# 8,600 runners take over 5th Avenue

> Olympians, Broadway stars, cops, firefighters and kids all race the same famous mile up Manhattan.
- Title: 8,600 runners take over 5th Avenue · ABC7 New York | Shortify
- Summary: Olympians, Broadway stars, cops, firefighters and kids all race the same famous mile up Manhattan. The 5th Avenue Mile works because the same strip of road…
- Keywords: running, nyc, track, broadway, road racing, news, local, 600, runners, take, 5th, Avenue
- Source: ABC7 New York — https://abc7ny.com/post/nyrr-announces-45th-edition-new-balance-5th-avenue-mile-featuring-olympians-broadway-stars-september-13/19806819
- Published: 2026-09-08T19:20:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: running, nyc, track, broadway, road racing, news, local
## One mile, one famous street
New York Road Runners is putting more than 8,600 runners on Manhattan's best known avenue for a single mile of racing.

> The New York Road Runners is hosing over 8,600 runners in a one-mile race down Manhattan's most famous thoroughfare.
## 45 years and counting
This is the 45th edition of the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, with 15 Olympians and 18 international medalists from 12 countries in the fields.
## The men's headliners
Leonard Bett, Olli Hoare, Luke Houser, Simon Koech, Stefan Nillessen and Adam Spencer lead the men's race.
## The women's field
Olympic medalist Courtney Frerichs lines up with Melissa Courtney-Bryant, Elise Cranny, Kayley DeLay, Susan Ejore-Sanders, Heather MacLean and Jemma Reekie.
## Broadway runs it back
After debuting in 2025, the Broadway Mile returns with 100-plus theater professionals racing for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, including Tony winners Ali Louis Bourzgui and Nikki James.
## Everyone else gets a heat
Kids aged 2 to 18 run the Back to School Mile, and there are dedicated heats for NYPD, FDNY and journalists. Coverage airs on Channel 7 from noon, streaming on ESPN+.
## Key takeaway

The 5th Avenue Mile works because the same strip of road hosts world-class athletes and complete amateurs on the same day.