TCS New York City Marathon: Frequently Asked Questions

All interested runners (including alumni runners) must complete an online application. Applications are reviewed as they are received, on a rolling basis. Along with your contact information and running experience, we’re interested in learning why you want to run for Boston Children’s Hospital, and your fundraising goal and plans. Once you submit your completed application, we may contact you to speak further.

No. We accept runners of all levels and welcome anyone interested in running for Boston Children’s Hospital to apply to our team.

A standard runner is someone who is applying to use one of Boston Children’s Hospital's charity entries/bibs to participate in the TCS New York City Marathon. An own entry runner is someone who already has an entry/bib for the marathon from qualifying, race lottery or another source, such as a race sponsor.

Boston Children’s Hospital changes lives every day. Your fundraising support brings the very best medical care, research breakthroughs, and support services to patients and families who need them most. As an own entry runner, your fundraising minimum is $2,500 and you’ll have access to the perks offered to our team.

Apply here. If you have questions, contact us at run@chtrust.org.

In addition to the required fundraising commitment, all runners are responsible for paying their own $315 ($255 for NYRR members) race registration fee to the New York Road Runners. Runners with a Boston Children's bib will also need to submit a non-refundable $200 administrative fee and credit card number to Boston Children's upon acceptance to the team. Note: The $200 fee does not count toward your fundraising commitment.

To inspire our runners, Boston Children’s pairs up current or former patients with runners through our Patient Partner program. Do you know a patient that you’d like to run for? Ask their family to register for the Patient Partner program or email run@chtrust.org for more information.

Runners who want to run through a Boston Children’s Hospital entry must commit to raising a minimum of at least $5,000. Runners who already have an entry to the TCS New York City Marathon (through qualifying or another source) must commit to raising a minimum of $2,000.

Money you raise provides lifesaving care and support to patients and families at Boston Children’s through our Every Child Fund. When you fundraise, you advance promising research, provide the best medical care to kids facing complex illness and give parents support services that enable them to stay by their child’s side.

Every runner who is accepted to the team provides their credit card information and commits to several fundraising deadlines throughout the training season. You’ll have until October 27, 2025 to reach your fundraising commitment. If you’re not able to reach the commitment by that time, your credit card will be charged the difference.

Your supporters can donate to your run by:

• Giving online by credit card at milesformiracles.org/newyork. (Your supporters can click on “DONATE” then type your name). Runners can also set up a personalized URL in their Fundraising Center to share with friends and family. Please note: the online gift minimum is $5.
• Making a check out to Boston Children’s Hospital. Put your (runner's) name on the memo line, complete the check donation form and include it in an envelope with the check.
• Giving you cash. Please do not mail in cash. You can write a personal check or get a bank check and mail it in an envelope. Note: Make sure to include your donor’s information on the envelope or include the check donation form so we can add your donor’s name and donation amount to your fundraising page.

Encourage your supporters to donate online through your personal fundraising page. If the donor prefers to write a check, make checks payable to Boston Children’s Hospital and mail to the address below along with this check donation form.

Boston Children’s Hospital Trust
Attn: Gift Services/ Miles for Miracles
401 Park Drive, Suite 602
Boston, MA 02215

Yes. Our gift processing team will add donations received by mail to your personal fundraising page. Offline donations may take 7-10 business days to be reflected on your page.

Yes. Boston Children’s Hospital acknowledges all gifts of $250 or more and sends receipts for these gifts per IRS guidelines. All online gifts receive an automatic email receipt.

Many companies offer matching gifts for their employees who give to nonprofits like Boston Children’s Hospital. Increase the impact of your donation by applying for your company to match your gift now. 

Check here to see if your company will match your donation

Your matching gift will not count toward your fundraising until it is received and booked by Gift Services at Boston Children’s Hospital Trust. Please note: It can take months for us to receive your matching gift and we cannot withhold charging your credit card on a fundraising deadline while waiting for your matching gift to arrive.

Yes. Learn more about donating by Donor Advised Fund here and share this link with your donors.

Unfortunately, no. Because of technical changes that Meta (Facebook’s owner) has made to Facebook Fundraisers and payment processing, Facebook Fundraisers are no longer compatible with our fundraising systems.

Miracle Makers are runners and patient partners who go the extra mile in their fundraising efforts for the hospital. You’ll find more information about Miracle Makers here.

Some banks will label this gift transaction as recurring even if it is not. If your donor would like to confirm that they made a one-time gift, they may contact run@chtrust.org.

Yes. We have dedicated coaches who work with runners of all levels and running abilities. They’ll provide you with a training schedule and offer team practices to help you train. You’ll receive more information directly from the coaches if you are accepted to the team.

Yes. Our team meets most Saturday mornings throughout the training period in the Greater Boston area.

We have access to a hotel block offered on a first-come, first-served basis. We'll share more details directly with our team. Runners can also visit the official marathon website for hotel information.

Yes. We host a brunch for our runners and patient families on the Saturday before the race.

When runners register for the marathon on the New York Road Runners website, they select a transportation option to get to the starting line on Staten Island. Boston Children's runners will have access to optional buses for Silver Level Charities to take our team to the start. We also have access to Silver Charity Village at the start with a heated tent.

We will provide more information about best cheering spots as the marathon approaches.