Everything You Need to Know About the TCS New York City Marathon Weekend

New York City may be the city that never sleeps, but while most residents remain tucked in bed on November 3, runners from across the world will be waking up before the sun and making their way to Staten Island. From there, they’ll run all the way to Central Park, covering five boroughs and 26.2 miles through one of the most diverse and eclectic cities in the world.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a repeat runner, the New York City Marathon is an unforgettable experience. Consistently drawing over 50,000 runners, it’s one of the world’s largest marathons—and the nearly two million spectators that come to cheer on those runners make this race a non-stop party from Brooklyn to Manhattan. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement, but having a successful day on this challenging course means not just training for the race itself, but preparing for all of the other race week logistics. We’re here to help.

• How to Get to the TCS New York City Marathon Expo
• What to Expect at the Expo
• How to Get to the Starting Line
• What to Bring to the Starting Village
• 2024 TCS NYC Marathon Course
• How to Get Away from the TCS NYC Marathon Finish Line
• The Best Places to Spectate the TCS NYC Marathon
• TCS NYC Marathon Events to Participate In

The 2024 TCS New York City Marathon Expo Presented by New Balance will take place October 31 through November 2 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center at 11th Avenue and West 36th Street. To get your official marathon participant bib (which displays your race number), you should have already made an appointment via your New York Road Runners account to pick it up in person.

If you didn’t, that’s OK—registration to select your date and time for bib pickup will remain open until Saturday, November 2, at 4:00 p.m. ET. And if for some reason you can’t make the time you originally selected, that’s fine; while it’s preferable to honor that time slot to prevent overcrowding, you won’t be penalized for showing up earlier or later.

Try to schedule your bib pick-up as close to when you arrive in New York City, because the Expo gets extremely busy. While you can take a cab or rideshare to the location, you’re better off taking public transportation: The closest subway station—a half mile walk—is 34th Street–Hudson Yards on the 7 train line, which you can transfer to from most major subway lines at Times Square. You can also walk a mile from 34th Street–Penn Station, accessible via the 1, 2, 3, A, C, and E trains, as well as Amtrak, the Long Island Rail Road, and NJ Transit.

While you’re at the Javits Convention Center, try to get some last-minute intel for race day. The NYRR Running Lab will be hosting mile-by-mile course strategy sessions—including race-day tips and insights on how to manage the 26.2-mile tour through the five boroughs—every hour on the hour at the NYRR Course Strategy Stage. And from 3:00 to 3:30 each day on the same stage, experts from the Hospital for Special Surgery will provide tips for getting to the start line healthy and properly recovering after the race.

Meanwhile, the Citizens Stage will be hosting three days of panels and sessions featuring special guests from the running industry and local community, as well as professional athletes and running celebrities, including Katherine Switzer, Shalane Flanagan, Peloton’s Robin Arzon, Citius Mag’s Chris Chavez and more.

By now, you should have already selected your 2024 TCS New York City Marathon transportation to the start. Runners could choose from a Midtown bus or a downtown ferry, and you must take the transportation option and time you selected for race day. Taking a transportation option you did not select will result in overcrowding, longer lines, and you risk not making it to the start line in time for your wave start.

To get to your mode of transportation, you can easily find a cab, call a rideshare, or use the subway, says Gettis. “But keep in mind that subways run less frequently and not all lines make every stop early in the morning,” he warns. “Do your due diligence and homework to make sure you have enough time to get where you need to be.”

And know that both the bus and the ferry will involve some walking. The buses drop you off past the starting line, so you will have to backtrack to the starting area at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. Meanwhile, the ferries dock below Fort Wadsworth, and you will have to take a shuttle bus to the security checkpoint.

“In 2022, I waited an hour and a half between getting off the ferry and getting onto a bus to shuttle to the start village,” says Emily Schienvar, who will be running her third NYC Marathon this year. “In 2023, the logistics were better—it took about 30 minutes between docking on Staten Island and boarding a bus. Be prepared for that kind of wait!”

Fort Wadsworth is divided into three Start Villages—blue, orange and pink. The color of your race number indicates your start village. (If you’re planning to run with a friend and you’ve been assigned to different corrals and waves, you can start together by going to the corral and wave corresponding to the higher corral letter and number. You can move back, but you can’t move up.)

All three start villages include toilets (FYI: there are 1,700 toilets in the start villages and corrals, so don’t stress about finding a bathroom) and medical services as well as free amenities including Spring Water, Gatorade Endurance products, SiS GO Energy Bars, Dunkin’ coffee, hot cocoa, tea, bagels and bananas. However, you should plan to bring your preferred pre-race food to the start. Remember, nothing new on race day!

The first mass wave starts at 9:10 a.m., wave 2 starts at 9:45 a.m., wave 3 starts at 10:20 a.m., wave 4 starts at 10:55 a.m., and wave 5 starts at 11:30 a.m. Chances are, you’re going to be in the start village for a while—even in wave 1!

The entire staging is outdoors (unless you have access to a VIP tent), so bring layers, including long sleeves, hats, gloves, pants, warm socks, and even an old pair of shoes if you don’t want to spend hours in your race shoes. Pro tip: Cut up a pair of knee-high socks for throwaway arm sleeves. Clothing collection bins are located throughout the start villages and in the start corrals so you can donate throwaway layers.

Another good idea is to “bring an old towel, sheet, cardboard, or plastic to sit on,” says Carolyn Molloy, who will be running the NYC Marathon for the fifth time this year. “The ground can be damp and chilly. And make sure to bring a portable charger and cord that you’re OK with tossing if you want to use it after bag check."

“If you’re documenting race day, taking selfies, and so on, you’d be surprised how quickly your battery can go down before you’ve even hit the starting corral and pressed play on your marathon playlist,” says Brooke Danielson, a five-time NYC Marathoner.

The New York City Marathon course is arguably the toughest of all the World Marathon Majors. It has approximately 1,000 feet of elevation gain, and not just on the five bridges you’ll cross between the start and the finish. It’s easy to go out too fast in Brooklyn, and blow up by the time you get to the later miles in Manhattan. “It’s really important to not go in blindly and have some sort of race strategy for this one,” says Gettis. This course breakdown should help.

Of all the five boroughs, you spend the least time in Staten Island. The NYC Marathon starts here, and the first mile climbs about 150 feet up the Verrazzano Bridge. Don’t freak out if you’re going slower than expected. You will effortlessly make up that time in the second mile, which has nearly 200 feet of descent to take you into Brooklyn. Two things to know here: Blue and orange bibs typically run on the upper deck of the bridge, while pink bibs run on the lower deck. (There’s no negatives to being on the lower deck, except you’ll have less of a clear view of Manhattan in the distance.)

Once you’re in Brooklyn, the colors separate a bit. Blue and orange mostly run next to each other, but pink takes a little bit more of a detour until mile 3. After mile 3, everyone runs on Fourth Avenue—although you’re separated by a median—and you’ll stay on this road until mile 8. (The numbers of the intersecting streets decrease as you run; you’re going all the way past 1st Street). There are some rolling hills here, but it’s very, very easy to go too fast. Stay in control of your pace so you don’t ruin your race plan.

Right around mile 8, you’ll make a quick left on Flatbush Avenue and then a right onto Lafayette Avenue. All the colors converge here, and you’re going from a major thoroughfare to a quiet, two-lane road—be prepared for a bottleneck. Later waves may come to a brief but full stop. Stay patient, the crowd will quickly spread back out, but watch your feet and be mindful of runners around you. You’ll turn left again just after mile nine, and you should be prepared here for a quieter mile before you reach the crowds of Williamsburg and Greenpoint.

The halfway point of the race is on the Pulaski Bridge, your second bridge of the race, which will take you into Queens. Good news: This bridge is not as steep as the Verrazzano, and you’ll get some really stellar views of downtown Manhattan to the left. Queens is flat and fast, with just four turns before you get to the third bridge, the Queensboro. This bridge can be tough, not just because there’s about 100 feet of climbing in a mile, but because there are no spectators on the bridge. It’s just you, the runners around you and the sound of feet slapping the ground. Use this time to mentally regroup for the final 10 miles of the race. Around 15.5 miles, you’ll hit the summit and start the descent into Manhattan. The closer you’ll get, the louder the roaring of the crowd waiting for you on First Avenue will be.

The Queensboro Bridge ramp dumps you out on First Avenue and 59th Street, and from there it’s a straight shot up First to 126th Street (FYI: 20 blocks equals one mile in Manhattan). This is one of the best cheering sections of the entire race; spectators can be five rows deep along both sides of the course, especially for the later waves. Use their energy to fuel you, because First Avenue can be a very subtle uphill grind all the way to bridge number four, the Willis Avenue Bridge, which takes you into the Bronx.

The Bronx has a reputation for being a quieter part of the course, but run clubs and crews have made a point of setting up here to help runners overcome that dreaded “wall”. You’ll hit mile 20 right after coming off the bridge, then make a bunch of quick turns to cover just two miles in this borough. Mile 21 comes on the fifth and final bridge, the Madison Avenue Bridge, which brings you back into Manhattan to wrap up the race.

Be prepared: This is the hardest part of the race. Not only are you at mile 22, but you’ve got a not-so-subtle incline all the way up Fifth Avenue to Central Park. After coming off the bridge, you’ll be at 138th Street, but you don’t enter the park until 90th Street. Once you do make that right turn into Central Park, though, you’re going to be greeted by another wall of spectators so deep that you’ll feel like an Olympian—and the nice downhill should give your legs a boost.

When you exit Central Park just after mile 25, that’s not the end! The course will spit you out onto Central Park South, where you’ll spend about three-quarters of a mile running parallel to the park. The crowds here are intense. But right before mile 26, you’re going to make a right turn back into Central Park. This is where you’re almost done: You’ll hit 26 right after re-entering, and then it’s straight to the finish.

For runners who do want to stick around the Upper West Side or Columbus Circle area, “have a designated meeting spot with a reservation if it’s at a restaurant,” says Danielson. “Plan ahead and have your friends and family take a pre-packed bag with warm clothes for you! Then once you’ve met up and had a post marathon celebration meal you can hopefully get a cab or rideshare, but keep in mind that the crowds do last until the late afternoon.”

And if you’re looking to kill time in this area, remember that Fleet Feet and New Balance will be hosting a Finisher’s Festival at the Clubhouse pop-up shop in Columbus Circle from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. for photo opps, treats and an exclusive finisher’s gift.

If you want to try and catch your runner more than twice, you’re going to have to go deep into Brooklyn. “The R stops at 59th Street in Brooklyn, which is mile three,” says Hashim. “My recommendation is to go about a half mile up on the runner’s left or right, depending on your runner’s bib color, so you’re on the correct side of the median. From there, you can hop back on the R to get to Manhattan.” You can also try to catch your runner around mile 8, where the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center stop connects to most major subway lines that will get you into Manhattan.

Another major spectating spot is Central Park. You’ll need to get here early, because it gets incredibly crowded until about 10 blocks in, says Hashim. Trying to navigate these crowds after traveling from Brooklyn will be difficult. Same goes for the final mile: “My warning about 59th Street is that runners typically stay to the right side of the street, and that side is the park side so it’s basically closed,” says Hashim. “You’re not going to be able to give a meaningful high-five here, and it can be incredibly overwhelming for runners to spot spectators because of the crowds.”

There’s a lot going on during marathon weekend, so if you’re racing, choose where you spend your energy wisely! You don’t want to show up to the starting line already drained from pre-race activities.

The Fleet Feet flagship store at Columbus Circle will be a hub of activity during marathon week. On Wednesday, October 30, Altra, Feetures, and Ketone-IQ will host morning miles and post-run breakfast, starting at 8:30 a.m.; at 6:30 p.m., join a group run presented by HOKA through Central Park. The next night, at 6:30 p.m., Saucony and GU will lead a Trick-or-Trot run—the best costumes will win prizes!

On Friday, November 1, New Balance will team up with Fleet Feet at The Clubhouse, a collaborative pop-up store on the ground level of the Columbus Circle Shops that will be open through November 4. At 8 a.m., you can demo New Balance releases for a shakeout run with special guests Believe in the Run and Meghann Featherstun, followed by a post-run breakfast. At 1 p.m., Featherstun will be back with 2009 NYC Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi for an in-person cooking demonstration. Saturday at 7:30 a.m., shake things out with Keflezighi. He’ll be back for a meet and greet from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., and KT Tape and Therabody will be on site for race day prep from 2 to 4 p.m. At 5 p.m., join New Balance for a Happy Hour shakeout run and afterparty with snacks, music, free swag, photo ops, customization and more.

The other Fleet Feet stores will have plenty of events as well. Fleet Feet and Brooks will host a Friday morning shakeout run at the Brooks Hyperion House NYC on Lafayette Street at 8 a.m., led by Alison Mariella Désir; group breakfast will follow. That same morning, Olympic medalist Molly Seidel, KT Tape, and Feetures will lead a shakeout run from the Union Square Fleet Feet store starting at 8 a.m. (stick around for breakfast, photos, taping, and giveaways).

At 2 p.m., head over to Fleet Feet Brooklyn for a race strategy panel featuring NY Times Reporter Talya Minsberg, Kathrine Switzer, Edith Zuschmann, Alison Mariella Désir, and Ameerah Oma. Meanwhile, at 4 p.m., Alexi Pappas will be available for a meet and greet at Fleet Feet East Side.

On Friday night, starting at 6:30 p.m., Fleet Feet Union Square celebrates the launch of the ASIC Novablast 5 with Currex, Maurten and Laura Green; it starts with a shakeout run and ends with a party. Fleet Feet Brooklyn will host their own pre-marathon party presented by Adidas at 9 a.m. on Saturday; join the shakeout run, then stay for breakfast and sign-making, along with hats from Sprints and nutrition samples from Mauren.

Post-race, join the Finisher’s Festival at the New Balance pop-up in Columbus Circle from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. for photo opps and medal engraving. You’ll also be able to get your medal engraved for free at Fleet Feet Union Square, Fleet Feet Brooklyn, and the Brooks Hyperion House. Join a 30-minute restorative yoga class presented by New Balance and Superfeet at 9 a.m. at the pop-up the day after the race. You can find more details on all these events here.