The competition has both an elite-level race and a fun run, both of which accounted for a total of 5189 finishers in 2010.

[1] The idea of a 10K women's race was the joint vision of elite runners Nina Kuscsik and Kathrine Switzer, and New York City Marathon co-director Fred Lebow – in the early 1970s, there was a dearth of women's road racing competitions.

The race's inaugural sponsor Johnson Wax (who were promoting a women's shaving gel called Crazylegs) suggested a full marathon event (26 miles and 385 yards), but it was decided that a more manageable "mini marathon" race over 6 miles would be held.

The route loops in a clockwise direction, turning southwards at Harlem Meer around the 3-mile (5-kilometre) mark.

It continues south past the Central Park Reservoir and the Guggenheim Museum.