MLK Jr. Freedom Run 5K/10K/13.1 NYC

MLK Jr. Freedom Run 5K/10K/13.1 NYC is held in New York City on January 16, 2027, one of the national dates marking the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The half marathon (13.1 miles), the 10K, the 5K and a one mile family fun run all begin at 7:30 a.m. The event is run without timing chips. Entry comes with a bib, a shirt, a finisher towel and a medal, and there is a virtual option for anyone who would rather run from home.

Runners with spring plans can use this the way they would use any long supported run: early in a training block, held at an easy honest effort, with the medal as a bonus rather than the point. Twelve weeks of steady running covers the half for most people, and a weekly long run matters more than any single hard session. Newer runners are better served by the 5K, which starts and finishes with everyone else and asks far less of the following week.