I get it. The New York City Marathon lottery is brutal. People plan their fall around this race. They refresh their email like it’s a college acceptance letter. So when you don’t get in, it stings in a very specific way, the kind that makes you start questioning the universe like, “Okay, but I’m a good person and I recycle.”
But after this year’s drawing—one that saw a 1 percent acceptance rate from a pool of over 240,000 applicants—one post on Threads really lit the fuse. A fast marathoner basically said they ran a sub-3 and still didn’t get in, meanwhile “slow charity runners” are being let in with lottery runners who aren’t serious, don’t grind, and don’t run sub-7 pace. “Majors should be about TALENT,” they added, hitting Caps Lock like it owed them a bib.
And that’s where I need everyone to take a deep breath.
Related Story
Because “slow charity runners” are not the villains of your running story stealing your spot. They’re raising money for causes that matter, then dragging themselves through 26.2 miles anyway, often with way fewer resources, way less time, and way more nerves than the person yelling into the algorithm about who belongs.
Kara Goucher, a two-time Olympian and actual professional runner with actual receipts, said it best when she jumped in with: “Imagine making fun of charity runners who… raise a bunch of money for charity! What are we doing people?!” Exactly. What are we doing?
I’ve been a charity runner. I entered the lottery in 2022 and didn’t get in, so when I decided I wanted to run a marathon, I fundraised for Movember, which supports men’s mental health and suicide prevention, plus prostate and testicular cancer. I raised $3,500 for personal reasons that don’t fit neatly into a pace chart, and because I wanted the miles to mean something beyond a medal and a banana.
And I will tell you right now: you cannot take that experience away from me with a smug post about talent.
I didn’t know how I’d do on the course. I had a goal time, sure, but I wasn’t out there trying to prove I belonged in a museum of elite athletic achievement. I wanted to do something hard and carry other people with me in the process: friends who donated $25, strangers cheering, the weird little feeling of being part of something bigger than myself.
Related Stories
I also happen to live along the NYC Marathon route, with a clear view near that electric stretch up First Avenue. This past year, I watched the day unfold right outside my window from the early waves through the late finishers, and I need you to understand that by the end of the night, when it’s dark and people are still out there, that’s when the race breaks your heart open.
You see those “slow charity runners” at six hours, eight hours, ten hours, sometimes longer. They’re not runners by trade. They’re just average people doing something extraordinary. They’ve decided they would finish even when the city has quieted down and their legs are cooked. You, random person on the internet, have absolutely no idea what they’re doing it for, who they’re honoring, or what that finish line means to them.
So yeah, be disappointed you didn’t get in. I’m disappointed, too. But entitlement is a dead-end training plan, and punching down at charity runners is a bad look on everyone. Thankfully, you have some alternatives for this fall.
Best-Selling Products We Recommend
Shoe of the Year
adidas Adizero EVO SL ShoesCredit: Thomas Hengge
Best Garmin Running Watch
Garmin Forerunner 265
Now 18% Off
Best Running Socks
Balega Enduro Running Socks
Best Treadmill
NordicTrack Commercial 1750 Treadmill
Now 13% Off
Best Value Running Headphones
Best Walking Pad
Sean Abrams was the Senior Editor, Growth and Engagement at Men’s Health. He’s a former hip hop dancer who likes long walks on the beach and large glasses of tequila. You can find his previous work at Maxim, Elite Daily, and AskMen.