New York City Marathon brings together tens of thousands of runners from around the world in a weeklong celebration centered on a sporting event that unites NYC like no other. There are various ways to gain entry, and this variety (detailed below) results in a field of astounding diversity: one-half international runners (representing more than 100 countries), one-quarter national athletes (from all 50 states), and one-quarter local entrants, including thousands of NYRR members who engage with our events and programs year-round.
As the race has grown, so have the categories of opportunities for participation. Today, there are a variety of ways to gain entry to the race, including programs for 1) NYRR members, 2) veteran ING New York City Marathoners, 3) athletes with disabilities, 4) charity program runners, 5) ITP runners, 6) entrants who have canceled in advance of the prior year’s event, 7) applicants who were denied entry three years in a row, and 8) entrants to be selected from the pool of applicants not qualifying for guaranteed entry.
NON-GUARANTEED ENTRIES
The entries available to non-guaranteed applicants are filled through three simultaneous drawings, one in each of the following categories:
1) “tristate area” applicants (i.e., residents in and within 60 miles of New York City);
2) “national” applicants (i.e., U.S. residents outside of the tri-state area);
3) “international” applicants (i.e., non-U.S. residents, including Puerto Rico).
The same percentage of applicants will be selected in each of the three categories.
The drawings will be conducted using a random number selection algorithm to choose entrants from each applicant pool. The algorithm is obtained from www.random.org and is available in the public domain for verification purposes. The additional selection criteria are a valid credit card, future expiration date, and authorization to charge. The provided credit card will be charged when the entry is drawn; if the charge is not approved, the entry will be removed and another entry drawn from the pool.
The total number of non-guaranteed applicants and the number of such applicants in each on the three categories will not be known until the entry deadline. Therefore, the number of entrants ultimately selected in each of the categories cannot be determined before that date. Based on historical data, it is anticipated that the percentage of applicants accepted in each of the categories will be between 8% and 12%, but the percentage could be lower (see “Increase in Applications” below).
Applicants in the drawings, whether or not accepted, will have paid a non-refundable $11 Processing Fee when submitting their applications. Such applicants, therefore, should carefully consider their likely chance of gaining entry through the drawings before submitting their applications and paying such fee.
INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS
Interest in participating in the ING New York City Marathon has grown steadily over the years. Overall applications grew from 102,500 in 2009 to 125,500 in 2010, an increase of more than 22%. Based on the number of applications received to date, it is projected that total applications for the 2011 event will increase by at least another 15%. An even greater increase in the rate of growth has been seen in the non-guaranteed segment of the application pool. From 2009 to 2010, lottery applications increased by almost 35%, and based on the number received to date, such applications are expected to be at least another 10% higher for the 2011 race.
While the demand for entries has been increasing, the starting field on race day, and thus the number of acceptances, has not kept pace, growing from 2009 to 2010 by only about 3%, to 47,000 runners. The starting field is expected to remain at that level in 2011, due in large part to concern that a larger field would affect the safety and enjoyment of the runners on the course.
With the starting field at the same level, but the application pool projected to grow significantly, the odds of gaining entry into the 2011 race through the lottery may well be lower than in prior years -- a fact that, as noted above, applicants for non-guaranteed spots in the marathon should take into consideration before submitting their applications (and paying the non-refundable Processing Fee).
April 7, 2011 Update: OPPORTUNITY TO WITHDRAW APPLICATIONS
In light of the foregoing, applicants who submitted a non-guaranteed entry for the 2011 marathon prior to the posting on January 24 of the expanded disclosure above were given the opportunity to withdraw their application and have their Processing Fee refunded. The qualifying applicants were sent an email by NYRR offering such refund. The deadline for such qualifying applicants to claim the refund has been set as 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 18, 2011, the day before the deadline for submission of marathon applications.
For questions, e-mail reghelp@nyrr.org.
