2021 New York City Marathon

Volunteer With InterExchange at the NYC Marathon!

This year, InterExchange is organizing a special volunteering opportunity for our participants at the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 7, 2021! Many InterExchange participants have joined the event in past years, and we hope 2021 will be a great success as well!

The New York City Marathon has been taking place since 1970 and is the largest marathon in the world: 50,000 runners participate every year, representing more than 120 countries. More than 10,000 volunteers support the runners from the moment they begin their journey to the finish line. This year will be a particularly exciting one because it marks the 50th running of the NYC Marathon!

The U.S. Department of State is coordinating this volunteer event for all J-1 Visa sponsors in the New York City area, so this will be a unique opportunity to meet participants from other BridgeUSA J-1 Visa exchange programs.

As in past years, the State Department volunteers are congregating at the Mile 6 and Mile 18 Fluid Stations. Mile 17 and Mile 23 are also available, as are other opportunities along the course.

The InterExchange group will be volunteering at the Mile 18 fluid station in Manhattan (First Avenue between 96th and 97th Street, a 4-block walk from the 6 train subway line).

"Fluid station" volunteers assist with set-up, distribute water and Gatorade to the runners, and cheer them on. Please note that volunteers must commit to the entire volunteer shift. Shift 1 is 7:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., and Shift 2 is 12:00 p.m.–05:30 p.m.

If you are interested in volunteering with InterExchange for this event, please follow the registration instructions below and sign up by October 1, 2021. Volunteer slots are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis and fill up fast. If you register and can’t make it, you can cancel your participation closer to the date of the marathon. We recommend reserving your spot as soon as possible.

To register to volunteer at the 2021 TCS NYC Marathon, all participants need to create a profile (or log in to the existing profile) with the NYRR (New York Road Runners).

• Learn how to create a profile.
• As you register, you will be asked to pick from the drop-down menu your volunteer group name. Your volunteer group name is Interexchange/US State Department J-1.

All volunteers who will check in will receive a NYRR branded and dated marathon pin. Fluid station volunteers will receive a TCS NYC Marathon branded poncho and an additional gift to keep. All volunteers who check in will also receive a certificate of service and will have an amazing New York City experience!

Health and Safety Information:

The health and safety of the running and volunteer community is the top priority, and all event participants and attendees will be required to adhere to specific coronavirus (COVID-19) guidelines. NYRR is working under the guidance of public health officials and medical experts and in partnership with city, state and agency partners to plan a safe event. NYRR recognizes that guidelines are likely to change between now and November. Details of a comprehensive plan will be shared at a later date and NYRR will continue to keep runners and volunteers updated. The latest updates on health and safety guidelines can be found here.

Header photo by Steven Pisano.