Everything you need to know about the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon — course strategy, borough-by-borough breakdown, travel tips, and how to make the most of race weekend.
The TCS New York City Marathon on November 1, 2026 is the largest marathon in the world — over 50,000 finishers crossing through all five boroughs of New York City. Whether you got in through the lottery, a charity entry, or the 9+1 program, here is everything you need to know.
Staten Island (Miles 0-2): You start on the Staten Island side of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The first two miles are uphill across the bridge — do not go out fast here. The crowd energy is electric and the bridge is packed. Resist the urge to surge. You will pay for it later.
Brooklyn (Miles 2-13): The long, rolling stretch through Brooklyn is where most runners settle into their pace. Fourth Avenue is wide and slightly downhill — a great place to lock into your goal pace. The crowds in Williamsburg and through Bedford-Stuyvesant are some of the loudest on the course.
Queens (Miles 13-15): A short stretch through Long Island City after crossing the Pulaski Bridge. The crowd thins out here — stay mentally focused. This is also where the half marathon split happens, so check your time.
The Bronx (Miles 20-21): You enter the Bronx via the Willis Avenue Bridge around mile 20. This is a brief stretch but it comes right when the race gets hard. The crowd support picks up on East 138th Street — soak it in.
Manhattan (Miles 16-20, 22-26.2): You enter Manhattan twice. The first time, you run up First Avenue from mile 16 to 20 — this is one of the most iconic stretches in marathoning. The crowds are ten deep on both sides. Then after the Bronx, you come back down Fifth Avenue through Harlem and into Central Park for the finish.
The NYC course is not flat. There are five bridges and rolling terrain throughout Central Park. Most runners should plan for negative splits — run the first half conservatively and pick it up after the Queensboro Bridge.
Target splits for common goals:
Bib pickup: The NYC Marathon Expo is at the Javits Center, usually Thursday through Saturday before the race. You must pick up your bib in person — no race-day pickup.
Getting to the start: Runners take buses from near the New York Public Library (Fifth Avenue at 40th Street) starting around 5:00 AM. Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island is the staging area — plan to wait 1-3 hours before your wave.
What to bring to the start village: Throwaway clothes (it can be cold), breakfast, water, and your phone. There are bag check options but most runners prefer to travel light.
After the finish: You will exit Central Park and walk about a mile to the family reunion area. Your legs will hate you for this. Have a plan to meet your people — cell service is brutal right after the finish.
Early November in New York City can range from 35 to 65 degrees. Check the forecast obsessively the week before. The most common mistake is overdressing — you will warm up significantly once you start running.
The hills matter more than you think. The Verrazzano Bridge, the Queensboro Bridge, and the Central Park hills at miles 24-25 will test you. If you can, train on bridges and rolling terrain. If you are coming from a flat city, add hill repeats to your long runs.
The NYC Marathon is not a PR course for most runners. It is an experience course. If this is your first time, run for the experience and save your time goal for a flat race like Berlin or Chicago.
Find other runners doing the NYC Marathon 2026 on Runrora — join the race community, share your training, and connect with people running the same event.
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