The NYC Marathon Route & Course Guide for Sunday, November 1, 2026 Five Boroughs.
Five Bridges.
Four Traps.

I'm convinced that the New York City Marathon is the best marathon in the world, but I still think it's one of the toughest. Of the world majors, its 945 feet of elevation gain puts it second only to Sydney – but that isn't even the main factor behind its difficulty. The course baits you into surging four separate times: down the Verrazzano, up Fourth Avenue, through the brownstone canyon of Lafayette, and onto First Avenue. The consequences for falling for these surges seem trivial… until you get to mile 23 up Fifth Avenue. That's where I've paid for my hubris, and I hope this guide helps you avoid those same mistakes.

Cheering, not running? The spectator guide is here. Making a week of it? Check out The Radar.

Make this plan yours

Enter a goal finish time and pick a pacing model. Every segment below shows the pace and elapsed time you should be hitting, and the mile table at the bottom updates too.

Start 10:20 AM54°Fmostly sunnyFinish ~2:20 PM61°Fsunny

Quick targets

Pacing model

1:30

Start color

Your assigned start color sets your deck on the Verrazzano, your exit into Bay Ridge, and your side of 4th Avenue. NYRR tells you that all three routes merge on Lafayette Avenue at mile 8, but realistically you can choose where you'd like to run right after the three courses meet on 4th and 76th, just beyond the 5K mark.

Avg pace

9:09/mi

First half

1:59:58

Second half

2:00:02

Wave

100′200′Verrazzano apex · mi 0.9Lafayette AvePulaski · halfwayQueensboroWillis Ave rampThe Fifth Ave grindFinishmi 0mi 5mi 1013.1mi 2026.2

Explore the course: move or drag across the profile for the mile, elevation, and street. Use the arrow keys when the chart is focused.

Five boroughs, five bridges (shaded), ~945 ft of certified gain.

11:41/mi

field average for mile 24 up Fifth Avenue — the slowest mile of the race

6.4%

the Willis Ave ramp at mile 19.5 — steepest grade on course

9:48 vs 11:20

field average pace per mile · Brooklyn vs the Bronx

Twelve segments, one plan

Start color

The map outlines all three start corridors from the bridge to 75th Street with yours on top. The first two cards call out your deck, your exit, and your side of 4th Avenue.

  • Blue (yours)
  • Orange
  • Pink
  • miles
  • every 5 km
  • halfway
mi 0 – 2.1Staten Island to Bay Ridgetrap #1

1. The Verrazzano

The cannon, Sinatra, and the apex before mile 1.

Segment pace

9:18/mi

At mi 2.1

19:33

Blue start · Upper level, right-hand lanes. Off the bridge you take the 92nd Street offramp and drop straight onto 4th Avenue at 92nd.

Course

  • The cannon rings out over the sound of Sinatra, and you immediately begin the biggest climb of the day: 150 ft to the apex of the Verrazzano – the highest point of the race at mile 0.9. Don't be fazed, the mile 2 downhill will pay it back with interest.
  • If you find yourself on the upper deck (blue and orange corrals) look forward to beautiful Brooklyn and Manhattan skyline views, along with some pretty gnarly wind resistance. Those of you on the lower deck (pink corral) will miss out on the view, with the benefit of little to no wind. I've done both, and can confidently say that neither decides the race.
  • It doesn't matter how much you spent on your watch; when you're on the Verrazzano, your GPS will be inaccurate. Run the first two miles focusing on effort with manual splits, trying your best to ignore the field of runners around you.

Pace

  • You will likely find that Mile 1 is 30–45 seconds slower than your goal pace. That's correct, and intentional. Don't let the numbers mess with your mindset.
  • Mile 2 will feel like a natural place to regain lost time from the ascent, but don't fall into that trap. The reason this is statistically the fastest bridge on the course is that everyone blows it here.
  • You can't win the race on the Verrazzano, but you can certainly lose it.
“The reason this is statistically the fastest bridge on the course is that everyone blows it here.”

Technique

  • Uphill: shorten your stride, drive your elbows back, and relax your shoulders. Keep a steady gaze 30 meters ahead, not up at the towers.
  • Downhill: maintain a fast cadence, keep your steps under your hips, and hit the ground quietly. It's easy to strain your knees and hips here. Don't.
  • If you're on the upper level, dodge the vloggers by keeping clear of the median dividing the two corrals. Maintain a straight line trajectory and a steady effort. You'll be off of the bridge before you know it.

Fuel & more

  • Nothing on the course yet, you'll find the first fluid station at mile 3.
  • Your wave started between 9:10 and 11:30, hours after breakfast. I'd highly recommend getting a bagel and a Dunkin' coffee at the start village. If you're carrying a bottle, take a sip on the descent.
  • Don't forget to shed your start-village layers before the start, there are no donation bins on the course.
mi 2.1 – 8Brooklyntrap #2

2. Bay Ridge & Fourth Avenue

Six flat, wide, deafening miles.

Segment pace

9:07/mi

At mi 8

1:13:19

Blue start · You are on 4th Avenue from 92nd Street in the east (right-hand) roadway, with Orange across the median and Pink joining beside you after the 5K mark. Tell your people to stand on the east side.

Course

  • Past the bridge, you'll go through Bay Ridge and onto Fourth Avenue. The road is six lanes wide and perfectly straight, with all three corrals running in parallel and split by the median. They come together just after the 5K mark.
  • You'll find fluid stations at miles 3, 4, 6, and 8 (none at 5 or 7). All stations will have water and Gatorade Endurance Formula, Lemon-Lime. That's the flavor throughout the whole course, train with it if you can.
  • The crowds build from Sunset Park onward and barely stop until the Queensboro.

Pace

  • Trap #2 is a tough one to feel because you're still finding your rhythm for the race. Resist the temptation to speed up here because you “feel good.” You've been tapering for over two weeks now, you're supposed to feel good.
  • Stick to goal pace, and only goal pace. The field runs Brooklyn at an average of 9:48 and the Bronx at 11:20. That gap is created here, in these easy miles.
  • Make sure to check your watch at least once per mile marker. The noise and energy will pull you 20 sec/mi hot and, if you don't stay aware, you won't notice until it's too late.
  • Find a pack running at your pace and settle in. Don't pay attention to any runners passing you; as long as you're sticking to your goal pace, you're right where you need to be.

Technique

  • Run the tangents, Fourth Ave is where you learn the course is measured on the shortest legal path, not the blue line.
  • Check your breathing — you should be able to speak a full sentence. If not, you're surging. Breathe in for three steps, out for three steps. Exhaling is more important than inhaling.
  • Drop your shoulders, they'll still be feeling the bridge.

Fuel & more

  • Take your first gel 30–45 minutes in (or every 20–30 minutes if you've trained for it), even if you're feeling great. The on-course depots sit at miles 12 and 18, too late in the race to rely on for proper nutrition.
  • Half cup of Gatorade with a water chaser at alternating stations is the cadence I go for. Make sure to drink before you're thirsty, as thirst is a lagging indicator.
  • Tables run down both sides of the course, so drift to the side early instead of cutting across the river of runners. If you're planning on walking through the station, raise a hand over your head so runners behind you know you're slowing down.
mi 8 – 9.5Fort Greene · Clinton Hilltrap #3my favorite mile

3. Lafayette Avenue

The brownstone canyon, and my favorite mile of the race.

Segment pace

9:14/mi

At mi 9.5

1:27:09

Course

  • At mile 8 the course turns onto Lafayette Avenue and the road narrows significantly. You'll be surrounded by brownstones on both sides with their stoops packed and hundreds of people screaming your name if it's on your shirt. This is my favorite stretch of the entire race.
  • The reasons that make this my favorite mile also make it a dangerous trap; don't let the energy of this crowd trick you into running faster than you should be.
  • It's also a ~60-foot climb over half a mile, the first real hill since the Verrazzano.
  • There's a fluid station at mile 8, right before the turn (it gets crowded). Take water here, as you won't find another station at 9.

Pace

  • Trap #3 is the sneakiest because it's disguised as pure joy. The crowd's energy will cancel out the hill for you, so stay conscious of it.
  • Let the pace drift +10–15 seconds on the uphill if you need to. You'll get every second back on Bedford, and patience here is what keeps your legs alive on Fifth Avenue later.
“This is where you really feel the energy of New York City.”

Technique

  • Shorten your stride up the hill; if you're shooting for a time goal, stick to the middle of the course. If your goals are more fun-focused, ride the sides.
  • Give high-fives, pet dogs, and tap the Mario “power-up” posters. This is where you really feel the energy of New York City.
  • Smile. Have fun with this section.

Fuel & more

  • Either visit the mile-8 tables right when you see them or wait for mile 10. Don't fight the crowd where the road pinches.
  • If you're carrying gels, crowd energy is a great time to get one down. They'll go down easier when you're stimulated.
mi 9.5 – 12.8Brooklyn

4. Bed-Stuy to Greenpoint

Rhythm miles through Brooklyn's contrasts.

Segment pace

9:05/mi

At mi 12.8

1:57:08

Course

  • Bedford Avenue runs the whole spectrum of Brooklyn: block-party loud through Bed-Stuy, then the famous quiet of South Williamsburg, then Williamsburg roaring back, then Greenpoint's Polish flags on Manhattan Ave.
  • Flat to gently downhill. The calmest running of the day.
  • Stations at 10, 11, and 12, with the first Maurten depot at mile 12, serving Gel 100 and Caf 100. I encourage you to restock only if you've been training with them, nothing new on race day.

Pace

  • Goal pace on rails. The halfway check-in is three miles away and you want to be relaxed going into it.
  • Use the quiet blocks for a full check each mile: breathing, shoulders, jaw, hands. Fix whatever's creeping up.

Technique

  • Form can drift when the crowds vanish. Run the posture check at every mile marker.
  • Pick your line early through the Williamsburg crowds; the road will pinch again around N 7th.

Fuel & more

  • Remember to take your gels, and to restock when the station comes up. Even if you have enough, it could be worth grabbing an extra in case you drop one later on.
  • Warm day? Start pouring water on your neck now, not at 18, especially if you're starting in a later wave. You don't want to let the heat catch up to you.
mi 12.8 – 13.5Greenpoint to Long Island Citysneaky climb

5. The Pulaski Bridge

The sneaky climb into Queens, with the halfway mat on top.

Segment pace

9:07/mi

At mi 13.5

2:03:31

Course

  • Greenpoint tips you onto the Pulaski Bridge with a 3.6% ramp that nobody warns you about. The halfway mat is at the top of the bridge.
  • From the crest you'll get your first proper look at the Manhattan skyline, and dead ahead, the Queensboro waiting for you three miles away.

Pace

  • The honest check-in. Cross 13.1 and compare your elapsed time against your plan. Are you within a minute either way? Is your breathing conversational? If you answer yes, then you're running a smart race. Gasping for breath and two minutes off plan in either direction? Start adjusting now, don't wait for the Queensboro.
  • Give the ramp 5–10 seconds of pace, it'll be worth it.

Technique

  • Short stride up; the down-ramp into LIC is steeper than the climb. Keep your feet quick, no braking, let gravity take you.

Fuel & more

  • Don't chug at halfway, sip. The last thing you want is water sloshing around. The next tables come right after the bridge, and there's a full station at 14 before the Queensboro.
  • Keep your eyes out for the Nike billboard at the top of the Pulaski, they always make me smile.
mi 13.5 – 14.8Queens

6. Long Island City

Twisty, quieter, and exactly the breather you need before the bridge.

Segment pace

9:10/mi

At mi 14.8

2:15:26

Course

  • A dogleg through Long Island City, with more turns in one stretch than the previous 10 miles. Crowds are present but thin, buildings rise, and the Queensboro starts looming over Crescent Street.
  • This is the staging area for the rest of the day. Take stock of your race so far, and prepare yourself mentally for the toughest part.

Pace

  • Hold your goal pace, but manage your expectations. Your only job between here and the crest is arriving at First Avenue with your legs as fresh as possible.
  • No need for heroics out of the corners. Slow in, roll out.

Technique

  • Corners: wide entry, tight exit, no surging on the way out. You're not an F1 car.
  • Sixty seconds of deliberate calm as you prep yourself for the bridge. Shoulders down, slow exhale. A pre-bridge reset is worth more than any pep talk.

Fuel & more

  • Take water at mile 14 even if you don't really want it, this is your last chance before the bridge.
  • If you respond well to caffeine and carry your own, mile 14.5 would be the smart spot to take it. It'll hit right as you crest into First Avenue.
mi 14.8 – 16.1Queens to Manhattan

7. The Queensboro Bridge

The silent mile — no spectators, no aid, ~105 feet of climb.

Segment pace

9:14/mi

At mi 16.1

2:27:27

Course

  • The lower deck: no spectators allowed, no aid, stretches of half-dark. Just the sound of carbon-plated shoes slapping against pavement and echoing through the 117-year-old bridge.
  • ~105 feet of climb in 0.6 miles to the crest at 15.4, then a swooping descent and a hard hairpin off the ramp onto First Avenue.
  • This is where the field first runs slower than its race average: 10:40 a mile over the bridge, against 10:24 for the whole race. Everyone slows down here, but since you planned for it, it's a non-event.

Pace

  • Effort, not pace. Give the climb 20–30 seconds without fighting. Your watch is half-blind under the upper deck anyway. Run by breath.
  • If you have to walk, this is socially the easiest place to do it. Besides, 30 seconds of walking beats bonking at mile 22.
  • The descent is a controlled build, not a launch. The hairpin at the bottom is sharper than your legs will expect.

Technique

  • Shortest stride of the day going up. Eyes 30 meters ahead on the roadway, never at the crest.
  • The silence splits people: some recenter in it, some spiral. Decide which runner you are before race day and script your inner monologue beforehand.
  • Every runner knows this is the hardest part of the race. In lieu of a crowd, runners will be cheering each other on through the climb. Embrace that energy. That is New York.
  • Listen near the top — that low roar rolling under the deck is First Avenue. Let it pull you in.

Fuel & more

  • Nothing available bridge-wide. You already handled this at mile 14, but if you didn't, there's a station at 16 the moment you land on First Avenue.
“Just the sound of carbon-plated shoes slapping against pavement and echoing through the 117-year-old bridge.”
mi 16.1 – 19.45Manhattantrap #4

8. First Avenue

The wall of sound.

Segment pace

9:09/mi

At mi 19.4

2:58:05

Course

  • Off the hairpin into the loudest left turn in running: First Avenue at 59th Street, a canyon of noise ten blocks deep. It may appear flat, but it's not. It's a long false-flat grind up through the 90s, then it gently rolls downhill toward the Willis.
  • Wall-to-wall crowds through the Upper East Side, thinning noticeably past 96th as you climb into East Harlem. The energy cliff is real, and prep yourself for it to quiet down.
  • This is the most famous trap of the course. As your first welcome into Manhattan, the crowds will try and bait you into PRing in the mile. Don't let them.
  • Stations at every mile (16–19). The second Maurten depot is at mile 18.

Pace

  • Trap #4 is the famous one. The data is brutal: miles 17–18 are the last “fast” miles of the average runner's race, and the adrenaline catches up to you at mile 19. Cap yourself at goal pace even though your legs might feel refreshed.
  • I try to run First Avenue by breath, not pace. The false flat makes goal pace feel 10 seconds harder.
“The most famous trap of the course.”

Technique

  • Run tall through the noise. Embrace it, and let that energy carry you through.
  • Hold the center of the avenue, unless you have loved ones in the crowd. Communicate with them beforehand to know where they'll be, and try to find them. It'll make your day and theirs.

Fuel & more

  • Mile 18 depot: take a gel no matter what. Even if you don't eat it, carry it. The wall at 20 is a battle won at mile 18. Take a Caf 100 if it works for you.
  • Usually the warmest stretch of the race. Buildings block the wind, and the sun is overhead. Double up at one station if it's particularly warm: one cup to drink, one over your head.
mi 19.45 – 20.9Manhattan to Mott Havensneaky climb

9. Willis Ave & the Bronx

The steepest ramp on the course, right at the wall.

Segment pace

9:09/mi

At mi 20.9

3:11:21

Course

  • The Willis Avenue Bridge is the sneaky climb into the Bronx that I never hear anyone talk about. It's a short 6.4% kick, the steepest ramp on the entire course, arriving at mile 19.5. This is the point where even flat marathons start to break runners.
  • The deck is a metal grate (carpeted, but watch it if it's wet).
  • Then Mott Haven: one mile, and new for 2026, five turns instead of seven. The loop around the supermarket block on Morris and Rider is gone; you stay on Alexander up to 141st, cut over to Third Avenue, and take 138th straight to the bridge.
  • People will tell you that the Bronx is “lonely.” Every year I run it, the run clubs, DJs, marching bands, and cheer zones get louder.

Pace

  • The field runs the Bronx about a minute and a half slower than it runs Brooklyn. That's not the borough's fault, that's the wall.
  • Attack nothing, rest in the turns.
  • The mile-20 marker sits just over the bridge. Whatever you feel when you get there, tell yourself it's a 10K to go. You've done dozens of 10Ks to get here, what's one more?
“Every year I run it, the run clubs, DJs, marching bands, and cheer zones get louder.”

Technique

  • Short steps up the Willis ramp, it's 35 feet, and it'll be over soon.
  • Count the turns down: five, four, three… to keep your mind off how your legs are starting to feel.

Fuel & more

  • Station at 20, right off the bridge. Take carbs in whatever form your stomach will take.
  • Last easy chance to fix hydration before the Fifth Avenue grind. The next 5K is where skipped water and carbs become cramps.
mi 20.9 – 22.85The Bronx to Harlem

10. The Last Damn Bridge & Harlem

Twelve feet of bridge, a warm Harlem welcome, and the turn onto Fifth.

Segment pace

9:08/mi

At mi 22.9

3:29:09

Course

  • The Madison Avenue Bridge is the Last Damn Bridge. Spectators' signs will tell you that, so make sure you tell yourself, too.
  • Then Harlem: 138th Street, the 125th Street party (choirs, drum lines, and DJs), around Marcus Garvey Park, and the left turn onto Fifth Avenue at Duke Ellington Circle.

Pace

  • Even effort through the turns. If a pace crisis hits here, downgrade your goal one notch and recommit. Don't renegotiate every block for the next four miles, it's not fun.
  • Fifth Avenue tilts up from 22.9, not the mile-23 marker.

Technique

  • Posture rebuild before the Fifth Avenue grind: head tall, elbows back, cadence up 2–3 steps a minute. Cadence is less energy than stride length from here to the finish.

Fuel & more

  • Bananas appear around mile 21. This could be a solution for you if your gut has decided to quit on gels.
  • Stations at 21 and 22. Walk the table if that's what it takes to actually swallow.
mi 22.85 – 24Museum Mile

11. The Fifth Avenue Grind

~100 feet at ~2% that looks completely flat. My least favorite part of this course.

Segment pace

9:25/mi

At mi 24

3:39:59

Course

  • A hundred feet of climb spread over the mile from Duke Ellington Circle to Engineers' Gate, past the Harlem Meer and down Museum Mile. That makes it the same amount of elevation gain as the Queensboro bridge, over nearly twice the amount of distance.
  • This is where course strategy becomes the most important. Each time you relaxed up a bridge and didn't bomb a descent is time you're making back here. Central Park is right over the wall to your right, which somehow makes it worse.

Pace

  • Everyone slows here. Plan for +10–15 seconds and you'll spend the mile passing a hundred people who didn't.
  • Don't look at the street signs. Every time you think you've covered five blocks, you'll only have covered two. It's not worth torturing yourself.
  • Keep an eye out for Engineers' Gate. That's the target.

Technique

  • Remember that the mile-23 form collapse is a choice. Run the 30-second reset on loop: shoulders, hands, jaw, elbows, all relaxed.
  • At this point you're likely running longer than you have in your training, making this uncharted territory. Choose to embrace the challenge rather than fear it.
  • Lean from the ankles, increase your cadence. Stride length will be gone, don't chase it.

Fuel & more

  • Station at 23: water at a minimum, carbs if you can still stomach them. The last depot was at 18, take the extra gel you grabbed now.
mi 24 – 26.2Engineers' Gate to Tavern on the Green

12. Central Park

Rollers on thrashed quads, an endless Central Park South, and a finish that climbs.

Segment pace

9:01/mi

At mi 26.2

4:00:00

Course

  • Through Engineers' Gate at East 90th onto East Drive: rollers the whole way, and a welcome downhill at Cat Hill past Edward Kemeys' Still Hunt. One more big climb after Cat Hill, until you're out at Grand Army Plaza around 25.5.
  • The eternal flat of Central Park South brings you to Columbus Circle four-tenths of a mile down the road, where you need to hop a curb to get back into the park for a finish climb in the last 400 meters to Tavern on the Green. Watch your step.
  • The crowds are deep from here to the line, and they know exactly how you feel. Soak it all in.

Pace

  • The rollers hurt more downhill than up now. Mile 25 holds the biggest descent since the Verrazzano and your quads will be complaining. Quick feet, don't brake.
  • Central Park South is the longest “almost there” in running. You leave the park with almost a mile still to go. Remember that you're merely minutes from the finish line.
  • After Columbus Circle, it's time to empty the tank. Leave nothing on the course. The finish is a climb, and your goal is to attack.

Technique

  • Now it's time to race people, not the clock. Pick a runner ahead of you and reel them in, one by one.
  • Head up, arms over your head through the finish. The finish photo lasts forever.
  • Remember how lucky you are to be able to run this race. Smile, you earned it.

Fuel & more

  • Stations at 24 and 25, water only if the stomach is done. You can't fuel your way out of the last two miles.
  • After: the recovery bag has a Gatorade, an apple, pretzels, a bottle of water, and a Maurten Solid. Poncho-only exits are north; bag pickup is south.
  • Get your medal, get your photo, and prepare for a long walk to the exit.

Take the course with you

The same line the map draws, 2026 Bronx reroute included, ready for your watch or route planner. Its elevation comes from the corrected profile up top, so all five bridges keep their real climbs. It traces the Blue start; Orange and Pink join it on 4th Avenue after the 5K.

Download the GPX

Offline

Take it where the signal isn't

Sixty thousand runners share the cell towers at Fort Wadsworth, and the subway drops out between stations. Saved, both guides and their maps open without a connection: your plan, the course, every corner and its station.

The whole plan in one glance

Same goal and pacing model you set above. This table updates with your adjustments.

Split it manually. GPS struggles in the city, so don't run off the pace your watch is displaying. Press the lap button at every mile marker instead and check each split against this table, you'll have a much better idea of where you actually are.

MilePaceElapsed
Mile 1The Verrazzano9:53/mi9:53
Mile 2The Verrazzano8:45/mi18:38
Mile 3Bay Ridge & Fourth Avenue9:10/mi27:47
Mile 4Bay Ridge & Fourth Avenue9:06/mi36:53
Mile 5Bay Ridge & Fourth Avenue9:09/mi46:02
Mile 6Bay Ridge & Fourth Avenue9:05/mi55:07
Mile 7Bay Ridge & Fourth Avenue9:05/mi1:04:13
Mile 8Bay Ridge & Fourth Avenue9:06/mi1:13:19
Mile 9Lafayette Avenue9:20/mi1:22:39
Mile 10Bed-Stuy to Greenpoint9:00/mi1:31:39
Mile 11Bed-Stuy to Greenpoint9:04/mi1:40:44
Mile 12Bed-Stuy to Greenpoint9:04/mi1:49:48
Mile 13The Pulaski Bridge9:10/mi1:58:58
Mile 14Long Island City9:06/mi2:08:04
Mile 15The Queensboro Bridge9:12/mi2:17:16
Mile 16The Queensboro Bridge9:15/mi2:26:32
Mile 17First Avenue9:12/mi2:35:44
Mile 18First Avenue9:12/mi2:44:56
Mile 19First Avenue9:02/mi2:53:58
Mile 20Willis Ave & the Bronx9:09/mi3:03:07
Mile 21The Last Damn Bridge & Harlem9:09/mi3:12:16
Mile 22The Last Damn Bridge & Harlem9:07/mi3:21:23
Mile 23The Fifth Avenue Grind9:08/mi3:30:32
Mile 24The Fifth Avenue Grind9:28/mi3:39:59
Mile 25Central Park8:59/mi3:48:59
Mile 26Central Park8:59/mi3:57:58
26.2 · FinishCentral Park9:19/mi4:00:00

The race before the race

Fort Wadsworth is on Staten Island; you're probably not. Getting 60,000 runners there is its own event, it starts before dawn, and NYRR has been tightening the rules every year. Nail this and you arrive calm. Wing it and you risk spending race morning sweating in the back of an Uber.

New for 2026

  • You no longer choose your departure time. During the selection window (Aug 25 – Sep 8, 2026, in your NYRR dashboard) you pick only a mode and location — ferry, Midtown bus, or NJ bus. NYRR assigns your exact time based on your wave and publishes final details in October.
  • It's enforced. Since 2025 your transport assignment is printed on the bottom of your bib and checked at boarding. Showing up for an option or time you weren't assigned can mean anything from a warning to disqualification under NYRR's transportation non-compliance policy.
  • Miss the selection window and you're assigned whatever's left at the expo, with no switching. Options are first-come, first-served and fill fast.
  • The course changes for the first time since 2011. Between miles 20 and 21 in the Bronx, you now stay on Alexander Avenue past 138th Street up to 141st, turn left for one block, left again onto Third Avenue, and right onto 138th, straight to the Madison Avenue Bridge. The old loop up Morris Avenue and back down Rider Avenue, around the Mott Haven supermarket block, is gone: five turns in the Bronx instead of seven. Same bridges, same distance.

Work backwards from the cannon

Your wave

Your ferry time

NYRR assigns every runner a ferry time, printed on the bottom of your bib and in your NYRR dashboard. Until you pick yours, this uses an estimate for Wave 3.

  1. 6:50 AMBe inside Whitehall Terminal (wait indoors, not on the plaza)
  2. 7:10 AMBoard the ferry — ~25 min ride, restrooms on board
  3. 7:40 AMSt. George: straight to the shuttle-bus line
  4. 8:15 AMFort Wadsworth security — bib visible, clear village bag only
  5. 9:20 AMCorrals open — Wave 3 closes ~9:50 AM, don't cut it close
  6. 10:20 AMCannon. Sinatra. Go.

Village time before your corral opens: ~1h 5m. Dress for standing around in November, not for running. Your throwaway layers get donated, and there's Dunkin' coffee, bagels, and a free beanie while you wait.

My 4:30 AM routine

First: thank NYRR for scheduling this race on the night daylight saving time ends. That's a free extra hour of sleep, and it's the best gift in road racing. Set your alarm before you set your clocks back and it feels almost humane.

4:30 wakeup. Outfit is already laid out from the night before, bib pinned, so there's zero decisions to make. Breakfast is a plain or sesame bagel with peanut butter, banana, and honey; black coffee; 20 oz of electrolyte mix (LMNT for me). Sip it throughout the morning. By 5:15–5:30, I'm in a cab so I'm at the Public Library before 6:00 for my bus.

The Midtown bus is messy — the queue wraps around the library, nobody's sure which coach is boarding, it feels disorganized every single year. You'll get on. Ninety minutes later you're at Fort Wadsworth with time to spare.

Blue start

Upper deck, right side. The skyline view, and the wind. I've started here — layer for the bridge.

Orange start

Upper deck, left side. Same view, same wind, different corrals and village.

Pink start

Lower deck (the old green start). No view, slightly less climb, sheltered from the wind. I've started here too; it's the calmest of the three.

Your color decides your start village, corral entrance, and which deck of the Verrazzano you run. The three routes stay separated until they come together on 4th Avenue right after the 5K mark. It's printed on your bib, there's no changing it.

The first Sunday of November is a coin flip

Race-morning temperatures typically sit in the low 40s to mid 50s, pretty much perfect marathon weather. But the tails are real in both directions, and the bridges make their own wind. The forecast firms up around the Thursday before; pack Friday night, not Monday, and if you're coming from out of town, bring options. Most of the field finishes in the afternoon, when it's typically 5–10°F warmer than at the start.

Sunday's forecast

National Weather Service · updated Sun 1:21 AM

  1.  

    4 AM

    Partly cloudy

    45°

    2 mph N

  2.  

    5 AM

    Partly cloudy

    44°

    0 mph

  3.  

    6 AM

    Mostly sunny

    43°

    0 mph

  4.  

    7 AM

    Mostly sunny

    44°

    0 mph

  5.  

    8 AM

    Mostly sunny

    46°

    0 mph

  6.  

    9 AM

    Sunny

    50°

    0 mph

  7. Your start

    10 AM

    Sunny

    54°

    0 mph

  8.  

    11 AM

    Sunny

    56°

    0 mph

  9.  

    12 PM

    Sunny

    58°

    0 mph

  10.  

    1 PM

    Sunny

    60°

    0 mph

  11. Your finish

    2 PM

    Sunny

    61°

    0 mph

  12.  

    3 PM

    Sunny

    61°

    0 mph

  13.  

    4 PM

    Mostly sunny

    61°

    0 mph

  14.  

    5 PM

    Mostly sunny

    59°

    0 mph

  15.  

    6 PM

    Partly cloudy

    58°

    0 mph

  16.  

    7 PM

    Partly cloudy

    56°

    0 mph

  17.  

    8 PM

    Mostly clear

    54°

    0 mph

  18.  

    9 PM

    Partly cloudy

    53°

    0 mph

  19.  

    10 PM

    Partly cloudy

    52°

    0 mph

  20.  

    11 PM

    Mostly clear

    51°

    0 mph

  21.  

    12 AM

    Mostly clear

    49°

    0 mph

On the Verrazzano at your 10:20 AM start: 2 mph from the NW, 54°F and mostly sunny on Staten Island. The upper deck runs a little windier than the ground forecast. Hours are Central Park; times are your wave's cannon and your goal finish.

41–57°F

the typical race-morning band

79°F

the warm extreme — 96% humidity in 1984; 2022 hit about 75°F, the hottest since 1984

20s°F

wind chill at the 1995 race — the cold extreme

~50°F

2025 at the 9:10 start — sunny and calm, 59°F by early afternoon

Cold · under 45°F

I'd wear a singlet or maybe a light long-sleeve, but race kit is ultimately up to what you're comfortable in. Corral kit is separate: NYRR encourages you to wear an old winter jacket and sweatpants on Staten Island, and there are clothing donation bins scattered around the village and in the corrals. It gets cold for the 2+ hours you're waiting.

Ideal · 45–60°F

I always wear a singlet and shorts, even at the bottom of this range. The earliest waves don't start until 9:10 and the course is pretty sunny, so I promise you'll be comfortable. The biggest mistake I see runners make is stripping off layers after the Verrazzano.

Warm · over 60°F

Lightest kit you own, hat for sun, and adjust the goal from mile 1. Water over your head at the stations, and respect the buildings-block-the-wind stretch on First Ave.

The wind: the bridges are the most exposed miles on the course, with the Verrazzano upper deck being the worst one. Into any wind, hold effort and let pace go.

The heat: if it's meaningfully above 60°F, slow the goal a few percent from the start. A revised goal executed beats an original goal abandoned.

The village: whatever the running forecast says, the village forecast is "standing still outdoors in November for two hours." Dress for both: layers you love (not too much) for the wait, kit you trust for the race.

The details

A late-morning race

Wave 19:10 AM
Wave 29:45 AM
Wave 310:20 AM
Wave 410:55 AM
Wave 511:30 AM

Corrals open about an hour before your wave and close roughly half an hour before the cannon — and the cannon fires on time. You can drop back to a later wave on race morning if you have to, but you can't move up. The late starts mean you'll race through lunch: plan a second breakfast in the village and don't let the fueling clock stop once you're in the cab.

Poncho, or poncho + bag

There is no bag check at the start! The only bag allowed on official transportation is the clear village bag, and it doesn't come with you. Every year I see runners get to Staten Island with their favorite jacket, recovery shoes, book, even iPads — just to find out there's nowhere for them to put it. Everyone gets the poncho at the finish no matter what. The only decision, made during registration, is whether you also check a bag:

  • Poncho only: fleece-lined, hooded, handed to you past the finish. Fastest exit from the park, no line, genuinely warm. What I do.
  • Poncho + bag check (Pre-Check): you drop the official pre-check bag from the expo near the finish on Friday or Saturday — before race day — and collect it after, poncho still on. Real clothes and a phone charger at the finish, at the cost of a pickup line and a pre-race errand.

Your bib lives at the expo

Bib pickup happens at the expo at the Javits Center in the days before the race. Remember that there is no race-morning pickup. Bring photo ID. Go early in the window if you can: it's a nicer expo on Thursday than in the Saturday crush, plus more race-day goodies will be in stock. Your bib now carries your transport assignment, wave, and start color, so check every line on it before you leave. The expo hours and every shakeout that week are on the Radar.

Where to be seen

The spectator guide lets them build their own day — up to four stops, any corner on any street you run down, the minute you pass each one, and only ever a next stop they can actually make. Put your name, bib and kit in and send it to your people with your goal, wave and start color already set.

Open the spectator guide

The short version I give my own people:

  • Lafayette Ave (mile 8–9): the best crowd experience on the course, for them and for you.
  • First Ave in the 70s–80s (mile 17): easy subway access and you'll genuinely need the face in the crowd more than you think.
  • Fifth Ave at 90th–100th (mile 23.5): the grind. One familiar face here is worth ten anywhere else. Tell them exactly which side you'll run.

Split it manually

Don't rely on the pace your watch is showing. GPS struggles in the city because the bridges and the avenue canyons throw it off. Take your own splits instead: press lap at every mile marker and check it against your plan or your pace band. With manual splits, you always have a much better idea of where you are in the race than the watch does. Practice this at your tune-up races during training and remember: nothing new on race day.

Grab a pace band early

The expo hands out free pace bands, and the popular finish times, anything on the hour or the half hour like 3:30 and 4:00, are the first to go. One more reason to get there Thursday. Pair the band with manual splits and every mile marker tells you exactly how fast you're going, and how fast you need to go to hit the next split. Missed out, or your goal isn't on the rack? Print your own, built from your plan for this course.

Security, in one line: bib visible at all times (unzip the layers at checkpoints), clear village bag only, everything gets screened at Fort Wadsworth — budget it into the timeline above.

The short answers

Sunday, November 1, 2026. The five waves go off at 9:10, 9:45, 10:20, 10:55 and 11:30 AM. Corrals open about an hour before your wave and close roughly half an hour before the cannon. Daylight saving time ends the night before, so you get an extra hour of sleep.

It starts at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island and crosses the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn, then runs up Fourth Avenue, Lafayette Avenue and Bedford Avenue through Bay Ridge, Park Slope, Fort Greene, Bed-Stuy, Williamsburg and Greenpoint. The Pulaski Bridge at halfway takes it into Queens, and the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan around mile 16. It heads north on First Avenue, crosses the Willis Avenue Bridge into the Bronx just before mile 20 and the Madison Avenue Bridge back out at 21, then runs south on Fifth Avenue through Harlem, into Central Park just before mile 24, along Central Park South and back into the park to finish by Tavern on the Green.

NYRR assigns your wave and start color, and both are printed on your bib with your transport assignment, so check them at the expo. The five waves start at 9:10, 9:45, 10:20, 10:55 and 11:30 AM. Blue and Orange cross the Verrazzano's upper deck and Pink the lower. On race morning you can drop back to a later wave, but you can't move up.

There are three official options: the Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal, the Midtown bus from the New York Public Library at 5th Avenue and 41st Street, or the New Jersey bus from MetLife Stadium. For 2026 you pick only the mode and location in your NYRR dashboard, and NYRR assigns your departure time by wave. The assignment is printed on your bib and checked at boarding.

Two things. NYRR now assigns your transport time instead of letting you choose it. And the course changes for the first time since 2011: between miles 20 and 21 in the Bronx it stays on Alexander Avenue up to 141st Street, then takes Third Avenue and 138th Street to the Madison Avenue Bridge. Same bridges, same distance, five turns in the Bronx instead of seven.

No. The only bag allowed on official transportation is the clear village bag, and it doesn't follow you to the finish. Everyone gets a poncho at the finish. If you chose Pre-Check during registration, you drop a bag near the finish on Friday or Saturday and collect it after the race.

At the expo at the Javits Center in the days before the race. There is no race-morning pickup. Bring photo ID, and check your wave, start color and transport assignment on the bib before you leave.

About 945 feet of climbing, most of it on the five bridges, which puts it second only to Sydney among the world majors. The harder part is pacing: the course tempts you to surge down the Verrazzano, up Fourth Avenue, along Lafayette Avenue and onto First Avenue, and you pay for it at mile 23 on Fifth Avenue.

Water and Gatorade Endurance at every mile from 3 to 25 except miles 5, 7 and 9. Maurten gels at miles 12 and 18, and bananas around mile 21. These follow the 2025 Runner Guide; NYRR publishes the 2026 details in October.

Race morning typically sits between 41 and 57°F, close to ideal, though it has been as warm as about 80°F. Dress for two hours of standing still in the start village as well as for the run. Throwaway layers are collected and donated.

Not for pace. The bridges and the avenues throw GPS off, so press lap at every mile marker and check each split against your plan or a pace band.