Yes, it's possible to qualify for the New York City Marathon!

One of the comments we hear most about the New York City Marathon is how difficult it is to get into the race. There are often more than twice as many applicants as there are spots available, and most of those spots are filled through a lottery. There are, however, several ways to gain guaranteed entry into the race. One of the least-utilized and, perhaps, least-publicized avenues is by meeting a half marathon or marathon qualifying standard. The standards are listed below and vary based on gender and age.

	Open (Age 18-39)		Masters (Age 40+)		Veterans (Age 50+)
	Marathon	Half-Marathon	Marathon	Half-Marathon	Marathon	Half-Marathon
Men	2:45:00	1:16:00	3:00:00	1:24:00	3:15:00	1:32:00
Women	3:15:00	1:31:00	3:30:00	1:39:00	3:45:00	1:47:00

	Veterans (Age 60+)		Push-Rim Wheelchairs
	Marathon	Half-Marathon	Marathon
Men	3:30:00	1:40:00	2:40:00
Women	4:00:00	1:55:00	3:40:00

You must have completed a marathon faster than the appropriate qualifying time since September 1, 2001, or a half-marathon faster than the qualifying time since July 1, 2002. To be accepted based on qualifying time, e-mail marathonmailer@nyrrc.org with official proof of your time (such as a Web site address with results) after you submit your application. Applications will be accepted until midnight on June 1, 2003.

For information on other ways to gain entry into the 2003 New York City Marathon, visit http://www.nyrrc.org/nyrrc/marathon/entrantinfo/howto2003.html