New York Road Runners revealed a refreshed branding and identity package on Monday ahead of a year of commemorating the 50th anniversary of its famed five-borough marathon course on November 1.
The most obvious changes are a shift from the “NYRR” wordmark and silhouette of a person running along a curved path, which has all been replaced with a stacked spelling out the organization’s name and an “abstract torch” symbol that resembles the New York City Marathon logo.
Another big addition is the “Believe in Every Step” tagline which takes the place of the previous “Run for Life” slogan.
According to NYRR, the new brand messaging is a call to action that pulls people from different backgrounds to get out and get active regardless of the distance. It’s a reminder that beyond the races and events, running remains a core mission for the organization.
“This rebrand reflects our evolution from a local running club to the world’s premier running organization with expanding global reach and local impact, while representing our commitment to inclusion and the state of running today—an activity for people of all ages, abilities, body types, and backgrounds,” Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners said. “It also reinforces our belief that running and movement can transform the health and well-being of our communities, one step at a time.”
NYRR has had six logos since it was founded in 1958 by Ted Corbitt, who was integral in helping stage races in The Bronx with a passionate group of organizers set on ensuring running went mainstream. The races grew in popularity and shifted to other parts of the city, with Central Park being the home of the first iteration of the NYC Marathon in 1970.
Each logo featured a running figure, with the designs from 1977 to 2002 incorporating an apple as a reference to New York City.
The new branding is a lean to a new era for the organization as it rides its own wave of highlight from 2025 into the new year. In October, NYRR revealed that its events pumped nearly $1 billion in economic impact into New York City’s economy in the fiscal year through March. In that timeframe, 34 races pulled in 291,000 participants.
That announcement was boosted by the news that distance running legend Eliud Kipchoge was finally making his NYC Marathon debut, while Sifan Hassan would also join the lineup to help strengthen an already strong field for last November’s race.
Meanwhile, during marathon week, New Balance said it would extend its partnership with NYRR and begin rebuilding tracks in the city in 2026.
Days later, NYRR reclaimed its world record title of the most finishers in a marathon as 59,226 participants took home medals at the NYC Marathon on November 3.
“We’re thrilled to unveil our new logo and brand positioning, which represents New York Road Runners’ mission and vision with a contemporary, inclusive, and timeless visual identity,” said Juliette Morris, New York Road Runners Chief Marketing and Digital Officer said. “The new look and feel elevate New York Road Runners as the powerhouse brand that resonates in New York City and around the world as running continues to surge as both a sport and a lifestyle.”
The updated brand identity will go public today and see its roll out completed in March in time for the United Airlines NYC Half. Olympic medalist Grand Fisher was announced as the event’s first headliner and he will make his half marathon debut at the race.
