NYRR expands outside New York City with Jersey City 5K
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (WABC) -- The New York Road Runners (NYRR) on Thursday announced a race in New Jersey that will expand the organization's presence outside the five boroughs of New York City.
The NYRR will host a new race, the NYRR Newport Fiesta 5K, in Newport, the downtown area of Jersey City, on May 4, 2019.
Additionally, the NYRR will host open runs and free youth programs throughout the year.
City officials, community partners, and executives held a special celebration Tuesday at Jersey City's City Hall to announce the new outreach.
"Our growth into New Jersey provides the opportunity for New York Road Runners to reach the thousands of dedicated runners who regularly participate in our premier races as well as reach new and diverse audiences," NYRR president and CEO Michael Capiraso said. "In addition, NYRR is excited to bring youth and community programming to positively impact local runners of all ages and abilities."
The NYRR puts on more than 50 races throughout the year. In 2018, nearly 30,000 finishers of NYRR events were residents of New Jersey. Among those finishers, nearly 40 percent live within a 10-mile radius of Jersey City.
The NYRR Newport Fiesta 5K will be a unique race with an expansive course through the downtown area. The event will take place at 5 p.m. with the start and finish line located at Washington Street, south of the Newport Parkway.
A series of free youth races will take prior to the 5K and festivities will be held throughout the day and will culminate with a post-race festival.
Registration for the event is now open at mynyrr.nyrr.org.
To build a foundation for community involvement and long-term success, NYRR is establishing year-round programs to serve residents and runners of all ages and abilities. In April, the organization will launch NYRR Open Run at Lincoln Park, the first Open Run located outside of New York City.
Through this initiative, NYRR works with community leaders and volunteers to bring free weekly runs to neighborhood parks. All runs are directed by volunteers and free for participants.
Additionally, NYRR will grow its flagship national youth program, Rising New York Road Runners, in New Jersey.
Rising New York Road Runners annually serves nearly 250,000 youth nationwide providing free, high-quality, innovative programming designed to motivate all kids to get running. To date, there are nearly 20 schools served in New Jersey. In 2019, NYRR will increase its youth efforts throughout the state for the next generation to live healthier lives.
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