The TCS New York City Marathon course is a 26.2-mile block party through the world’s most diverse city, and a model for big-city marathons around the world. As the most popular and inclusive marathon in the world, the event attracts the world’s top professional athletes and a vast range of …
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The TCS New York City Marathon course is a 26.2-mile block party through the world’s most diverse city, and a model for big-city marathons around the world. As the most popular and inclusive marathon in the world, the event attracts the world’s top professional athletes and a vast range of recreational runners.
The race began in 1970 with just 127 entrants racing four laps of Central Park. Today, an estimated 47,500 to 50,000 runners from around the world tour New York City’s five boroughs, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and finishing in Central Park. Participants include Olympians, Paralympians, wheelchair racers, top age-group competitors, and many thousands who run for charity and to achieve their own personal goals. Millions of fans cheer the runners from the streets and watch the global television broadcast. The race is part of the World Marathon Majors, an alliance of the world’s six biggest marathons that determines each year’s top male and top female marathoner. The TCS New York City Marathon is the premier event of New York Road Runners, the world’s foremost community running organization, whose mission is to help and inspire people through running.
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Cool Experience
The New York marathon was a very cool experience and I'm glad I did it. However, for me personally, this was not a marathon I would want to do again- … MORE
The New York marathon was a very cool experience and I’m glad I did it. However, for me personally, this was not a marathon I would want to do again- It was insane. There were soooooooo many people- spectators and runners. However, you may love this!!
Once in a life time!
NYC marathon is to try at least once in your life time. I live here and it was another level of experience. The crowd cheer you like you are the … MORE
NYC marathon is to try at least once in your life time. I live here and it was another level of experience. The crowd cheer you like you are the best friend. You also meet people during the long waiting time at the start village and along the route. It is absolutely a moving experience to everyone.
A ~VERY~ New York Race
The NYC Marathon is an iconic race about which many runners are already familiar. Other reviews and websites go over the logistics of the race and qualifying, so here're just … MORE
The NYC Marathon is an iconic race about which many runners are already familiar. Other reviews and websites go over the logistics of the race and qualifying, so here’re just my thoughts from my perspectives:
What worked:
The process of picking up the bib and shirt, dropping off my bag, and getting to the transport option I selected were all relatively smooth. The starting area (note: I drew “pink” start) featured coffee, donuts, water, a jumbotron, alerts broadcast in several languages, a plethora of porta-potties, and donation bins for clothing discard. (There was no bag drop at the start line, which was made clear many times prior to race day.) The course itself was easy to follow and did not strike me as technical with sharp bends – only two come to mind: a tight right-hand 90˚ in Brooklyn around mile 8.5, and a 180˚ hairpin coming off the Queensboro onto 1st Ave. Medical support was abundant after crossing the line, just keep moving!
What could have been better:
Keeping in mind that this race is organized for 50,000+ people, there is only so much refinement that can happen. That said, the expo itself was a bit awkward. To get to the vendors you had to get through the New Balance store. This is fine if you want swag, but produced a bit of a bottleneck. Additionally, the expo felt a bit small compared to what I experienced in Chicago two years ago – fewer freebies, fewer booths about other marathons, and not as many swag shops except for socks/shoes/hats. A wider variety of vendors would be nice to see. On race day, getting onto the buses – I chose the 5AM option from Bryant Park – was a little chaotic as there did not seem to be vetting on who registered for what bus at what time and some volunteers were caught off guard to load buses. My bus left with a few empty seats. Fast forward to after the race, and runners are herded through medal, recovery bag, and poncho pickups before exiting the park. Don’t stop walking unless you need medical. The attention by the staff was supreme, but it would have been nice to utilize the park a bit more for meeting friends and family. Ultimately after the race you will walk up to a mile before being thrust back into the city. “You’ve run the race! Congrats! Now leave.”
Overall?
I enjoyed the time. The exuberant crowds provided ample energy and distraction to a point where it didn’t feel like 3.5hours of running! Most of my critiques are nitpicks, yet caught me off guard when compared to other marathons of similar and smaller size.
Running is FUN at NYC Marathon
The race is well organized and monitored by the staff and volunteers. I enjoyed every mile of it except for the Queensboro Bridge. Make sure to practice gradual long inclines … MORE
The race is well organized and monitored by the staff and volunteers. I enjoyed every mile of it except for the Queensboro Bridge. Make sure to practice gradual long inclines in your training as there are two big ones.
Crowds are INCREDIBLE at every mile and borough. No need for even a water bottle. Every mile after three had water and gatorade. SIS gels were available at mile 12 and 18. The signs from the crowds were entertaining. It is a bucket list item for me and I am already considering doing it again. Weather was 10/10. Low 50’s.
City of Dreams
TCS New York City Marathon was EVERYTHING runners says it is. The course was challenging, the crowds were electric, the energy was on fire. I am glad that I received … MORE
TCS New York City Marathon was EVERYTHING runners says it is. The course was challenging, the crowds were electric, the energy was on fire. I am glad that I received my first WMM in the Big Apple. My biggest advice is run the course to enjoy it, don’t run it for time or you will miss the experience. I ran it with no expectations or pressure on myself. If ever afforded the opportunity to run it again, I would without hesitation.
NYC '24
The weather was perfect! The buses were better than the last time, the ferry was quick. Running in NYC is a once in a lifetime experience, the crowds are insane, … MORE
The weather was perfect! The buses were better than the last time, the ferry was quick. Running in NYC is a once in a lifetime experience, the crowds are insane, everyone comes out to cheer you on. The signs are hilarious – “Pain in French means bread” was a standout this year.
Great race
Unbelievable crowds that cheer you up during the entire race, unforgettable experience. You have no time to think about how tired you are, the crowd just keeps you running. One … MORE
Unbelievable crowds that cheer you up during the entire race, unforgettable experience. You have no time to think about how tired you are, the crowd just keeps you running. One of a kind!
BEST MARATHON IN THE WORLD!
Running/Walking through the five NYC burroughs and getting to see the neighborhoods up so close was amazing! The support was amazing, the route was fantastic, the volunteers .... ALL OF … MORE
Running/Walking through the five NYC burroughs and getting to see the neighborhoods up so close was amazing! The support was amazing, the route was fantastic, the volunteers …. ALL OF IT is so incredible! I really wanted to soak this one in so I was not going for time but just to finish and I did! 🙂
Mixed Bag...Hear Me Out!
I admit this may be an unpopular point of view but hear me out. Before I get to the "but" I am a New Yorker through and through. Born and … MORE
I admit this may be an unpopular point of view but hear me out.
Before I get to the “but” I am a New Yorker through and through. Born and raised and still work in the city. I love NYC. As for the race, we know it is one of the IT races in the world. It will be hard to find a race with this much noise and crowd support and music along the route. The expo is enormous, the medal is awesome, you get a quality post race poncho and bag of goodies. You get to run the 5 boroughs and traverse some bridges. All these things are 100% true (and here it is) BUT there are certain things you should know about if you’ve never done this race. First, do yourself the favor and run this race at least once. I’m not trying to discourage anyone from doing it.
I’ve done this race 5 times. My biggest peeve is getting to the race start. Unless you live in Staten Island or get dropped off there by someone. It’s a pain in the neck and time consuming to get to the race start. Your options are the midtown bus or the ferry. Either way there are lots of lines and crowds and waiting. I live in Jersey now. My wave started at 9:10 and I had to wake up at 4:15 to get to my midtown bus. That’s 5 hours of waiting and commuting before the race begins. It’s a long haul and at least for me I felt tired even before the race began. I understand there are 50k people running and it makes for tough logistics. But it’s a pain. Another one of my peeves is how loud it is. Don’t get me wrong, I love crowd support. You see some great signs and support. But between the crowds and bands playing along the route, my head felt oversaturated with the stimulus of sound. I’ve heard others say the same, so it’s not just me. If noise bothers you, playing music in your earphones may help drown out the noise. But conversely, others live for it. I respect that. The other issue I have is that it is a slow crawl to get out of the park once you are done. You have to walk a lot and it takes time to get out. It sucks when you are cold and tired and just want to leave.
Aside from my peeves, I do need to shout out the amazing volunteers. There are tons of water/ Gatorade stations. They give gels and even Vaseline, bananas and oranges. You also see a lot of medical and other race volunteers after the race attending to people and asking if anyone needs help. They truly take care of the runners and their well being. Lastly, I’ll comment on the race course. I don’t think it is too hilly. The worst is the bridges. The Queensborough bridge seems to be the toughest hill and it is very quiet there. You mostly hear breathing and the pitter patter of steps. It’s not an easy course but not difficult either. I’ve run NYC 5x, Philly, Jersey City and Delaware. All are special but NYC is not my favorite. But it could be yours.
Great race but expected better
It’s a hard course. Waiting around all morning for your assigned wave can wear you out. Smell off pot everywhere which can be nauseating. But great experience and tour of … MORE
It’s a hard course. Waiting around all morning for your assigned wave can wear you out. Smell off pot everywhere which can be nauseating. But great experience and tour of the city
Even Better the Second Time
I ran this back in 2021 when they came back from the shutdowns. It was a great time but it was a watered down version of the race and I … MORE
I ran this back in 2021 when they came back from the shutdowns. It was a great time but it was a watered down version of the race and I really wanted to experience the true NYC Marathon.
The Support on the course is second to none. Lines of crowds lined up pretty much from the moment you get off the Verrazano Bridge at Mile two till you hit the 59th St Bridge in Long Island City. On the 59th St Bridge, things go quiet for about a mile and half as you cross the Bridge but as you get closer to running off the Bridge, you can hear the crowds from 1st ave getting ready to cheer you on. The moment you are off the Bridge it’s pretty much deep crowds cheering you from Manhattan to the Bronx and back to the Central Park finish.
After the race can be tough as you will have a long walk from the finish till you exit the park and there no official after party, but once your out and you have your medal and finisher poncho, you will get cheered as you walk through the door of many of the bars and restaurants.
This is a must do Marathon and I can’t wait till do it again.
New York puts on a show
For 22 of the miles, it’s like running through a football stadium that doesn’t end. People show out to cheer and support EVERY runner - not just the ones they … MORE
For 22 of the miles, it’s like running through a football stadium that doesn’t end. People show out to cheer and support EVERY runner – not just the ones they know. The people of New York always get a bad rep for not being “nice” but DAMN do they support their boroughs and the people running through them.
Definitely write your name on your shirt, because people will be chirping at you all race. If there was ever something to help you push through a fairly tough course (mainly the amount of foot traffic around you ~50k of your closest friends) the supporters will make every step of the race feel brand new. It’s an incredible turnout and find it hard to believe any other race can live up to the crowd.
New York did not disappoint!!
Bag check is Friday and Saturday no bag check on day of the race. Learned this the hard way. This is a great race to run easy and have some … MORE
Bag check is Friday and Saturday no bag check on day of the race. Learned this the hard way. This is a great race to run easy and have some fun! I’ll be back someday.
The best marathon
This race was awesome. Completely worth it. The crowd support is amazing. This was my 2nd world major. The swag is sweet. The course is challenging with the bridges. Plenty … MORE
This race was awesome. Completely worth it. The crowd support is amazing. This was my 2nd world major. The swag is sweet. The course is challenging with the bridges. Plenty of water and Gatorade stops.
I <3 NY
This is my 4th NYC Marathon and here's how I can best sum it up: it's hard, it's a party, you're a celebrity. It's Hard: -Corralling 50,000 people to the … MORE
This is my 4th NYC Marathon and here’s how I can best sum it up: it’s hard, it’s a party, you’re a celebrity.
It’s Hard:
-Corralling 50,000 people to the start line will always be a challenge. Prepare to start your journey early and lots of waiting along way. Waiting to get on the ferry, waiting to get on a coach bus, walking, sitting at the village. It’s not convenient for any runner but it’s damn near impressive how they do it (even if it takes forever and can be frustrating).
-The course is hard. Bridges, bridges, bridges. 5th Ave Hill. Sometimes the course gets too small and there is a bottleneck because the crowd is so dense. It’s not an easy course!
It’s a party:
-The crowd is electric from start to finish. Every borough shows up in different ways. After living here for close to 15-years, I can safely say that it is a perfect representation of the city I love.
-Go to a bar or restaurant after. Trust me – the party does not stop once you’ve finished the race.
You’re a celebrity:
-In NYC, you’re treated like royalty. Anyone seeing you in a post-race poncho or a medal is going to call you out and tell you congrats! Restaurants the night before, the waiter will always ask “so who here is running?” There are amazing free opportunities for runners from shakeout runs with celebs to free pasta trucks, slices of pizza, short massages.
-The expo makes you feel like a big deal!
TBH you’ll be spoiled if this is your first marathon. However, EVERYONE should try to run this race. It is unlike anything else in the world.
My experience at the NYC Marathon
The on course atmosphere was super amazing, and the medal was super cool, getting to be in each burrow was so amazing, and the atmosphere was amazing in each burrow, … MORE
The on course atmosphere was super amazing, and the medal was super cool, getting to be in each burrow was so amazing, and the atmosphere was amazing in each burrow, would definitely consider making a return trip
It'll kill ya but you'll love it
"The marathon before the marathon" -- transit there was mostly pretty good. Shuttle buses once again for another year had issues and didn't drop runners off at the actual drop-off … MORE
“The marathon before the marathon” — transit there was mostly pretty good. Shuttle buses once again for another year had issues and didn’t drop runners off at the actual drop-off point and required a half mile walk, which was unfortunate.
Having run Chicago the previous year, I was really curious how the two would compare and they felt pretty similar. NYC had phenomenal crowd support and the only dull moment was the Queensboro Bridge where the crowd isn’t allowed.
The Queensboro Bridge is a beast. It is not a steep beast. It is just a very long uphill slog that slowly eats away at you. There are two additional bridges after it up in the Bronx but they are comparatively mild and/or short.
There were parts of Brooklyn and Willimsborough where there wasn’t good crowd control and as a result, the course itself became bottlenecked and runners were slowed down to a walking pace, which leads me to my next concern: People just stopping running randomly without warning. I broke a toe tripping and almost falling into a retainer wall thanks to multiple people being unpredictable. I did not have this problem at Chicago–there’s just too many people on too narrow of a course–you can PR here, but understand that all of the various “people” problems will impact you from setting specific goals for a PR (I really wanted to sub-4 but it just was not possible due to human factors outside of my control).
I know that’s a lot of nits but this race is AMAZING all the same–the energy, the emotion, the whole vibe—it makes up for the issues in spades. Wear your name on your shirt–you will have all of the supporters/fans in the world screaming your name in the most sincere fashion. Did I meet my goal time? No. But did I feel like a freaking badass? Oh hell yeah.
Amazing organization, fabulous crowds
I loved the course and the infectious crowd energy - lots of fun signs to laugh at. This was my Abbott world majors six star race so that made it … MORE
I loved the course and the infectious crowd energy – lots of fun signs to laugh at. This was my Abbott world majors six star race so that made it extra Special. It was hot but I didn’t care – those spectators- wow! Everything done just perfectly.
SO much energy on the course!
The NYC marathon is my favorite of all, after running 4 of 6 majors and many others, including Boston several times. I've run NYC 7 times and it never ceases … MORE
The NYC marathon is my favorite of all, after running 4 of 6 majors and many others, including Boston several times. I’ve run NYC 7 times and it never ceases to thrill me to pieces! There is absolutely nothing like the wave of energy from the crowd, which you can ride from start to finish. Then there’s the music and dancing you see, hear and feel along the way – AMAZING! NYC really goes all out and shows up to support, scream, cry, cheer, and yell for the runners. Yes, it’s not a flat, easy course, but it is not that hard, despite the bridges and the crowd will let you ride their energy, which gets you through it all. Truly nothing like it. You will be so moved. I hope all runners get the chance to do this race, which is not only a world-class marathon through one of the most exciting cities, but also an experience. I look forward to this day all year long. Nothing makes me feel more alive!!!! Do it.
An incredible experience!!
This major is a MUST do if you get the chance. Hands down the best crowd support you’ll ever experience. The feeling was unreal when they are just screaming for … MORE
This major is a MUST do if you get the chance. Hands down the best crowd support you’ll ever experience. The feeling was unreal when they are just screaming for you as you run through a tunnel of people. Every moment of the race was amazing.
The weather this year was hot and even with a bad finish time for myself, it was incredible.
Race morning logistics can be overwhelming but once you read through things and read some tips online, it’s not bad at all. The only downside is the wait to start late. That was hard for me to start late but again, WORTH IT. This is truly a once in a lifetime race.