NYC Marathon Sunday, Nov. 1: Closures, Cheer Spots and Runner Stories

Mildred Baker of the Bronx joined NYRR Striders, a program for older adults, in her late seventies to stay active. She ran her first half marathon in 2025. On Sunday, she plans to run her first full marathon at age 80, according to New York Road Runners.

Somewhere past mile 20, the course will carry her into her home borough, on streets that have been rerouted for the first time in 15 years.

When is the 2026 NYC Marathon, and what time does it start?

The TCS New York City Marathon is Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. This year’s race marks the 50th anniversary of the five-borough course, which was first run on Oct. 24, 1976.

The official start timeline from New York Road Runners (NYRR) runs like this:

• 8:00 a.m.: Men’s professional wheelchair division
• 8:02 a.m.: Women’s professional wheelchair division
• 8:22 a.m.: Handcycles and select athletes with disabilities
• 8:35 a.m.: Professional women’s open division
• 9:05 a.m.: Professional men’s open division
• 9:10, 9:45, 10:20, 10:55 and 11:30 a.m.: Waves 1 through 5

NYRR notes that start times are subject to change. Runners who finish by 10 p.m. are recorded as official finishers, so the final miles stay busy well into the evening.

What changed on the 2026 marathon course?

For the first time in 15 years, the route has been adjusted, in the Bronx. NYRR says the change is meant to reduce the race’s impact on a neighborhood that has evolved over the past five decades.

According to the course page, runners coming off the Willis Avenue Bridge will turn left onto East 135th Street and right onto Alexander Avenue. Instead of turning left on East 138th Street, they will turn left onto East 141st Street, then left on Third Avenue and right onto East 138th Street before crossing the Madison Avenue Bridge back into Manhattan.

If you live along those blocks, expect race traffic on streets that have not hosted the marathon before.

Where are the best places to watch the NYC Marathon?

NYRR says most of the course is open to spectators from mile 3 to mile 26, and watching is free. Its spectator guide recommends these spots, with the nearest subway lines:

Spot	Miles	Subway
Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn	2 to 4	R
Fourth Avenue and Flatbush Avenue	8	B, D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, 5
Williamsburg and Greenpoint	10 to 13	G, L, M, J
Queens side of the Pulaski Bridge	13.1	7, G, E
First Avenue, Manhattan	16 to 18	N, Q, R, 4, 5, 6, F
East Harlem	18 to 20	6
Charity Cheer Zone, First Avenue and 120th Street	19 to 20	6
Fifth Avenue, East 90th to East 105th streets	23 to 24	Q, 4, 5, 6

The race finishes on West Drive at 67th Street in Central Park. A free standing area runs inside the park from Columbus Circle to the south end of the grandstands, entered at Broadway and West 61st Street or from the east side by Heckscher Fields. All entrances require screening, and access may be limited when the area fills.

What are the rules for spectators?

• No viewing at the start. There is no spectator access at the start or on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
• Stay off the bridges. Spectators are not allowed on any bridge on the course, including the Pulaski.
• Stay behind the tape. Keep the roadway clear for runners.
• Leave the speaker at home. Unofficial amplified sound is not permitted.
• Cross at marked zones. NYRR lists pedestrian crossing zones at Lafayette Avenue and Fulton Street and at Bedford Avenue and Broadway in Brooklyn, and on First Avenue at 69th, 72nd, 83rd and 86th streets in Manhattan.

NYRR also reminds fans that portable toilets on the course are for registered runners only.

Which streets will be closed for the marathon?

Expect rolling closures along the 26.2-mile route and on the bridges it crosses, with the latest runners still on the course into the evening. The most reliable street-by-street list comes from the city. NYC DOT’s Weekend Traffic Advisory posts a preliminary list early in the week and a final version on Friday, so check it on Friday, Oct. 30.

NYRR’s advice for spectators is simple: take the subway, and check the MTA before you travel. Driving anywhere near the course on Sunday morning is a gamble.

Who are the runners to watch on Nov. 1?

At the front, NYRR’s professional field announcement lists defending champions Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto of Kenya and Marcel Hug of Switzerland. American half marathon record holder Weini Kelati is set to make her marathon debut, and Conner Mantz leads the American men.

Further back, the race belongs to everyone else. NYRR’s 2026 Team Inspire, a group of 26 runners chosen for their stories, includes:

• Dave Obelkevich of New York, the only person to have finished every New York City Marathon since the course expanded to all five boroughs in 1976.
• Fred Abramowitz of Fort Collins, Colo., who ran the 1976 race, vowed never to run again, and has since finished more than 100 marathons and ultras.
• Caleb Prewitt, 19, of Jacksonville, Fla., who would become the youngest-known person with Down syndrome to finish the NYC race.
• Alan Kaufman of Queens, a longtime Achilles International guide who has run as an Achilles athlete with a guide since 2018, after a stage IV melanoma diagnosis.
• Sheena Lawrick, Sherie Buell and Laura Lang, three mothers whose children were treated for a rare eye cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering and are now running for the hospital’s Fred’s Team.

Spectators looking for a way to help can head to the Charity Cheer Zone. NYRR says its charity program, marking its 20th year, has raised nearly $700 million since it began and has a 2026 goal of $100 million.

How can you watch the marathon on TV?

Locally, WABC-TV Channel 7 airs the race live from 8 to 11:30 a.m., with pre-race coverage from 7 a.m. and continued coverage until 1 p.m. Nationally, ESPN2 carries it from 8 to 11:30 a.m., and ABC airs a two-hour finish-line show from 3 to 5 p.m.

Visiting for the weekend? Our guide to touring a new city covers getting around, and our look at success strategies for young athletes is a good read for the next generation of runners in your family.

How do you cheer for a runner you know?

• Get their bib number and track them in the NYRR app.
• Pick two spots on different subway lines so you can see them twice.
• Tell them which side of the street you will be on, and wear something bright.
• Cheer for strangers too. NYRR suggests calling runners by the name or country on their shirts.

And if you are anywhere near the Bronx around mile 20 on Sunday, watch for an 80-year-old first-timer from the borough. Mildred Baker started running to stay healthy. On Nov. 1, she gets to run home on brand-new marathon streets, with her neighbors lining the curb.

Frequently asked questions

Is it free to watch the NYC Marathon?

Yes. Most of the course, from mile 3 to mile 26, is open to spectators at no cost. NYRR also sells limited grandstand seats near the finish line, and there is a free standing area in Central Park that may close when it reaches capacity.

Can you watch the start of the NYC Marathon on Staten Island?

No. NYRR says there is no spectator viewing at the start or on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The first recommended viewing area is Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn, around miles 2 to 4.

How many people run the NYC Marathon?

NYRR says the race brings together nearly 60,000 participants and more than 2 million spectators. The 2025 race set an event record with more than 59,000 finishers.

How long do NYC Marathon runners have to finish?

Runners who cross the finish line by 10 p.m. are listed as official finishers, according to NYRR. Sweep buses follow the course at roughly a 16-minute-per-mile pace based on the last wave's start.

What is the best subway stop for the NYC Marathon finish?

For the Central Park finish area, NYRR points spectators to Columbus Circle, served by the A, C, D and 1 trains. The standing area entrance is at Broadway and West 61st Street.

Sources

• NYRR: Team Inspire, 26 compelling runner stories from the 2026 field
• NYRR: The Start
• NYRR: The Course
• NYRR: Watch the Race
• NYC DOT: Weekend Traffic Advisory
• NYRR: 2026 professional athlete field announcement

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