NYRR Open Run: St. Mary's Park Back to School Chalk Challenge event image
St. Mary's Park, Mott Haven, Bronx

NYRR Open Run: St. Mary's Park Back to School Chalk Challenge

Decorate the start and finish line in chalk, then run or walk a free community 5K through the rolling hills of Mott Haven's St. Mary's Park.

Photo: Deans Charbal · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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St. Mary's Park is one of the largest green spaces in the South Bronx, a hilly former slice of Jonas Bronck's estate, and every week NYRR Open Run turns it into a free neighborhood 5K. This edition adds a chalk challenge, so kids and adults can cover the start and finish in color. If you want a low-stakes Saturday run with a real community feel, this is it.

What to expect

Participants gather at the St. Mary's Annual 5K start, decorate the line with chalk, then run or walk the course at their own pace. Volunteers keep it friendly, and families often stay afterward to use the park's playgrounds and lawns.

Good to know

  • NYRR Open Run is free and open to all ages and abilities; walkers are welcome.
  • The park sits between St. Ann's and Jackson Avenues; the 6 to Cypress Av or the 2/5 to Jackson Av are close.
  • Expect hills; St. Mary's Park is known for its rolling terrain.
  • Bring your own chalk if you want extra colors.

Going? Keep it.

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Common questions

Does NYRR Open Run cost anything?

No. NYC Parks describes it as a free weekly community 5K.

Can I walk instead of run?

Yes, it is open to runners and walkers of all abilities.