More Than 5,000 Runners to Usher in 2018 at the 39th Annual NYRR Midnight Run in Central Park on Sunday, December 31

Professional athlete field to include past champions Sarah Pagano and Daniel Winn, 2017 TCS New York City Marathon top-10 finisher Stephanie Bruce, and USATF 5K runner-up Molly Seidel

39th edition of historic New Year’s Eve race to begin at the stroke of midnight, featuring pro and amateur runners, along with a festival, fireworks, sparkling cider, and giveaways

New York, December 20, 2017 — More than 5,000 runners will usher in 2018 at the four-mile NYRR Midnight Run in Central Park on Sunday, December 31, with a professional athlete field that includes past event champions Sarah Pagano and Daniel Winn, 2017 TCS New York City Marathon top-10 finisher Stephanie Bruce, and USATF 5K Championships runner-up Molly Seidel leading the way. Fireworks will light up the sky at the stroke of midnight, with all runners invited to join the race festival and write their New Year’s resolutions on free #ResolveToRun back bibs.

“We are thrilled to have a professional athlete field close out 2017 and ring in 2018 in Central Park, with more than 5,000 runners following in their footsteps,” said Peter Ciaccia, president of events for New York Road Runners and race director of the TCS New York City Marathon. “The NYRR Midnight Run will feature several athletes who have already made their mark in New York, including Sarah, a two-time champion in the event, Stephanie, who made her TCS New York City Marathon debut this year, and Molly, who finished as runner-up at the USATF 5K Championships.”

The race festival at Rumsey Playfield will feature music and dancing, and is open to registered runners and one non-running guest per registered runner from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Anyone accessing the festival must have a wristband, which can be obtained by registered runners at the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub during race material pick up.

The NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub will help get runners in the spirit for the New Year with exciting activations in the lead up to race day. New Balance will offer free heat press customization on official NYRR Midnight Run participant shirts to myNB loyalty members onFriday, December 29, and Saturday, December 30, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday, December 31 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those looking to get out of the cold can also stop by the NYRR RUNCENTER on Saturday, December 30 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to enjoy a warm beverage. Festive hats and glasses will be available on a first come, first served basis.

All runners will be invited to share their New Year’s resolutions on #ResolvetoRun back bibs, which can be obtained during race number pick up at the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub.

“The NYRR Midnight Run is one of the best New Year’s Eve events in New York City, providing a festive experience for those looking to ring in the New Year in a unique way with the only fireworks show in Manhattan that night,” said Michael Capiraso, president and CEO of New York Road Runners. “This race provides runners of all ages and abilities with a fantastic chance to start 2018 off on the right foot and begin to fulfill their New Year’s Resolutions during the very first minutes of the New Year.”

This will be the 39th edition of NYRR Midnight Run, an event found by NYRR Board of Directors Chairman George Hirsch and inspired by Sao Paulo’s famed Sao Silvestre Road Race. The race was first won by four-time New York City Marathon champion and NYRR Hall of Famer Bill Rodgers in 1979.

The NYRR Midnight Run is one of eight races – from the mile to the marathon – organized by New York Road Runners, which features invited professional athlete fields. NYRR races with professional athlete fields include the NYRR Midnight Run, NYRR Wanamaker Mile, United Airlines NYC Half, UAE Healthy Kidney 10K, NYRR New York Mini 10K, New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, USATF 5K Championships, and the TCS New York City Marathon.

Runners at the event will vie for a prize purse of $2,000, including a $500 prize for the male and female winners.

Top Professional Athlete Backgrounds and Notable Performances:

• Stephanie Bruce, 33, of Flagstaff, AZ, finished 10th in her TCS New York City Marathon debut in November, and finished seventh at the USATF Cross Country Championships earlier this year. She represented Team USA at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Uganda earlier this year.
• Reid Buchanan, 24, of Mammoth Lakes, CA, was an NCAA All-American and finished eighth over 5000 meters at the 2017 USATF Track and Field Championships.
• Christo Landry, 31, of Charlotte, NC, holds five USA road running titles and is the American record-holder over 25K. He finished 13th at the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon.
• Sarah Pagano, 26, of Brighton, MA, is the two-time women’s defending champion at the NYRR Midnight Run. She represented Team USA at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, and won the USATF Club Cross Country Championships earlier this month.
• Molly Seidel, 23, of Watertown, MA, was the second-place finisher at the 2017 Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K and USATF 5K Championships, which was her first road race at any distance as a professional. She was the 2016 NCAA Indoor 3K and 5K champion and 2015 NCAA Cross-Country champion.
• Daniel Winn, 26, of Brighton, MA, won the 2015 NYRR Midnight Run and was runner-up at the event last year. He was the eighth-place finisher over 1500 meters at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Professional Men’s Field

Professional Women’s Field

About New York Road Runners (NYRR)

Founded in 1958, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, whose mission is to help and inspire people through running. NYRR’s commitment to New York City’s five boroughs features races, community events, youth running initiatives, school programs, 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 nyrr.org.