By Tracy Zwick
New York City’s best day of the year, Marathon Sunday, November 1st, is almost here!
The NYC Marathon is the most difficult of the three big U.S. marathons, if you ask me. And you should ask me. In the last four years, I’ve run the NYC race three times, the Chicago Marathon twice, and the elite Boston Marathon once.
The course in NYC is a beast. Five boroughs! Five bridges! Bands, DJs, cheer squads, two million shrieking spectators, and 60,000 runners crowding the course. It features a grinding incline near the course’s end, on Fifth Avenue. There’s more elevation in Central Park, even with the iconic Finish Line – on the UWS next to Tavern on the Green – in sight.
It’s absolutely brutal. And yet. I’ll be running it again this Sunday.
You should be on the course too.
I’m a marathon evangelist because this is the truth: The energy and joy and vibe and love on a marathon Sunday in a city like New York is real, and it’s rare. Show me another mass event that leaves hard-nosed New Yorkers in tears on the city’s sidewalks, packed four people deep on First Avenue, screaming the names of runners they do not know and will never see again.
The weather should be gorgeous on Sunday – sparkling and crisp – and there’s no bad place to watch. Here’s the course – just get out there.
I recommend Marcus Garvey Park on W. 120th Street as a great place for UWSers to spectate, because it’s less crowded than First or Fifth Avenues, and you can easily walk or take a bike from our neck of the woods. If someone you love’s in the race, it even allows you time to rush to the finish line to catch your runner a second time as they mark 26.2 miles.
If you don’t have friends or family in the mix this year, cheer for some of the astonishing athletes on NYRR’s Team Inspire. They include a young woman from Afghanistan who dreamed of running, though the Taliban forbids all women from doing so. She watched YouTube videos of the marathon, escaped Afghanistan, and is in this year’s field. Also on the team: three moms from across the U.S. who met while their toddlers and infant were being treated for a rare pediatric eye cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering. They’re raising money so other kids can receive the same care.
Track them and anyone else you want to follow on race day, using the NYRR’s app.
It’s a special year for the marathon, which, as always, is organized by the non-profit New York Road Runners. In honor of the golden anniversary of the course becoming a five-borough race, new celebrations have been added to the program this year, and some are already underway.
“50 Years Through the 5 Boroughs” at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Station: From Tuesday, Oct. 27th through Friday, Oct. 30th, NYRR is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the five-borough course with interactive experiences including a track and a finish line simulation at Grand Central. You can learn about the race’s history and the communities it passes through. Expect DJs, giveaways, and special guests.
NYC Marathon Expo: One of the country’s largest running expos, it’s free and open to the public at the Jacob K.Javits Center on 11th Ave. and W. 36th St., from Thursday, October 29th through Saturday, October 31st. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, with earlier hours Saturday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Marathon runners pick up their bibs and swag here, but any runner, or aspiring runner, can come, ask questions, and shop at loads of running-focused booths. You can also hear experts on stage talking about everything from stretching to fueling to technique.
Opening Ceremony: If you’re not busy gearing up for Halloween, head to Central Park this Friday, October 30th – you can enter at W. 63rd Street. Around 4:30 p.m., the annual Parade of Nations begins. It’s a showcase of marathon runners from all over the world carrying their national flags and beaming with pride.
Abbott Dash to the Finish 5K: Want to officially cross the iconic NYC Marathon Finish Line without having to run 26.2 miles? The Dash to the Finish 5K is the perfect opportunity. Kicking off Saturday, October 31st at 8:45 a.m., this 3.1-mile race has over 11,000 participants, including 3 Olympians, 8 NCAA champs, 4 U.S. national champs, and 2 defending Dash to the Finish Line 5K champs. It’s too late to get in this year’s race, but you can watch at the finish line or anywhere along the course, which you can find here.
How to Watch the Marathon on Sunday: Most of the course, from mile 3 to mile 26, is open to spectators. You can also watch it on TV or streaming, or listen to the radio broadcast. (Details can be found here.) The race starts on Staten Island at 8 a.m. with the pros, and waves of starters will continue to enter the course until about 11:30 a.m. Runners are expected to be on the course from 8 a.m. until well after dark. The pros should finish around 11 a.m.
Be sure to download the official NYC Marathon app. It lets you track any runner using their name or bib number. While that runner’s on the course, it should tell you exactly where they are. From the UWS, the closest spot to watch is near the finish line in Central Park, but you can also watch along 59th Street from Columbus Circle to the eastern edge of Central Park. Grandstand seating in Central Park is available for purchase.
Who to Watch: Your friends and family! But also professionals who’ll compete to take home $100,000. Defending champs Marcel Hug, Benson Kipruto, and Hellen Obiri are in the race, as are former champs like Sheila Chepkirui, and some big-name Americans, like U.S. marathon record-holder Connor Mantz. Don’t forget about NYRR’s Team Inspire!
How to Get in the Race Next Year: If you find yourself dreaming of being off the sidewalk and on the course, here are your options for 2027:
- You can earn a spot by running a qualifying marathon or half-marathon in a dauntingly fast qualifying time, which depends on your age and gender.
- You can also get in by raising money for one of the race’s charity partners.
- Another option is to get lucky and win the NYC Marathon Lottery.
- Or you can take advantage of NYRR’s 9+1 program, through which you gain entry to the following year’s marathon after running 9 smaller NYRR races and volunteering at 1, all within the same calendar year.
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