Queens runners warm up for marathon season

Queens Distance Runners announced open registration for the half and full marathon. Photo courtesy of Queens Distance Runners

By Rachel Vick

Queens’ runners are gearing up for fall events traversing through Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Queens Distance Runners announced the registration is now open for their second half marathon and the 2021 Queens Marathon.

“As always, our goal is to move forward in connecting runners to Queens, and Queens to runners,” QDR wrote on Instagram. 

“We inch closer to our goal of one day proposing an event that will strengthen our communities through our Marathon and Half Marathon across the neighborhoods of the most diverse Borough in New York City,” they added. “Until then, we will make the most of our time at the crown jewel park.”

This year’s events are taking place on Nov. 14 and Dec. 12, and 500 runners will have a chance to participate at each event unless a change in COVID-19 safety protocol is made. 

The full marathon, which doubles the loops required for the half marathon, is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. According to QDR, 16 percent of runners at the 2020 event qualified for the elite event.

“Thanks to a most persistent effort from the New York City and Queens Running Community, Queens was the site of hundreds of in-person Marathon and Half Marathon finishers, and the only sanctioned Marathon that was organized in New York City in 2020,” they wrote.  “We are prepared to organize two high quality events that promise to eclipse what we had envisioned in March of 2020.”

Registration is available online.