Home
About...
Where We Are
Photograph Gallery
Race Results
Articles
Contact
Links
FAQ
Join Our Mailing List

    The "Run on the Runway" race has become one of the major fund raisers for the JFK Rotary Club. Funds raised from the race are used to support scholarships, sponsor terminally ill children from countries with limited medical and technological services, for life-saving heart operations at local hospitals through Rotary's Gift of Life Program, sponsors annual Christmas parties for handicapped children from the local schools (including Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf) which is held in the Delta passenger terminal at JFK Airport. Last year's party [2005] was attended by over 300 children. Sponsors included Delta Airlines, Host Restaurants, North Fork Bank and others. The Club sponsors a barbecue for Learning Disabled children of PS 213 each spring of the year, initiated a new program in 1995 to provide Thanksgiving Dinners for needy families from the communities surrounding the Airport, helps with shipping of relief supplies to Rotary Clubs in distressed areas throughout the world and supported Katrina with used clothing and is presently working on support to earthquake victims in Pakistan with clothing and medical supplies.

    The first race was run in April 1972. Until 2000 it was a 10K race which started at the Ramada Plaza JFK Hotel parking lot and to the runway and back to the hotel. Due to problems with traffic control on the public roads, the Port Authority requested we take part of the race off public roads and contain it to the Runways. In 2002 it was decided to change it to a 5K race. It is a very unique race as the main runway is actually closed to aircraft landing and taking off. Aircrafts are routed to land and take off from a secondary runway during the race. During its history the race has never been canceled. As a result of 9/11, security has become a major issue in planning the race. The Rotary Club works very close with the Airport authorities ensure the security programs in place are strictly adhered to. Runners actually run on the longest Runway at JFK which is almost 14,000 feet, although only a short portion of the main runway is used for the 5K race.