Running pioneer Lynn Blackstone and New York City Marathon Trailblazers George Hirsch and the late Percy Sutton to be inducted into NYRR Hall of Fame
Late Olympian and coach Jeff Galloway to receive Abebe Bikila Award
Philanthropist Marty Granoff and longtime NYRR members Donna and Thomas Daniels to be honored with Legacy Awards at NYRR Night of Champions
Fred’s Team to receive inaugural Charity Partner Impact Award
Running journalist Gordon Bakoulis to be presented with George Hirsch Journalism Award
New York, Oct. 15, 2026 – New York Road Runners (NYRR), the nonprofit that “runs” New York City producing 60 annual adult and youth races including the TCS New York City Marathon, today announced this year’s NYRR Hall of Fame inductees and recipients of the organization’s annual Abebe Bikila, Legacy, and George Hirsch Journalism awards, as well as the inaugural Charity Partner Impact Award.
Women’s running pioneer Lynn Blackstone and 5-boro New York City Marathon co-founders George Hirsch and former Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton, who passed in 2009, will be inducted into the NYRR Hall of Fame. The nonprofit will also present the Abebe Bikila Award posthumously to 1972 U.S. Olympian Jeff Galloway, Legacy Awards to philanthropist Marty Granoff and longtime NYRR supporters Donna and Thomas Daniels, the inaugural Charity Partner Impact Award to Fred’s Team—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s running team, and the George Hirsch Journalism Award to veteran running journalist Gordon Bakoulis.
These honorees will be recognized throughout the week leading up to the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 1—the best day of the year, in the best city in the world. This year’s TCS New York City Marathon will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 5-boro course, which was first run in 1976 to celebrate the nation’s Bicentennial and uplift the city. Since then, the race has become one of the most inclusive and accessible sporting events in the world, bringing together nearly 60,000 participants and more than 2 million spectators.
“We are proud to recognize this year’s remarkable award recipients and Hall of Fame inductees for their lasting contributions to New York Road Runners and the running community,” said Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners. “Each honoree represents the very best of our sport and demonstrates the transformative power of running to build healthier lives and stronger communities.”
NYRR Hall of Fame
The NYRR Hall of Fame was inaugurated on Nov. 4, 2011, during the first-ever New York City Marathon Opening Ceremony in Central Park. It honors all the legendary figures in the sport of running who, through their triumphs and contributions, have made New York Road Runners and the TCS New York City Marathon what they are today. The 2026 NYRR Hall of Fame will be inducted at the TCS New York City Marathon Opening Ceremony Presented by United Airlines on Friday, Oct. 30, before thousands of runners kick off race weekend with the Parade of Nations and entertainment acts.
Blackstone made history as one of the “Six Who Sat,” a group of women who staged a sit-down protest at the start of the 1972 TCS New York City Marathon against an Amateur Athletic Union “separate but equal” rule that barred women from competing alongside men. Four years later, she supported New York Road Runners through public relations and fundraising efforts for the inaugural 5-boro New York City Marathon, in which she competed. With her husband, Dave Blackstone, she co-founded the Central Park Track Club, which has grown into one of the most competitive run clubs in New York City, producing numerous Olympians and Olympic Trials qualifiers. In addition to her contributions to the sport, Blackstone is an accomplished distance runner who finished third at the 1973 New York City Marathon and won the 1976 Yonkers Marathon. To date, she has completed nearly 400 New York Road Runners races.
Hirsch is one of the most influential figures in the running industry, who served as chair of the New York Road Runners Board of Directors from 2004 to 2023, and is now board chair emeritus. He was among the founders of the 5-boro New York City Marathon and created the NYRR Midnight Run, the beloved annual New Year’s Eve race in Central Park. A prominent voice in the sport, Hirsch served for many years as the worldwide publisher of Runner’s World and hosted “The Runner’s Corner” on ESPN’s SportsCenter. He currently co-hosts the podcast Running: State of the Sport with Amby Burfoot. Hirsch completed hundreds of New York Road Runners races, including his final marathon in New York City in 2009 at age 75. In 2024, he received the Abebe Bikila Award for his outstanding contributions to the sport of distance running.
Sutton (1920–2009) was a prominent Black political, social, cultural, and business leader in New York City. A founder of the 5-boro New York City Marathon, Sutton recognized the race’s potential as a cultural and economic engine for the city and was instrumental in getting the necessary political and financial support to execute the event. He also suggested utilizing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn, which remains the iconic start of the race today. As Manhattan Borough President (1966 to 1977), Sutton served on the Honorary Board of Advisors and as chairman of the Marathon Committee for the 1976 race. Beyond Sutton’s contributions to the New York City Marathon, he also founded HARLEM DAY—a one-day event uniting the greater Harlem community, businesses, and cultural institutions—which has since grown into HARLEM WEEK. Since 2009, New York Road Runners has honored his legacy through the Percy Sutton Harlem 5K. His granddaughter, Keisha Sutton-James, former deputy Manhattan borough president and one of the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon Honorary Grand Marshals, will accept the NYRR Hall of Fame induction on his behalf.
Abebe Bikila Award
Named for record-breaking Olympic marathon champion Abebe Bikila, this award is given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of distance running. The award will also be presented during the TCS New York City Marathon Opening Ceremony Presented by United Airlines this year before the NYRR Hall of Fame.
Galloway, who recently passed in February, was a 1972 U.S. Olympian and one of the most influential figures in American distance running. Beyond his success as an elite runner, he transformed the sport through his pioneering run-walk-run method, which made distance running more accessible to runners of all ages and abilities. A bestselling author, coach, and lifelong advocate for the sport, Galloway helped generations of runners discover that running could be both achievable and enjoyable.
Legacy Award at NYRR Night of Champions
This year’s Legacy Award will be given to three individuals who have made tremendous contributions to New York Road Runners and whose vision supports and aligns with that of the nonprofit. The award will be presented at NYRR Night of Champions on Thursday, Oct. 29—the nonprofit’s premier benefit, which supports New York Road Runners’ commitment to transforming the health and well-being of New York City communities.
Granoff is a longtime philanthropist, business leader, and advocate for education and the arts. Alongside his wife, Perry, Granoff has supported institutions including Brown University, Tufts University, and New York City arts organizations. His philanthropy has helped expand opportunities for students, strengthen arts and cultural programs, and support initiatives that make a meaningful impact on communities. At age 90, Granoff will also be among the oldest runners participating in the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon.
Donna and Thomas Daniels have been dedicated members, volunteers, donors, and supporters of New York Road Runners for more than 20 years. Together with their family, they have completed more than 500 New York Road Runners races and 50 marathons, with both earning Abbott World Marathon Majors Eight-Star Finisher status.
Their commitment to New York Road Runners extends well beyond the finish line. They have volunteered at the TCS New York City Marathon and other NYRR events, fundraised for Team for Kids to benefit NYRR’s free youth and community programs, and contributed to the organization’s initiatives. Thomas has raised more than $900,000 for charity, while Donna has served as a race buddy for Run for the Future, a free six-week summer program that introduces New York City high school young women to running, and currently serves on the NYRR Board of Directors.
They have also supported New York Road Runners’ storytelling initiatives, including “Final Finishers,” a documentary short film celebrating the runners at the back of the pack, which earned New York Road Runners its first-ever National Sports Emmy Award in 2026.
To purchase tickets to NYRR Night of Champions, support with a donation, or bid on exciting silent auction items, please visit https://my.onecause.com/event/organizations/sf-001C000001gK4jCIAS/events/vevt:19c055ce-6af5-44a0-9ff5-c216c5b6fab4/home/story.
Inaugural Charity Partner Impact Award
The inaugural Charity Partner Impact Award recognizes an Official Charity Partner of the TCS New York City Marathon that uses funds raised through the partnership to make a significant positive impact in its field. The award coincides with the 20th anniversary of New York Road Runners’ Official Charity Partner Program, through which runners have raised nearly $700 million for more than 1,000 nonprofits. This year, thousands of charity runners participating in the TCS New York City Marathon will help raise a record-breaking $100 million for nonprofit organizations. At NYRR Night of Champions, New York Road Runners will present Fred’s Team with the inaugural Charity Partner Impact Award in recognition of the program’s extraordinary commitment to supporting lifesaving cancer research and clinical trials at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). Fred’s Team was named in honor of running legend, former New York Road Runners president (1972–1994), and 5-boro New York City Marathon co-founder Fred Lebow, who underwent treatment for brain cancer at MSK in 1991. Since 1995, Fred’s Team has raised more than $120 million at the TCS New York City Marathon. All funds raised go directly to MSK labs, where groundbreaking discoveries are making a difference for people around the world.
George Hirsch Journalism Award
Named for the magazine publisher and former chair of the New York Road Runners Board of Directors, the George Hirsch Journalism Award recognizes excellence in the reporting, writing, and broadcasting of the sport of marathon running and long-distance running. The award will be presented at a private media luncheon during the week leading up to the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon.
An accomplished distance runner and U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier, Bakoulis has been a writer and editor in New York City for more than 40 years. Currently serving as editor-at-large at New York Road Runners, Bakoulis joined the organization in 2002 and served as editorial director and longtime editor of New York Runner, NYRR’s magazine. As the organization transitioned from print to digital communications, she helped manage editorial content across its website, social media, email, and other platforms.
Before joining New York Road Runners, Bakoulis spent two decades in print journalism, including serving as editor-in-chief of Running Times and holding editorial positions at Woman’s Day, Health, Glamour, and other publications. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Runner’s World, and numerous other outlets. She is also the author of several books on running, including “Getting Real About Running” and “How to Train for and Run Your Best Marathon.”
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About the History of the New York City Marathon (1970–2026)
Initially run in 1970 as four-plus laps of Central Park with 55 finishers, the New York City Marathon left the park and was run through the five boroughs for the first time on Oct. 24, 1976, to celebrate the U.S. Bicentennial and uplift the city. The landmark move set the standard for the modern marathon event. This year, New York Road Runners is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 5-boro marathon course and setting a goal of raising $100 million for its Official Charity Partner Program, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Produced by the world’s premier running organization, today the TCS New York City Marathon is consistently one of the largest marathons in the world, bringing together nearly 60,000 participants and more than 2 million spectators for the best day of the year, in the best city in the world.
About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
A New York City–based nonprofit, New York Road Runners’ vision is to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running—serving more than half a million people annually through its races, free community events, youth running initiatives, and school-based programs across the five boroughs. During its nearly 70 years, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, producing more than 60 adult and youth races each year, including the TCS New York City Marathon. Held the first Sunday each November, the TCS New York City Marathon features nearly 60,000 runners—from the world’s best professional athletes to a vast range of runners across experience levels, ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.