Few New York events carry the emotional weight of this one: tens of thousands of runners and walkers retrace Stephen Siller's final run, passing through the Hugh L. Carey (Brooklyn-Battery) Tunnel lined with firefighters holding banners of the fallen. It is part road race, part living memorial, with first responders, military members and families filling the course from Red Hook to Lower Manhattan. If you run one race for something bigger than a finish time, make it this one.
What to expect
Expect an enormous, well-organized field that moves through Red Hook, into the tunnel — where FDNY members line the walls with photographs of those lost on 9/11 — and out into Lower Manhattan for a finish-line festival. Many participants walk; the pace is welcoming and the crowd support is constant.
Good to know
- Advance registration is required and the race regularly sells out — sign up early on the Tunnel to Towers site
- Walkers are fully welcome; many participants do the course at a stroll
- The start is in Red Hook, Brooklyn; plan transit ahead as streets close early
- The tunnel section is loud and emotional — a highlight, not a place to rush
- Finish-area festivities take over Lower Manhattan near West Street
- Gear check and porta-facilities are provided at the start
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Common questions
Do I need to register to participate?
Yes. The Tunnel to Towers 5K requires advance registration through the foundation's website, and it typically sells out well before race day.
Can I walk instead of run?
Absolutely. Thousands of participants walk the course each year, including families and first responders in full gear.
What does the race support?
Proceeds benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which supports first responders, veterans and their families, including building mortgage-free homes for the catastrophically injured and families of the fallen.
