If you spend an extended amount of time in any specific corner of New York City, you’ll begin to notice things. You’ll notice the city’s rhythm, a constant symphony of sirens, urgent horns, citygoer chatter, and the occasional street performer crooning along to it all. You may notice that some sidewalks position people like sardines, while other unsuspecting alleys are quieter stretches of solace amidst the bustle. You’ll also notice that everyone follows their own path, like worker bees; we all have our own schedules, routines, and priorities. But for citygoers who want to immerse themselves in a community bigger than themselves, they lace up their sneakers and go for a run.
It’s an undercurrent that streams through every borough, a connector that unites both the finance bros and the fashion fanatics, the college kids and seasoned veterans, the creatives and the athletes — what I’m trying to say is, running really is for everyone. That has been the brand philosophy of HOKA ever since the brand’s origin: to bring communities together over a love of going the extra mile. The running brand believes that a run is more than just a run, and that movement is a sort of magic to be shared with all.
Everyone knows that if someone is a native New Yorker, you'll hear about it. Most call it the city that never sleeps…it’s also the city that is never afraid to speak. Residents usually wear that regional badge with pride. But it’s also commonly known that New Yorkers are notoriously brazen, and that passion spills over into a pride and deep appreciation for their neighborhoods. Every borough offers a window into different slices of life, and each of the districts’ residents gladly take a bite.
Naturally, that pride begets friendly rivalry between the regions. But HOKA thought of one thing that could triumphantly bring them all together: a good old-fashioned running competition. During the month of September, the brand held a month-long running challenge, aptly titled Run Your City, with Strava. The challenge encouraged New Yorkers to track their mileage, logging miles for their home boroughs as they competed against one another. Though many brought their A-game, they were all contributing toward a collective goal — each individual runner’s miles weren’t just theirs anymore; they became collaborative.
The running challenge’s finish line found runners, creators, and the wider community at Brooklyn’s McCarren Parkhouse for a lively block party that united all, because everyone knows that sometimes the best part of a run is celebrating — when the adrenaline is pumping the work is finally done, and you can collectively decompress.
Attendees enjoyed a custom HOKA Club lunch menu (the sandwiches were so good that I even took one to go), lawn games, a photo booth, a custom illustration vending machine, and moments to mingle, comparing their final mile logs. It was the perfect culmination of weeks of competition, bringing the boroughs together for a celebration of their shared efforts.
Among the guests were some of New York’s most avid runners. We spoke to a few of them, tapping into what it means for each of them to run their city, their way.
Hand-selected from each borough, these five runners and creators dove into their favorite routes and how running enriches them daily.
Name: Dominic Palermo
Borough: Staten Island
Favorite running spot in NYC: Mt. Loretto and Hylan Blvd
Staten Island is often thought of as New York’s underdog, but runner Dominic Palermo believes that they just move at a pace of their own. He mentions enjoying his local routes because they’re often attached to fond memories, making his runs feel more personal.
“For me, running my city means representing where I come from. I’ve spent my whole life on Staten Island, so running here is a way of celebrating the place that raised me. It’s not just about how many miles I can run. It’s about the memories, the people, and the community that are connected to those miles,” he shared.
Name: Jessica Kameko
Borough: Bronx
Favorite running spot in NYC: New York Botanical Garden. Head towards Pelham Bay Park and end at Orchard Beach.
Jessica Kameko wanted to prove that running shows us just how far we can push ourselves. The mother of two had always wanted to run a marathon; it was at the top of her bucket list. She wanted to teach her kids that no dream of theirs is too far out of reach, and she even exceeded her own expectations. Now running isn’t a goal of hers; it’s a routine.
On what it meant to join the NYC running cohort, she shared, “I love the mix of cultures and the sense of community here [in New York]. New York pushes you, but I really believe that if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.”
Name: Tatyiana Gordon
Borough: Brooklyn
Favorite running spot in NYC: McCarren Park
Tatyiana grew up in Upstate NY, but she’s been in Brooklyn for the last five years and mentions really enjoying access to a closer-knit community in her neighborhood. Her running practice started as a hobby while in college, and then developed into signing up for 5Ks, then half marathons, and then finally, full marathon races.
“When I started entering these races and saw the true impact running had on thousands of other people in my city, I knew it was something way more than just exercise for me; it was community,” she reflected.
Name: Mallory Kilmer
Borough: Manhattan
Favorite running spot in NYC: Central Park loop
Mallory Kilmer may occupy one of the busiest boroughs, but she finds a sense of belonging amidst the craziness through running. She played sports her whole life, but once she was no longer repping a team, running became the one constant in her life. She started her first run club at Central Park’s Columbus Circle, and it's still where the group meets for every session now, over three years later.
“Representing a city that people dream to come and visit, it’s an energy you carry with you. And you appreciate how lucky you are to get to run here every day!” she reflected. “The way I approach competition, even though I’m competitive, there’s always room for everyone at my table!”
Name: Hailey Ra
Borough: Queens
Favorite running spot in NYC: West Side Highway
Hailey Ra stays grounded through the sport. She practiced Taekwondo for most of her life, and just more recently got into running. After training for her first half marathon, it became less about preparing for races and more about having something that belonged completely to her. Running became a form of therapy, a chance to put headphones in and chase something bigger than herself.
“It’s also made me realize how much bigger the running community is than I thought. I’ve always associated running with individual goals, your pace, your mileage, your race time, but this made me see how many people are running for completely different reasons,” she continued. “We’re all sharing the same streets. The challenge felt less like Manhattan versus everyone else and more like one big celebration of NYC.”
