
Race Date
Oct 4, 2026
Location
Congers, NY
The Empire State Half Marathon and 5k are on the flattest and fastest road course on the East Coast: Rockland Lake State Park In just a few laps around the lake, just north of the NJ/NY border, you'll walk away with a big shiny medal, a tech race shirt, and hopefully a shiny new personal best! Follow us on IG: @empirestatehalfmarathon for future updates! Please arrive before 8am to avoid paying the park admission fee! Race Schedule 8:00am - 5k Start 8:45am - HM Elite Introductions 9:00am - Half Marathon Start 9:15am - 5k Awards Available 10:00am - Beer Garden Opens 11:15am - Half Marathon Awards Available Course The course is a USATF-certified loop around scenic Rockland Lake. Course Profile As shown on the Rockland Lake Half Marathon Strava Segment, the course has 135' of elevation over the 13.1 miles. The difference between its highest elevation point (170') and lowest (155') is just 15', making it a pancake flat loop. Fueling Stations There are three aid stations with both water and Gatorade along the course. Elite Athlete Program (EAP) The EAP provides a complimentary entry, personal water stations, preferred baggage claim, and for some, free lodging. Please email empirestatehalfmarathon@gmail.com your running resume for consideration. NEW for 2025: Individual Prize Structure $500 - Top M/F and top M/F Masters $300 - 2nd M/F and 2nd M/F Master $200 - 3rd M/F and 3rd M/F Master Team Prize Structure $500 - Top M/F Teams (3/Team) HM and 5k Medals: 5 Year Age Groups Top 3 finishers to male/female finishers in 19 and under, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+ HM AG Winners win ice cream from the Sweet Guy Ice Cream Truck Bib Pickup Bibs can either be picked up at Road Runner Sports (Paramus) on Friday evening (5pm-7pm), Saturday morning (10am-1), or at the race site on Sunday morning. Empire State Challenge Medal Any runner finishing both the Empire State Half Marathon and the Garden State 10 Miler (or the Empire State 5k) will receive the Empire State Challenge Medal at the conclusion of the Empire State Half. Lodging Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Nanuet (425 NY-59, Nanuet, NY 10954): 845-623-6000 Element Spring Valley (90 Spring Valley Market Place, Spring Valley, NY 10977): 845-694-8200 Hilton Garden Inn (270 W Route 9, Nanuet, NY 10954): 845-623-0600
Race Day
Sunday, October 4, 2026
Start Time
9:00 AM
Giveaway
T-Shirt
Start Location
Rockland Lake State Park, Congers, NY, 10920
Course Type
Loop Course
Terrain
road
Difficulty
Ultra-Flat
Net Drop/km
0 m (Flat)
Separation
0.0%
Also Offers
USATF Certified Course
NY18083JG · Expires 2028 · Empire State Half Marathon
Relatively flat with minimal net elevation change. Loop course — start and finish are close together.
Median Finish
1:37:05
7:25/mi
Winning Time
1:08:48
5:15/mi
Finishers (2025)
252
States Represented
12 / 50
Gender Split
FASTER 25%
1:23:45
MEDIAN
1:37:05
SLOWER 25%
2:01:36
Start (Low)
54°
Afternoon (High)
71°
Warm — hydration strategy is key, start conservatively
0.2"
Precipitation
8 mph
Wind
77%
Humidity
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