The New York City Marathon runs Sunday, November 1, 2026, marking 50 years since the race first crossed all five boroughs. This year’s course also brings the first route change since 2011, a Bronx reroute between miles 20 and 21 that keeps a Mott Haven block open to residents on race day.
Key Takeaways
- About 60,000 runners are expected, following 59,226 finishers in 2025.
- The Bronx reroute cuts the turns in that stretch from seven to five, and the course still measures 26.2 miles.
- General waves start at 9:10, 9:45, 10:20 and 10:55 a.m., with Wave 5 at 11:30 a.m.
- The Willis Avenue and Madison Avenue bridges close from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on race day.
- New York Road Runners has set a goal of more than $100 million for over 670 Official Charity Partners.
- The 2024 race generated $692 million in incremental economic impact for New York City.
Fifty Years Since The Marathon Left Central Park
The New York City Marathon began in 1970 as just over four loops of Central Park, with 55 finishers. On October 24, 1976, organizers sent the race through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan to mark the U.S. Bicentennial. That decision turned a club race into a neighborhood event, putting runners on residential blocks and commercial strips that had never hosted a sporting crowd.
New York Road Runners, the nonprofit that organizes the race, is treating 2026 as an anniversary year. Bill Rodgers, the 1976 men’s champion, joins race-week festivities alongside Danielle Mika Nagel, daughter of 1976 women’s champion Miki Gorman. The 2026 finisher medal also honors 50 years of medals, which were first awarded at that 1976 race.
Bronx Reroute Gives Mott Haven Residents Their Block Back
The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon keeps the familiar entry into the Bronx. Runners cross the Willis Avenue Bridge, turn left onto East 135th Street and right onto Alexander Avenue. From there, the course changes. Instead of turning at East 138th Street, runners continue to East 141st Street, turn left onto Third Avenue, then right onto East 138th Street toward the Madison Avenue Bridge.
The old route looped around a block on East 140th Street that holds a supermarket and a 24-hour laundromat, cutting residents off from both for much of the day. Ted Metellus, the Bronx-born race director for New York Road Runners, has said keeping food retailers within reach drove the change. The new path was one of two options presented to the City and the NYPD, which approved it.
The adjustment is small on a map, but it reflects how much Mott Haven has changed into a more residential neighborhood since the old loop was drawn. For runners, it removes two turns at mile 20, one of the hardest points in any marathon.
Race Day Start Times Stretch Across Three And A Half Hours
The New York City Marathon starts at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island. The men’s professional wheelchair division leaves at 8:00 a.m., followed by the women’s wheelchair division at 8:02 a.m. and handcycles and select athletes with disabilities at 8:22 a.m. The professional women start at 8:35 a.m., and the professional men at 9:05 a.m.
General runners go out in five waves, at 9:10, 9:45, 10:20, 10:55 and 11:30 a.m. Spectators should also note that daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. that morning, so clocks fall back an hour before the first start.
Bridge Closures And Transit Changes Shape Marathon Sunday
Closures begin the night before. The upper level of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge closes Saturday at 11 p.m., and both levels close Sunday morning. The Pulaski Bridge stays closed until 6:30 p.m., the Queensboro Bridge loses its eastbound lanes during race hours, and the FDR Drive sees phased exit closures through the day.
In Brooklyn, Fourth Avenue and Bedford Avenue close from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. In Manhattan, First Avenue and Fifth Avenue are closed to vehicles for most of Sunday. Buses cannot cross Fifth Avenue during the race, and the Central Park transverse roads at 65th, 79th and 96th Streets stay closed to buses all day. The MTA will run extra trains near the 72 St, 66 St and 59 St-Columbus Circle stations to handle finish-line crowds. Viewers at home can watch on ABC7 and ESPN2, with coverage starting at 7 a.m.
Race Week Events Fill Grand Central And The Javits Center
Photo Credit: Unsplash.com
New York Road Runners opened “50 Years Through the Five Boroughs,” a free pop-up in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal, on Tuesday, October 27. It runs through Friday, October 30, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on opening day and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the remaining days.
The marathon Expo at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center runs Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, October 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bib pickup closes 30 minutes before the Expo each day. Saturday evening also brings the Village Halloween Parade on Sixth Avenue the night before the race, stacking two of the city’s large public events into one weekend.
A $692 Million Event Chasing A $100 Million Charity Goal
The New York City Marathon is also a significant economic event. A study commissioned by New York Road Runners found the 2024 race generated $692 million in incremental economic impact, up 139% from 2019. Across all of its races from April 2024 to March 2025, the organization contributed $934 million in local spending.
Charity fundraising has grown alongside that. In 2025, more than 14,000 charity runners raised a record $80 million for over 600 organizations, a 14% increase from 2024. For 2026, the program expands to more than 670 Official Charity Partners with a goal of more than $100 million. The program, now in its 20th year, has raised nearly $700 million for over 1,000 nonprofits since 2006.
New Sustainability Measures Debut Along The Course
New York Road Runners set a goal in 2021 of reaching net zero emissions by 2040. In 2024, it launched Team for Climate, an entry method tied to sustainability fundraising, which made the New York City Marathon the first Abbott World Marathon Majors race to offer one. This year adds self-serve water refill stations on the course, nine waste diversion stations staffed by 130 Green Team volunteers, and donations of leftover food to City Harvest. In 2025, the race recycled 152.81 tons of material and donated 17,620 pounds of food.
FAQs
How Many People Run The NYC Marathon?
About 60,000 runners are expected for the 2026 race. The 2025 edition had 59,226 finishers, a world record for a marathon field for the second straight year.
What Changed On The NYC Marathon 2026 Route?
Only the Bronx section changed. Runners now stay on Alexander Avenue to East 141st Street, then take Third Avenue and East 138th Street to the Madison Avenue Bridge, which cuts the turns in that stretch from seven to five. The total distance remains 26.2 miles.
When Did The NYC Marathon Start Going Through All Five Boroughs?
The race first ran through all five boroughs on October 24, 1976, to celebrate the U.S. Bicentennial. Before that, from 1970 to 1975, the course was just over four loops of Central Park.
How Much Money Does The NYC Marathon Bring To New York City?
The 2024 race generated $692 million in incremental economic impact, according to a study commissioned by New York Road Runners. That figure was up 139% from 2019.
