Sri Chinmoy 5K, Half-Marathon & Relay (May)

Flushing Meadows Park, Queens New York

A fast 5K & half through Flushing Meadows Park!

Scenic and historic race setting
Accurately measured USATF certified course
Custom race shirt*
Bag check
Aid stations every mile
Free parking
Free finisher photos
Custom finisher medals
Post-race pancake breakfast!

About the event

Join us on Saturday, May 11, 2024, 8AM for the Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon featuring a scenic, flat and fast loop around historic Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

What, not up for a Half-Marathon?  Choose the 5K, or better yet, for a morning of fun, grab some friends and sign up for the Half-Marathon Relay!

PERKS & AMENITIES:

Free parking, bag check, race shirt*, aid stations every mile, free finisher photos, custom finisher medals, and our famous post-race pancake breakfast!

Register now >>

View full race details >>

Sponsored by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in cooperation with the NYC Parks Department

Previous results

Race video

Events

5K

    • 8:00AM
    • $25 through Apr. 13
    • $30 through May 1
    • $35 through May 9, 12 noon
    • $45 Race-day, 7-7:45AM, CASH ONLY
  • View course map »

Half-Marathon

    • 8:00AM
    • $40 through Apr. 13
    • $50 through May 1
    • $60 through May 9, 12 noon
    • $70 Race-day, 7-7:45AM, CASH ONLY
  • View course map »

Half-Marathon Relay

    • 8:00AM
    • $25 through April 13
    • $30 through May 1
    • $35 through May 9, 12 noon
    • Strictly no race-day registration

Kids Race

    • 7:45AM
    • $3 pre-reserved
    • $5 race-day
    • see details further down

Contact

516.710.8084
Send Email

Certification

  • USATF certified course NY16032JG (5K), NY18033JG (Half-Marathon)

RACE DETAILS

Registration and Fees

Register Online through RedPodium (a small processing fee applies).  Registration for the 5K and Half-Marathon (not relay) are also available through RunSignup and Active (processing fees are higher).

Through April 13:  $25 5K or Relay*, $40 Half-Marathon
Through May 1:  $30 5K or Relay*, $50 Half-Marathon
Through May 9, 12 noon: $35 5K or Relay*, $60 Half-Marathon
Race-Day, 7-7:45AM: $45 5K, $70 Half-Marathon, CASH ONLY

Strictly no race-day registration for the Half-Marathon Relay.  Entries cannot be transferred to another person.

*Fee per relay team member

Kids Race: please see details below

 

RACE START

8:00AM sharp for ALL runners

 

The Course

A scenic, mostly flat, accurately measured USATF certified loop starting at the north end of Meadow Lake, passing the iconic World's Fair Unisphere, Fountain of the Planets, Queens Zoo, New York State Pavilion and Queens Museum of Art.  5K = 1 loop, Half-Marathon = 1x 5K loop + 3x  5.37K loop.  View course map >>

 

HALF-MARATHON RELAY RULES

  • Each relay team must have 2 to 4 team members.  
  • Each team member must complete at least one lap. 4 laps = Half-Marathon.  First lap = 5K, laps 2, 3, 4 = 5.37K each.
  • If the relay team has less than 4 members, at least one team member must complete more than one lap.  It's up to the team's strategy which team member(s) complete the extra lap(s), and in what order they run.
  • There are 3 relay team categories:  All male, all female, or mixed.  The team's category is determined by the gender makeup of the team after online race registration closes.
  • Each relay team will be given a baton.  The baton must be carried on all laps, and passed from one teammate to the next inside the designated relay transition zone (near the finish line)
  • All relay team members must register online through our RedPodium registration page
  • The first team member to register must "create" a relay team as they register.
  • Additional relay team members must register and pay for their entries separately, signing up for the relay team as they register.
  • Deadline for all team members to register is Thursday, May 11, 12 noon (online registration close).
  • If for any reason your teammates do not show up on race-day, your relay entry can be converted to the 5K race at no charge, however this must be done on race day before 7:30AM

 

KIDS RACE

Fun for the little ones, too!  There will be a Kids Race at 7:45 a.m., for children under 13.  Each child will be issued a mini race bib and receive a real finisher medal and a small gift.  The course distance will be 400 meters or less, and there may be two separate heats, depending on the number of children and their ages.

Registration fee is $3 if pre-reserving a spot in advance, or $5 if registering on race-day.  In either case, you will need to pay the fee in cash on race-day, anytime from 7:15 a.m. onward.
Please note that children under 13 are not eligible to run the 5K or Half-Marathon.

 

RACE PACKETS

Choose Packet Shipping when registering ($6.45), to avoid the lines on race day and have your shirt and bib delivered to you before the race.  Option available to US addresses only, through May 1.  Option not available for Half-Marathon Relay.  Packets will ship out en masse on May 4.
For runners that do not choose packet shipping, packet pickup is available at the race site between 7:00-7:45AM.

To ensure you are included in the results, please wear your bib visibly on your stomach or chest throughout the race, not on your leg, back or underneath a jacket.  If you would like to avoid pinning your bib to your jacket or top, use of a bib belt is recommended ($10 on Amazon).

 

Race Shirts

*Free race shirts guaranteed for all participants registered by Saturday, April 27
For participants registered after that date, any extra shirts will be available after the race, distributed on a first-come first-serve basis
Shirt sizes are Unisex or Women's Fitted X-Small, Small, Medium, Large, X-Large, and Unisex 2XL

 

Awards

Men’s and Women’s awards categories:

5K:

Under 50: Top 7
50-59: Top 3
60-69: Top 2
70 & over: First Place

Half-Marathon:

Under 50: Top 3
50-59: Top 2
60 & over: First Place

Half-Marathon Relay:

First place each for top men's team, women's team, and mixed team

Awards ceremonies:

5K:  8:50 a.m.
Half-Marathon & Relay: 10:15 a.m.

 

POST-RACE PANCAKE BREAKFAST!

Hot pancakes are even more enjoyable when they’re earned, and we’re cooking them up fresh for everyone on race day!

 

Time Limits

5K: 1 hour (20 minute/mile pace)
Half-Marathon: 3 hours 15 min (15 minute/mile pace)

 

Age Restrictions

5K & Half-Marathon Relay:  Open to ages 13 & up
Half-Marathon:  Open to ages 16 & up

 

Results

Results will be posted on our website within 24 hours

 

Event Cancellation Policy

We live in uncertain times.  If we are forced to cancel this event owing to circumstances beyond our control, including, but not limited to:

  • New or modified COVID-19 regulations/restrictions imposed by park officials or city or state governments;
  • Unsafe conditions in the park, such as severe weather conditions;

the event will be converted to a virtual one.  Registered participants will still receive race shirts and finisher medals in the mail upon completion of the virtual race, and trophies will be mailed to winners as per the awards breakdown above.

 

RACE Credit / Refund Policy

Please view our policy here before submitting a request for refund or credit.

 

Come Visit Us in Queens

Stop by for a visit!  Enjoy food, shopping & more, in a peaceful atmosphere:

Dining:
Annam Brahma Restaurant  (718) 523-2600
Smile of the Beyond (Breakfast & Lunch)  (718) 739-7453
Panorama of My Silence-Heart Cafe  (718) 206-4960

Shopping:
Guru Health Foods  (718) 291-7406
Divine Robe Supreme (Clothing and gift boutique) (718) 523-2082
Guru Stationery (Stationery and gift shop) (718) 523-3471
The Garland of Divinity's Love (Flowers for all occasions)  (718) 523-3692

Services:
The Manifestation-Glow (Full service design & printing) (718) 380-5259
Victory-Factory (Screen printing supplies)  (718) 454-2255

 

DIRECTIONS

Subway

The closest subway station is Mets-Willets Point on the number 7 subway line (view MTA subway map).

Exit the train and follow the signs to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. This will lead you across a bridge. Essentially, you'll first head for the Unisphere - pass it - and then walk over the footbridge over the Long Island Expressway to get to the race staging area at Meadowlark Circle at the North end of Meadow Lake. It’s a little more than 1 mile from the Subway station to the race staging area (the perfect warm-up jog!). View map of walking route from Mets-Willets station to race staging area

Click here to open Race-Day Central on Google Maps

 

Driving

There is a large parking lot (free parking) near the race staging area.  The easiest option for navigation is to use this google map link to the parking lot entrance, or type "Meadowlark Circle, Queens, NY 11375" into google maps.  The race start area is on the circle.

We do NOT recommend using navigation apps other than Google maps (such as Waze or Apple maps), as most of them do not recognize some of the roads inside the park and can take you to the wrong part of the park on the wrong side of the expressway.  (Flushing Meadows park is HUGE, larger than Central Park).

Alternatively, to navigate without GPS you can use these written directions from any of the major expressways / parkways in the area to take you to the the intersection of Meridian Rd. & Meadow Lake Rd. West, then follow the written directions above to Race-Day Central.  There are lots of twists and turns, so please follow the instructions very carefully, otherwise you can get very lost, very quickly:


FROM EASTBOUND LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY (Traveling towards Eastern Long Island)

  • Take exit 22A-E Grand Central Parkway/678 Van Wyck Expressway
  • After 0.1 mi, stay left towards East 495 Long Island Expressway/678 Van Wyck Expressway (DON'T take the Grand Central Parkway!)
  • After 0.3 mi, stay in the middle lane to take Exit 22E College Pt. Blvd.  (DON'T take the Van Wyck Expressway!)
  • After 0.2 mi, turn left at the traffic light onto College Pt. Blvd.
  • After 0.7 mi, turn left at the second traffic light.  (smaller street, no name)
  • After 150 ft, turn left (no street sign)
  • Go 100 ft (pass under the expressway), turn left at the T junction onto Meridian Rd. (there is a Flushing Meadows sign at the intersection with an arrow pointing left towards Meadow Lake)
  • After 0.1 mi, (at the first stop sign) turn left onto Meadow Lake Rd. W

Continue with written directions at top of this section (1, 2, 3)


FROM WESTBOUND LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY (Traveling towards Manhattan)

  • Take exit 22B towards College Point Blvd/678 Van Wyck Expy
  • After 150 meters, turn right onto Rodman St.
  • Immediately get in the far left lane (left turn only), then go through the light across College Pt. Blvd. and make first left turn (no street name)
  • Go 100 ft (pass under the expressway), turn left at the T junction onto Meridian Rd. (there is a Flushing Meadows sign at the intersection with an arrow pointing left towards Meadow Lake)
  • After 0.1 mi, (at the first stop sign) turn left onto Meadow Lake Rd. W

Continue with written directions at top of this section (1, 2, 3)


FROM WESTBOUND GRAND CENTRAL PARKWAY (Traveling towards RFK Bridge)

  • Take Exit 10E-W 495 Long Island Expressway / Eastern Long Island
  • Then stay right to exit 10E 495 Long Island Expressway/Eastern Long Island/Riverhead
  • After 0.3 mi, stay in the middle lane to take Exit 22E College Pt. Blvd.  (DON'T take the Van Wyck Expressway!)
  • After 0.2 mi, turn left at the traffic light onto College Pt. Blvd.
  • After 0.7 mi, turn left at the second traffic light.  (smaller street, no name)
  • After 150 ft, turn left (no street sign)
  • Go 100 ft (pass under the expressway), turn left at the T junction onto Meridian Rd. (there is a Flushing Meadows sign at the intersection with an arrow pointing left towards Meadow Lake)
  • After 0.1 mi, (at the first stop sign) turn left onto Meadow Lake Rd. W

Continue with written directions at top of this section (1, 2, 3)


FROM EASTBOUND GRAND CENTRAL PARKWAY (Traveling towards Eastern Long Island)

  • Take exit 10W-E 495 Long Island Expressway/Manhattan/Eastern Long Island
  • After 0.3 mi, keep right to exit 10E, you will loop around onto the LIE service road.
  • After 0.3 mi, stay in the middle lane to take Exit 22E College Pt. Blvd.  (DON'T take the Van Wyck Expressway!)
  • After 0.2 mi, turn left at the traffic light onto College Pt. Blvd.
  • After 0.7 mi, turn left at the second traffic light.  (smaller street, no name)
  • After 150 ft, turn left (no street sign)
  • Go 100 ft (pass under the expressway), turn left at the T junction onto Meridian Rd. (there is a Flushing Meadows sign at the intersection with an arrow pointing left towards Meadow Lake)
  • After 0.1 mi, (at the first stop sign) turn left onto Meadow Lake Rd. W

Continue with written directions at top of this section (1, 2, 3)


FROM THE NORTHBOUND VAN WYCK EXPRESSWAY (Traveling towards Whitestone Bridge)

  • Take exit 12A College Pt. Blvd./Long Is Expwy/Eastern Long Is
  • After 0.5 mi, bear left at the fork onto College Pt. Blvd.
  • after 0.8 mi, turn left at the third traffic light (unnamed road)
  • After 150 ft, turn left (no street sign)
  • Go 100 ft (pass under the expressway), turn left at the T junction onto Meridian Rd. (there is a Flushing Meadows sign at the intersection with an arrow pointing left towards Meadow Lake)
  • After 0.1 mi, (at the first stop sign) turn left onto Meadow Lake Rd. W

Continue with written directions at top of this section (1, 2, 3)


FROM THE SOUTHBOUND VAN WYCK EXPRESSWAY (Traveling towards JFK airport)

  • Take exit 12A College Pt. Blvd / 495 L I Expwy / Eastern L I
  • After 0.3 mi, turn right at the light onto College Pt. Blvd.
  • Make the next possible right turn.  The road is unnamed, but there is a small green sign with an arrow “USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center”
  • Turn right at the stop sign
  • Go 100 ft (pass under the expressway), turn left at the T junction onto Meridian Rd. (there is a Flushing Meadows sign at the intersection with an arrow pointing left towards Meadow Lake)
  • After 0.1 mi, (at the first stop sign) turn left onto Meadow Lake Rd. W

Continue with written directions at top of this section (1, 2, 3)