Forget the ball drop — these New Yorkers will be counting down the miles instead.
At midnight, thousands will trade the party scene for pavement, sprinting into 2026 in the annual New York Road Runner’s Midnight Run through Central Park.
“I want to think that if I ring in the New Year in this healthy way, it’s how I’ll conduct my whole year,” Lisa Hernandez, who has participated in the event every year since 2015, told The Post.
And let’s face it: Most of us could use a little extra motivation. Getting more exercise tops Americans’ 2026 resolutions, yet research shows most people abandon their goals by the second Friday in January, fittingly known as “Quitter’s Day.”
“Sometimes the way you bring in the year can set the stage for the year to come,” said Ted Metellus, NYRR’s chief event production officer and race director. “For four miles you can think about the goals you accomplished or plan to accomplish as you run.”
The Midnight Run has been a New Year’s Eve tradition since 1979, inspired by Sao Paulo’s century-old Sao Silvestre Road Race.
The inaugural event drew 1,600 runners. Fast forward to today, and that number has ballooned to nearly 5,000, with participants coming from every corner of the city and beyond.
“Like most New York Road Runners races, the Midnight Run attracts athletes of all ages and abilities,” Metellus said. “This year, our youngest participant is 8 years old, and our oldest registered participant is 91.”
Seasoned long-distance runner Kevin Hodge says that the race has a special appeal. He’s conquered the New York City Marathon five times, but for him, the Midnight Run is the real showstopper.
“When I found out about it, I figured, why not run into the new year? It would keep me focused on my health, which is my wealth, and there are other people there who are like-minded,” the Bronx resident told The Post.
“It’s a really fun experience and it’s extremely rewarding,” Hodge, 62, added. “I try to do it every year.”
“I’m divorced, and I’ve got nobody to kiss on New Year’s Eve … I don’t need a date, I’ve got a date with about 5,000 other people.”
Neil Weiss
The festivities kick off with a pre-race party featuring a DJ, photo opportunities and vision board activities to map out the year ahead.
At the stroke of midnight, runners take off near Rumsey Playfield, looping past Central Park landmarks like the Loeb Boathouse, Turtle Pond and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.
As they move through the 4-mile course, a dazzling fireworks show lights up the sky, drawing a crowd all on its own.
“It’s really heartfelt to watch the fireworks as they go off and we prepare for a brand new year, a new beginning,” said Hodge, a counselor and an adjunct professor at the Mandl School.
Another fan-favorite tradition includes a sparkling apple cider station halfway through the race for runners to enjoy.
This year, organizers are also adding new twists, including a Glow Tunnel, where the fluorescent designs on participants’ bibs will light up as they pass through a row of blacklights.
“This race is a great opportunity to start the New Year with a big, festive celebration, offering a healthy alternative on what is deemed a big party night,” Metellus said.
“People can come together with their community to experience the transformative power of running and hopefully carry that positive energy and motivation into 2026 and beyond,” he noted.
That camaraderie is exactly why Neil Weiss continues to kick off his New Year with the Midnight Run — even though he isn’t a runner himself.
“I’m still friends with three other people from the first New Year’s Eve I volunteered at,” said the Upper East Sider. “We regularly chat and meet up.”
Weiss, 62, has been a volunteer leader with NYRR for three years.
“I’m not seeing anybody right now. I’m divorced, and I’ve got nobody to kiss on New Year’s Eve,” he said. “So the way I see it is that I don’t need a date, I’ve got a date with about 5,000 other people.”
He called the event his year-end celebration, an opportunity to “let our hair down.”
“We have a better party than, dare I say, Times Square,” he said with a laugh.
While this year’s run is already sold out, Hernandez encouraged others to sign up in the future — no matter their skill level.
“Walk, run, however, you have to do it. Just do the whole thing and finish it,” the Morningside Heights resident said. “It doesn’t matter how your performance is, you’ve done a great thing for New Year’s Eve.”
Hodge echoed the sentiment: “A journey of 1,000 miles begins with the first step — so just run.”
