NYC Marathon 2026: The Complete Training and Race Guide

The TCS New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world. On the first Sunday of November each year, more than 55,000 runners cross the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge from Staten Island and snake their way through Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan to a finish line under the trees of Central Park. The course covers all 5 boroughs in a single morning, which no other major marathon does, and roughly 2 million spectators line the streets to watch. If you have ever wanted to feel like New York City has turned out specifically for you, this is the race.

It also has a story behind it. The first New York City Marathon in 1970 was 127 runners doing loops of Central Park, organised by the New York Road Runners. There were 55 finishers and a handful of paper cups. The race only moved onto the streets of the 5 boroughs in 1976, and it took another decade or so for the numbers to push past 20,000. The version of the race that exists now, with TCS title sponsorship, a place in the World Marathon Major series and a global lottery, is the result of more than 50 years of slow growth. It is not a marathon you stumble into. It is a marathon you plan for.

That planning is what this guide is for. It covers how to get in (lottery, time qualifier, 9+1, charity, tour operator), what the course is actually like mile by mile, how to build a 16-week training block that gets you there, what to do on race day, where to stay, and how to think about pacing through the famous Queensboro Bridge climb at mile 15. The advice here is for first-timers and returning runners, and it is written to be useful whether you live in New York, in the UK, or anywhere else. The race attracts runners from more than 140 countries every year. You are not the only one travelling.

One thing to set straight before we start. The NYC Marathon is not the easiest of the World Marathon Majors. It is hillier than London, more crowded than Berlin, and the late-stage climb up 5th Avenue is a tougher test than anything in Chicago. People come back to NYC anyway because of the crowds, the borough-by-borough character and the Central Park finish. The race has a soul that flat, fast records lack. If you choose NYC for your marathon, choose it knowing the course will test you, and train to meet it.

What makes the NYC Marathon special

The 5-borough route

No other marathon in the world takes you through 5 distinct neighbourhoods, on the same morning, the way NYC does. You start on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, drop into Brooklyn for the longest stretch of the day, cross into Queens, climb the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, briefly visit the Bronx, then come back down to finish in Central Park. Each borough hands you off to the next with a clear change in atmosphere, music, crowd noise and street layout. It is the closest thing in distance running to a guided tour of a city.

The crowds (2 million spectators)

Around 2 million spectators line the route on race day, which is roughly twice the population of the entire city of Birmingham. The dense sections are in Brooklyn, on 1st Avenue in Manhattan and in Central Park, but there are people on almost every block. Write your name big across the front of your shirt and you will hear it shouted at you for 26 miles. The noise on 1st Avenue between miles 16 and 20 is, by the agreement of almost everyone who has run it, the loudest sustained crowd noise in road racing.

The bridges (Verrazzano and Queensboro)

NYC is defined by its bridges. You start by climbing the Verrazzano-Narrows, which rises about 200 feet over the first mile and gives you a moment to look out over the harbour at the Manhattan skyline. The Queensboro Bridge at miles 15 to 16 is the harder one. It is a long, exposed climb without crowds (spectators are not allowed on the bridge), which arrives at exactly the moment your legs are starting to ask serious questions. Runners who have done NYC twice will tell you the race begins, properly, when you come off the Queensboro into the wall of noise on 1st Avenue.

The Central Park finish

The final mile and a quarter loops you into Central Park, along the East Drive, across 59th Street and back into the park to the finish line near Tavern on the Green. The trees, the rolling terrain and the fact that you can see runners up ahead of you all converging on the line make it one of the most cinematic finishes in marathon running. Bring tissues. Most first-time finishers cry somewhere in the last 800 metres.

How to enter the NYC Marathon

1. The lottery (general drawing)

The main entry route for most runners is the general drawing, which usually opens in late January and closes in mid-February. Acceptance is roughly 12 percent in a typical year, which means about 1 in 8 applicants gets in. The entry fee for US residents is around $295, $358 for international runners, plus a non-refundable $26 processing fee that you pay just to enter the drawing. Apply through the New York Road Runners website (nyrr.org). If you do not get in, the processing fee is not refunded, but NYRR runs an "entered three years in a row" guarantee that gives you a place after three consecutive unsuccessful applications.

2. Time qualifier (guaranteed entry)

If you are quick, you can claim a guaranteed place by running a qualifying time at a certified race in the qualifying window (usually January of the previous year through to January of the race year). Times tier by age and gender, and you can qualify on either a half marathon or a full marathon. For the 18 to 34 age group, the standards are sub-1:23 half or sub-2:53 full for men, and sub-1:36 half or sub-3:13 full for women. Older age groups have more generous standards. The qualifying race must be a USATF-certified or AIMS-certified course, and you submit proof through your NYRR account.

3. The 9+1 program (for NYRR members)

If you live in or near New York, the 9+1 is the most reliable way in. NYRR members run 9 official NYRR qualifying races during the calendar year and volunteer at 1 NYRR event. That earns you guaranteed entry to the following year's marathon, no lottery required. The races range from local 5Ks to the United Airlines NYC Half, and most are in Central Park. The total cost of the 9+1 (race entries plus NYRR membership) is roughly the same as a charity bib without the fundraising obligation, which makes it a great option if you have a year to plan and live within commuting distance of the start lines.

4. Charity bibs

NYRR partners with around 350 official charity partners every year. A charity bib gives you guaranteed entry in exchange for a fundraising commitment, which is typically between $3,500 and $5,000 depending on the charity. Some smaller charities go as low as $2,500, and some big-name ones push to $7,000 or more. You raise the money in the months leading up to the race, and the charity covers your entry fee. This is the easiest guaranteed route if you have a network you can fundraise from, and you get the added meaning of running for something.

5. International tour operators

If you live outside the United States, the most reliable guaranteed route is through an official international travel partner. Companies like 209 Events, Marathon Tours and Travel, and Sports Tours International sell race-entry-plus-travel packages that bundle the bib with a hotel and an organised group experience. The packages are not cheap (often £2,500 to £5,000 from the UK) but the bib is guaranteed and the logistics of expo, transport and hotel are handled for you. Spaces sell out 12 to 18 months in advance.

The course mile by mile

The NYC course is described as net flat, which is technically true. The start and finish are at almost the same elevation. But within that net-flat number sits about 810 feet of total elevation gain, distributed unevenly. Knowing where the climbs are, and how to pace through them, is the single biggest factor in whether you have a good race or a struggle.

Miles 1 to 2 (Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge): You start at the toll plaza on the Staten Island side and immediately climb. The first mile rises about 200 feet, which means your legs and lungs are working harder than the pace says. The second mile is the descent into Brooklyn. Resist the urge to bank time on the downhill. The hardest miles are still ahead.

Miles 2 to 13 (Brooklyn): The longest stretch of the race. Mostly flat, on wide avenues, with crowds that build through Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Park Slope and Williamsburg. The temptation here is to lock into a pace that feels easy and let the crowd carry you. That is exactly how runners blow up at mile 18. Run Brooklyn at, or slightly slower than, your planned marathon pace. The race rewards patience.

Miles 13 to 15 (Queens): You cross the Pulaski Bridge from Brooklyn into Queens at the half-marathon mark. Queens is the quietest stretch of the course, with thinner crowds and a quick run through Long Island City. Use this stretch to check in with yourself: how is your stomach, your breathing, your form? Take a gel, drink fluids, settle into the rhythm you will need for the next 13 miles.

Miles 15 to 16 (Queensboro Bridge, the wall): The most famous section of the course. The Queensboro Bridge climbs about 130 feet over a mile, on a hard road surface, with no spectators allowed. The only sounds are runners breathing, shoes hitting the road and the distant city noise. It is a quiet, brutal section that arrives just as your legs start to feel the first 15 miles. Slow down here. You will hear silly advice about attacking it. Do not. Run it conservatively and you will be rewarded the moment you turn onto 1st Avenue.

Miles 16 to 20 (1st Avenue, Manhattan): You come off the Queensboro Bridge into the loudest crowd in road racing. 1st Avenue between roughly 60th Street and the Bronx is a 4-mile straight shot through the Upper East Side and Harlem, with crowds 5 or 6 deep on both sides. This is where the race feels like the New York City Marathon. The risk is using the lift in adrenaline to surge. Run this stretch at the pace you ran Brooklyn. Save the legs for the final 6.2.

Miles 20 to 21 (the Bronx): A short loop into the Bronx over the Willis Avenue Bridge and back. The Bronx section is short, lively and a nice change of scenery, but most runners will tell you it is the section where they first felt the marathon properly. You cross the Madison Avenue Bridge back into Manhattan around mile 21.

Miles 22 to 23 (5th Avenue, uphill): The cruel one. The course turns south down 5th Avenue, which looks flat on a map and is anything but. The road rises gently but persistently from Marcus Garvey Park to roughly 90th Street, climbing about 100 feet over a mile and a half. You are in mile 22. Your legs are 22 miles old. The crowd thins a little. This is where the race is won or lost. Pace it patiently, accept that this stretch will feel slow, and trust that the park is coming.

Miles 23 to 26.2 (Central Park finish): You enter Central Park at 90th Street and run south on the East Drive, with the trees, the rolling terrain and the crowd back at full volume. Around 59th Street you exit the park briefly, run west along Central Park South, and re-enter at Columbus Circle for the final stretch back into the park. The finish line is near Tavern on the Green, on the West Drive. The last 800 metres feels like running through a tunnel of sound. Take it in.

Qualifying times for guaranteed entry

Time qualifiers earn an automatic place in the marathon by running fast enough at a certified half or full marathon in the qualifying window. The standards are tiered by age and gender, and you can qualify on either distance. Here are the headline numbers for the 18 to 34 age group, which is the most competitive bracket.

A few practical notes on qualifying. The race must be a USATF-certified or AIMS-certified course, so weekend parkruns and self-measured Strava efforts do not count. You submit proof of your time through your NYRR account, and they verify it against the race's results. The qualifying window is typically January of the year before the race through January of the race year, which gives you about 22 months of opportunity. If you ran a qualifier two years ago, it is no longer valid.

How long should you train for the NYC Marathon?

The honest answer depends on where you are starting. A complete beginner with no real running background needs more than a marathon training plan. They need a base-building block first. If you cannot currently run for 30 minutes continuously at conversational effort, the first 8 to 12 weeks of your plan should be spent getting to that point, before any marathon-specific work begins. Trying to compress this into a standard 16-week plan is how beginners pick up injuries in week 6 and never make the start line.

For runners who already run regularly (3 to 4 times a week, a long run of 6 to 8 miles, a recent 5K or 10K under their belt), 18 to 20 weeks is the right window. You spend the first 4 to 6 weeks building base and confidence, and the remaining 12 to 14 in a structured marathon block that progresses long runs, tempo work and easy mileage. This is the typical recommendation for first-time marathoners.

Experienced runners with a marathon already in their legs can compress this to 12 to 16 weeks, because they are not building the aerobic system from scratch. If you have run a marathon in the last 18 months, your body remembers it. 16 weeks is plenty to lift the long run back to 20-plus miles, sharpen race pace and taper sensibly.

The mistake most first-timers make is starting too late. They sign up in June, intend to start training in July, slip to August, and end up trying to cram 16 weeks of work into 10. That is the path to injury, missed sessions and a painful race day. Pick a plan, count back from race day, and start on the date the plan says, even if it feels too early. The runners who finish strong are the ones whose plans started on time.

A simple 16-week training framework

Here is the shape of a sensible 16-week marathon block. It is a framework, not a prescription, and the specifics (mileage, pace, strength sessions) should be tuned to your starting fitness. The Edge app will do that personalisation automatically when you set up your plan.

Two things to flag. Strength and mobility are not optional. Two short sessions a week (15 to 25 minutes each) covering squats, lunges, hip bridges, calf raises and core work will protect your knees, your calves and your Achilles through the build. Skipping them is the most common reason marathon plans fall apart in week 11 or 12. Inside Edge, strength and mobility are built into the plan, with coach video demos for each exercise so you know what to do.

Second: the long run is the cornerstone, but not the only thing that matters. Most beginners run their long runs too fast and their tempo runs too slow. A long run should be deliberately conversational, 60 to 75 seconds per mile slower than your marathon goal pace. A tempo run should be uncomfortable but sustainable, somewhere between half marathon and 10K race effort. Getting these two paces right is the single biggest determinant of whether your plan compounds.

Race day strategy

1. Logistics: getting to Staten Island

The marathon starts on Staten Island, which is logistically the hardest part of the morning. Most runners take the Staten Island Ferry from the Whitehall Terminal in lower Manhattan, then a shuttle bus from the ferry terminal to the start village. Allow yourself plenty of time. Ferries get crowded from 5am, and you will need to be in your start corral 30 to 45 minutes before your wave. There is also a bus option direct from Midtown for runners who want to skip the ferry queue. Security at the start village is airport-level, with bag checks and metal detectors, so build that into your timeline. You may end up waiting at the start village for 2 to 3 hours before your wave goes off. Bring throwaway warm clothes, water, a small snack and a fully charged phone.

2. The first 13 miles: don't go out too fast

The most common race-day mistake at NYC is running Brooklyn too fast. The crowd is huge, the energy is electric, the pace feels easy, and you bank time you cannot afford. Stick to your planned marathon pace, or slightly slower, for the first half. If you have to choose between running the first 10K 30 seconds per mile too fast or 30 seconds per mile too slow, pick too slow. NYC is a race where the second half costs you.

3. The Queensboro Bridge: respect the wall

The Queensboro Bridge between miles 15 and 16 will feel harder than the elevation profile suggests. There are no crowds, your legs are 15 miles in, and the climb is exposed. Slow down by 15 to 30 seconds per mile, focus on cadence, and accept that this is a section to survive, not attack. The reward is immediate. The moment you come off the bridge onto 1st Avenue, the crowd will lift you for the next 4 miles.

4. 1st Avenue: ride the high without burning matches

1st Avenue is the section of the race that runners remember most vividly. The crowd is enormous, the road is wide, and the temptation is to surge. Resist it. You still have 10 miles to run, including the worst climb on 5th Avenue. Stay on your planned pace. Smile, wave, soak it in. Save the legs.

5. The final 6.2: 5th Avenue to Central Park

The final 6.2 is where the race is decided. The 5th Avenue climb from Marcus Garvey Park to 90th Street is gentle but persistent, and arrives in mile 22 to 23. Shorten your stride, lift your cadence, look up the road rather than at your feet, and tell yourself this is the section you trained for. Once you turn into Central Park, the rolling terrain feels like dessert by comparison. The crowd in the park is at full volume from 90th Street to the finish. Run the last two miles on feel, not on the watch.

What to wear and pack for the NYC Marathon

NYC in early November is cold in the morning and mild by midday. Start village temperatures are commonly 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 7 degrees Celsius), and by the time you finish around lunchtime it might be 50 to 60. That gap means you need to dress in throwaway layers for the start, with your race kit underneath. NYRR collects and donates all clothing left at the start village to local shelters, so do not feel bad about dumping that fleece you found in a charity shop.

Your race kit should be tested in training. The cardinal sin of marathon morning is putting on new shorts, new socks, or new gels for the first time. If you have not worn it on a 20-mile training run, do not wear it on race day. Carry 5 to 6 gels for the marathon, taking one every 30 to 35 minutes. NYRR provides Maurten gels and water along the course, but most runners prefer to use what their stomach is used to. Tuck a couple of spares into a back pocket in case you drop one.

Other essentials: ID and a credit card in a small zip pocket (the start village does not let you in without ID), your phone, a fully charged battery, a MetroCard or Tap-and-Go enabled phone for the subway after the race, and a family meeting plan that does not rely on cell service near the finish. The finish area in Central Park has notoriously poor signal because of the crowd. Agree a specific meet point (for example, "73rd Street and Columbus, the southwest corner, 1pm") before you start the race. Trying to phone after is a recipe for hours of standing around in a foil blanket.

Where to stay in NYC for marathon weekend

Hotel choice matters more than you think for marathon weekend. The best areas balance proximity to the expo (Javits Center, 11th Avenue at 34th to 40th Street), the family meeting areas around the finish (Central Park West, 60s to 80s), and easy race-morning transport to Staten Island. Three areas stand out.

Midtown West / Hudson Yards: Closest to the Javits Center expo, walkable to the finish-line family meeting areas, and an easy taxi or shuttle to the Whitehall ferry terminal on race morning. The most popular option and the most expensive. Expect $400 to $700 a night for race weekend, and book by April for the best selection.

Upper West Side: Quieter, more residential, and within a 10 to 15 minute walk of the Central Park finish line. A great choice if you value sleep over expo proximity and do not mind a subway ride to the Javits Center. Easier to find post-race food and a calm hotel room. Prices typically $350 to $550.

Brooklyn (Downtown Brooklyn or Brooklyn Heights): The most underrated option. Race morning is easy because you can take the ferry to Staten Island directly from Brooklyn, or grab an Uber over the Verrazzano-Narrows side without battling Manhattan traffic. Prices run 20 to 30 percent below Manhattan equivalents. The downside is a longer commute to the Javits Center expo, which is on the far west side of Manhattan.

Avoid: Staten Island itself (you will be marooned post-race, with no easy way back to where everyone is celebrating), the far reaches of Queens or Brooklyn (long subway rides on race day), and anything advertising itself as "near JFK" (too far from everything). Book early. NYC hotels routinely sell out by June for the November race, and prices on the remaining rooms climb steeply through the summer.

Travel and arrival tips

Arrive Thursday or Friday before the race. The expo at the Javits Center runs Thursday through Saturday, and you must collect your bib in person during expo hours (no race-morning pickup). Arriving Thursday gives you Friday to collect your bib, browse the expo without rush, and acclimatise. If you are travelling internationally, Thursday is even more important because jet lag can take 2 to 3 days to settle and you do not want to be wide awake at 3am on Sunday morning.

NYC has three major airports: JFK, LaGuardia and Newark. JFK is the most common for international flights and has decent subway access via the AirTrain and the E or A line. LaGuardia is the closest to Manhattan but has worse public transport (the M60 bus is fine, an Uber is faster). Newark is in New Jersey but the NJ Transit train from Newark Liberty into Penn Station is quick and reliable. Pick whichever airport has the best flights and the lowest fare. The 30-minute Uber difference rarely matters when you are arriving 2 days before a marathon.

Once in the city, use the subway and walk. Race weekend brings significant road closures (Friday night onwards, with the marathon route itself shut from 4am Sunday) and even outside of those, Manhattan traffic is unpredictable. Avoid renting a car. Alternate-side-of-the-street parking rules will defeat you, and parking garages run $60 plus per night. A MetroCard or contactless tap on your phone covers the subway and most buses for around $3 a ride. Walk when you can. Marathon morning fatigue includes the day before, and standing in line for an Uber when the train is 200 metres away is a waste of legs.

Why Edge for marathon training

Most marathon training apps hand you a plan that looks the same regardless of who you are. A 16-week template, a fixed long-run progression, an assumption that you can already run 20 miles a week before you start. That works for the runner the plan was designed for. Everyone else either gets injured trying to keep up, or finishes the block under-prepared for race day.

Edge builds a different kind of starting plan. When you sign up, the app asks about your current weekly mileage, your longest recent run, your goal race, your available days and any constraints. The plan you get back is built around those answers. If your peak long run target is 22 miles, the plan progresses you there over enough weeks to do it safely. If you can only run four days a week, the plan respects that. Strength and mobility sessions are built in from day one, with coach video demos showing you how to do each exercise. The plan is what 17,000-plus members in the UK and beyond use as their starting point.

Life happens during marathon training. A week of bad sleep, a work trip, a child's illness, a tweaked calf. Edge AI is the in-app feature that handles that. You ask, in plain English, "I missed last week, what should I do?" or "Can you move my long run to Sunday?" and Edge AI rebuilds the week in under 30 seconds. You can also use it to talk to coaches when you have a question about pacing, fuelling or a specific session. The plan is not a static document. It is a starting point that you shape with the app as the block progresses.

Edge syncs with Strava, Garmin, Apple Watch and Coros, so your runs flow into your progress dashboard automatically. You see pace, mileage, strength weights and consistency in one place. The free 7-day trial is the easiest way to see what your marathon plan looks like. After that, membership is £19.99 a month or £119.99 a year (roughly $25 a month or $150 a year in USD). Train your way. Fun, flexible training that fits your life.

NYC Marathon: frequently asked questions