Philadelphia Marathon Opens 3,000 Slots For NYC Marathon Runners - Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

Philadelphia Marathon Opens 3,000 Slots For NYC Marathon Runners

The Philadelphia Marathon has opened an additional 3,000 registration lottery slots for runners who were registered, but unable to compete in the New York City Marathon, Mayor Michael Nutter announced Tuesday.

Race organizers say New York City Marathon participants can enter a lottery to register for the Philadelphia Marathon beginning Wednesday at 9 a.m. and ending Thursday at 5 p.m.

The Philadelphia Marathon previously sold out on October 1st.

Race organizers say the offer is only available to marathoners previously registered for the November 4th New York City Marathon.

"In the wake of Hurricane Sandy and the many challenges created by it, we are honored to welcome New York City marathon participants to Philadelphia," Mayor Michael Nutter said in a statement.

"We understand that marathoners have invested a great deal of time, training and dedication to prepare, and so we've decided that adding up to 3,000 competitors is something we can do to support the running community."

According to organizers, the registration fee is $200, with half of the fees to be donated to the Hurricane Relief Fund for the American Red Cross. Organizers say the remaining costs will cover additional supplies and resources for the Philadelphia Marathon.

"We are grateful to the Philadelphia Marathon and Mayor Nutter for their generosity in inviting runners who were affected by the cancellation of the ING NYC Marathon," said Mary Wittenberg, CEO of New York Road Runners, which produces the New York City Marathon.

Eligible New York Marathon runners can find out more information on the Philadelphia Marathon website.