Central Park Took On the World’s Largest FitnessGram Pacer Test (Again)

At 11 a.m., Sheep Meadow in Central Park filled with runners, spectators, and more than a little gym-class nostalgia after a viral Partiful on the Explore page brought around 1,000 people out for another attempt at the world’s largest FitnessGram Pacer Test, hosted by Jordan Haber — a major step up from last year’s edition, which drew 250 attendees.

The event went viral before runners even reached Sheep Meadow. As of today, 2,079 people had marked themselves as going, 2,308 as interested, and another 450 as maybe — a turnout signal that made the scale of the attempt feel real well before the first whistle.

A few months before the event, Haber posted it to Partiful Explore, where it accumulated thousands of RSVPs naturally. For hosts, Explore can be a way to put a public event in front of people already looking for plans — learn how to get your event featured.

A record attempt with real structure

For an event built around the most infamous audio track in school fitness history, the whole thing was remarkably orderly. Participants lined up across the meadow, referees directed the action with whistles, and cones clearly marked the race distance. By the time the test began at about 11:20 a.m., the field had turned into a disciplined, very large relay of runners crossing the line and turning back on cue.

Ten minutes of running

The actual race lasted far longer than most people’s grade-school memories. The eventual winners kept going for about ten whole minutes as the beeps tightened and the pace accelerated. At that point, staying in it was less about remembering the test and more about finding a reason to take one more turn.

A podium finish

The finish came with a medal ceremony celebrating the top three winners, plus the top female finisher. It was a fittingly earnest ending for an event that began as a viral, tongue-in-cheek challenge and became a fully organized Central Park spectacle.

From 250 people last year to around 1,000 this year

Jordan Haber first brought the Pacer Test to Central Park last year, when 250 people attended. The New York Post covered that original attempt. This year’s turnout made it clear that the joke has grown into a real tradition — one built around a shared childhood reference, a lot of friendly competitiveness, and the rare joy of doing something difficult together in public.

Next up: Walk the Length of Manhattan

Haber is planning more events, starting with Walk the Length of Manhattan on August 22. Everyone who completes the walk gets a good time, with an after-party location still to be announced. Consider it a different kind of endurance test — fewer beeps, more blocks.

Want the full scene? Watch the video.