How do you get thousands across the globe to participate in Harlem Week’s most popular sporting event in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic? By going virtual, of course.
That’s the coronavirus-era format of the Percy Sutton Harlem 5K Run & Walk, an event that has been organized annually by the New York Road Runners (NYRR) association since 2009. This new iteration is billed as the Virtual Harlem 5K Honoring Percy Sutton 100 and Charles Rangel 90, and participants have until tonight [Aug. 23] to sign up.
A virtual race allows runners worldwide to run a race at their convenience, pace, and location during a specific period of time. The event began on Aug. 16, and people can participate as many times as they want to improve their time, said Michael Rodgers, NYRR vice president for youth and community runner engagement.
More than 4,400 runners from across the U.S. and approximately 100 countries had registered before tonight’s deadline. Visit https://www.nyrr.org/ to sign up.
“The Harlem 5K is a longstanding annual tradition as part of Harlem Week, and during these unprecedented times,we are excited to be holding a virtual race for runners to be part of the celebration and support Harlem Now,” said Michael Capiraso, NYRR’s president and CEO. “We are proud to continue this historic race honoring trailblazers Percy Sutton and Charles Rangel – and their many contributions and impact on Harlem and the community.”
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the late Percy Sutton’s birth. As Manhattan borough president in the 1970s, he championed the expansion of the New York City Marathon to the five boroughs. The virtual race also honors the 90th birthday of former Congressman Charles Rangel, another political titan who represented Harlem for 46 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He helped to bring about the economic and residential revitalization of the Greater Harlem area.
And still staunchly behind the Harlem 5K as it weathers the COVID-19 pandemic is the Rudin family, longtime sponsors of the event and the New York City Marathon.
In 1976, Lewis and Jack Rudin honored their late father, Samuel Rudin – an avid long-distance runner and a member of the Pastime Athletic Club in the Bronx – by becoming a sponsor of the New York City Marathon. For 44 years, members of the Rudin Family have presented the Samuel Rudin Trophy to the race winners.
“The Rudin family is proud to support this year’s Virtual Percy Sutton Harlem 5K and honored to have been a part of the New York City Marathon since 1976, when Jack and Lew Rudin were asked by Percy to sponsor the race and expand it to all five boroughs,” said Eric and Bill Rudin, co-chairmen of Rudin Management Company. “Though this year’s event will be different than in years past, it demonstrates the strength and resilience of our city, and we are proud to honor Percy’s legacy.”
