NEW YORK, NY, September 2, 2020 – Professional track athletes across America are coming together and inviting the world to compete against them to raise money for The Armory’s youth educational and athletic programs in the Columbia & NewYork-Presbyterian Virtual Marathon Team Relay Presented by New York Road Runners.
Strategy may be almost as important as speed for this unique event. Each marathon team relay can include up to 8 participants and each person may run 3 separate times – so teamwork and planning is critical. The public is invited to participate virtually against these pro athletes from October 15th-17th.
Committed participants and teams already include:
- 2016 Olympian Colleen Quigley, and her fellow 4x1500m world record holder Elise Cranny along with Sean McGorty from the famed Bowerman Track Club
- Tinman Elite with Sam Parsons, Drew Hunter (High School Mile Record-Holder and U.S. 2-Mile champion) and their fellow team members
- HOKA NJ/NY Track Club with NCAA record-holder Kyle Merber and World Championships finalist Johnny Gregorek
- Other committed athletes and teams include Allie Kieffer, top 5 finisher at TCS New York City Marathon and former indoor marathon world record holder, Robby Andrews, 2016 Olympian, Brooks Beasts, On Athletic Club, Idaho Distance Project (Clayton Young), NAZ Elite, Boston Athletic Association, Zap Fitness, Atlanta Track Club and others.
This event is the continuation of the popular Indoor Marathon, where relay teams would conquer 211 laps of The Armory’s 200-meter track. The virtual marathon team relay features the same format, but runners can participate from wherever they are located.
The current event record of 2:09:43 set last year by the Central Park Track Club will certainly fall, and a sub-1:50 is possible.
For the hardiest athletes, Evil Twin Brewery is sponsoring the Elevation Challenge. The 3 men’s, women’s and co-ed teams who summit the greatest elevation during their 26.2 miles will receives complimentary beer courtesy of Evil Twin Brewery. Happy climbing!
The Columbia & NewYork-Presbyterian Virtual Marathon Team Relay is the largest annual fundraiser for the nonprofit Armory Foundation’s youth programs, and the after-school Armory College Prep program.
“Close to 2,000 students from underserved communities have been through the Armory College Prep program and have earned more than $10 million in college scholarships,” said Rita Finkel, Director of Armory College Prep and Armory Foundation Co-President, “and we believe that every student on their school track and field team can attain the dream of a four-year college degree.”
The Armory’s youth programs include the no-cost Little Feet and CityTrack athletic programs for children from Washington Heights, Harlem and Inwood. The acclaimed Armory College Prep after-school educational program serves New York City children from grades 5 through 12.
Over the past four years, 100 percent of Armory College Prep seniors were admitted to four-year colleges with financial assistance to make the dream of a college degree attainable. To learn more about The Armory Foundation, please visit https://www.armory.nyc/.
In order to secure your team’s spot in the virtual marathon team relay, or to learn more, please visit https://indoormarathon.org/virtual
To see highlights from last year’s Columbia & NewYork-Presbyterian Indoor Marathon, please click HERE.
Follow The Armory on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @armorynyc, or go to ArmoryTrack.com, Armory.NYC or NYRRMillroseGames.org.
About The Armory Foundation
The Armory Foundation is a New York City non-profit institution, with the mission of “Keeping Kids on Track.” Each season The Armory – the proud home of the NYRR Millrose Games – hosts more than 100 track & field meets and welcomes more than 220,000 athlete visits. Among its many youth sports and educational programs, including the acclaimed Armory College Prep program, The Armory runs the leading collegiate indoor track meet with the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge, and also hosts the largest high school indoor track meets with this past year’s 26th U. S. Air Force Hispanic Games, The New Balance Games, New Balance Nationals Indoor, the Energice Coaches Hall of Fame, Marine Corp Holiday Classic and the Colgate Games. The Armory runs the Columbia & NewYork – Presbyterian Indoor Marathon presented by New York Road Runners, which is the world’s largest indoor marathon relay. The Armory is also the home to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame and dozens of very large education-focused events. For more: Please visit Armory.NYC and ArmoryTrack.com.
