Following the success of Queens Marathon Weekend last December, Queens Distance Runners (QDR) is inviting runners of all levels to join a growing race series transforming Queens into a destination for running, community, and opportunity.
In December 2025, “more than 2,000 runners, families, and supporters gathered at Flushing Meadows Corona Park for a two-day celebration featuring a 5K & 10K, QDR Half Marathon, and the 10th Annual Queens Marathon,” according to a press release. The Queens Marathon Weekend also notably launched a historic borough-wide initiative in partnership with NYC Kids Rise, establishing the first-ever Queens-wide Community Scholarship.
NYC Kids Rise, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that invests in children’s educational aspirations and career vocations, raises scholarship funds to make career training more accessible for public school students. The organization manages the Save for College Program in collaboration with NYC Public Schools and the City of New York, as noted in its About section.
As running continues to surge in popularity, QDR is not only bringing the sport to the World’s Borough, they are now investing in it.
A crowd of runners at the Amihan Filipino 4-Miler, the first race of the relaunced Cultural Run Series hosted by Queens Distance Runners. Photo by Kent Ng
Building on that momentum, QDR has expanded its race calendar with the following community-driven events enjoyed by runners across the borough:
The Queens Distance Runners hosted their annual Bayside 5k event on Sunday July 13, down Bell Boulevard. Photo courtesy of Queens Distance Runners
As revealed in a press release, a permit is currently pending to move the Queens Marathon from Flushing Meadows Corona Park onto the streets of Queens for the first time since 2016, bringing the vision of a true borough-wide marathon closer to reality.
QDR continues to invest in the future of the borough by supporting the college and career dreams of every third grader in public schools across the World’s Borough. Through its Community Scholarship initiative, “100% of contributions go directly to NYC Scholarship Accounts for eligible students.”
“Our goal has always been to build something that reflects Queens — diverse, ambitious, and community-driven,” said Kevin Montalvo, the founder of QDR, in a statement. “What we saw in December showed that people believe in what we’re doing. Now, we’re turning that trust into more races, more impact, and more investment in the future of this borough. Queens is the Future.”
“We’re proud to partner with Queens Distance Runners and the Queens Marathon on the first ever borough-wide Community Scholarship benefitting nearly every third grader in public school in Queens. Thank you to Queens Distance Runners, thousands of marathon participants, and the community cheering them on for being part of a significant investment in our children’s futures,” said Debra-Ellen Glickstein, the NYC Kids RISE Founding Executive Director, in a statement. “Together, we’re showing kids that they have powerful support from their neighbors to achieve their college and career dreams. With these additional assets in their NYC Scholarship Accounts, students will have even more encouragement to dream big about the future.”
Runners and community members are encouraged to register for upcoming events and support the Queens Distance Runners Community Scholarship before Friday, April 30.