Lace up your running shoes. Queens is getting its first-ever marathon to be run entirely in the borough. NY1’s Matt McClure filed the following report.

Kevin Montalvo has been an avid runner for five years. The Jackson Heights native says the sport not only improved his health, it also changed his life.

“It's a transcending experience to all of a sudden go from not running at all to being a part of something that's bigger than you,” Montalvo said.

So Kevin and other runners got together two years ago to form a running club called Queens Distance Runners. Today, the group has more than 160 members and hosts running events across Queens.

“The biggest borough by far in New York City, ten percent of it is covered by parks, and we're really excited about what we've done so far,” he added.

Now, they're taking it to the next level with the first-ever Queens Marathon. The 26-mile race is scheduled for April 30th, 2016 at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

“I've had the experience of getting the chance to run Boston, Rio, lots of other different cities, Miami. I know what a marathon can do for local communities,” he said.

Marathon runners will make at least four loops around Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, taking in the sights of iconic structures like the New York State Pavilion along the way. But organizers say they have much more planned to keep the large crowds entertained. That includes having local bands play along the route.

“We can call on lots of Queens staples, institutions, to come out and help us in assuring that every runner is going to have the entire Queens experience in a very small amount of time,” Montalvo said.

“You know you've made it, right? When you have a marathon in your borough,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, who is a running enthusiast herself.

“I still run as much as I can. It's not 26 miles, but I do my best,” Katz added. “But I think it's an exciting sport, and more than that, it's an international sport. Folks are going to come from all over the world to run in this marathon.”

Registration will begin later this month.

For more information, go to qdrunners.org.