Tens of thousands of marathon runners will be back on the streets of New York City this weekend, marking the return of what's considered to be the world's largest 26.2-mile race.
The 2024 TCS New York City Marathon kicks off Sunday morning at 8 a.m., with an estimated 50,000 people expected to take off from Staten Island and navigate the marathon course through all five of the city's boroughs. (That morning also marks the end of daylight saving time).
The race starts at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and finishes at Central Park West Drive and 67th Street. Significant street closures, some rolling and some otherwise, will be in effect. See the full list of closures and the course map below.
Last year, a total of 51,453 people completed the marathon. The New York Road Runners said the average race time came in at 4 hours, 39 minutes and 47 seconds.
Marathon runners and spectators alike should be treated to great running weather. The forecast for this weekend calls for a dip in temperatures, after a toasty Halloween, and mostly clear skies. Sunday morning looks to start chilly, so having an extra layer along the course wouldn't be a bad idea.
Fans can catch the race from almost anywhere along the 26.2-mile course, expect the first few miles, that is. The marathon course is open to spectators from mile 3 to mile 26.
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There are also tickets available to watch the runners cross the finish line from the grandstands in Central Park.
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2024 course map for NYC Marathon
Who is in the NYC Marathon elite field?
The field for the marathon is stacked, with defending champions Tamirat Tola and Hellen Obiri leading the way. They are aiming to become the first repeat winners in nearly a decade. Tola set the course record last year. He's trying to become the first male runner to win both an Olympic gold medal and the NYC Marathon in the same year. Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya accomplished that feat on the women's side in 2021.
To defend his title on his favorite course, he’ll have to beat a stellar field that includes past winners Geoffrey Kamworor (2017, 2019), Albert Korir (2021) and Evans Chebet (2022), all from Kenya.
Obiri will need to beat her own loaded field to repeat. Other past champions in Sunday’s race include Sharon Lokedi (2022) and Edna Kiplagat (2010), both of Kenya. American standouts Dakotah Popehn and Jenny Simpson also are running.
How to watch and track runners in the race?
The New York Road Runners has an app that can be downloaded to track runners and stay up-to-date on events. There's also live results available. The marathon will be broadcast at 8 a.m. ET on ESPN2.
What is the NYC Marathon route?
The 26.2-mile course takes runners through all five boroughs of New York, starting in Staten Island and ending in Central Park. This is the 48th year the race has been in all five boroughs. Before that, the route was completely in Central Park when it began in 1970. The first race had only 55 finishers while last year more than 50,000 completed the event.
When does the marathon start?
The professional wheelchair races starts at 8 a.m. ET, with the pro women's division beginning 35 minutes later. The men's pro race starts at 9:05 a.m., when the temperature is expected around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Then comes five waves of runners, with the last wave beginning at 11:30 a.m. The official cutoff time to finish the race is 10:00 p.m.
Planned street closures for NYC Marathon
STATEN ISLAND
- Richmond Terrace between Jersey Street and Bay Street
- Wall Street (aka Richmond County Ballpark Driveway) between Richmond Terrace and Bank Street
- Jersey Street between Richmond Terrace and Victory Boulevard
- Victory Boulevard between Jersey Street and Bay Street
- Bay Street between Richmond Terrace and School Road
- Fingerboard Road between Bay Street and Tompkins Avenue
- Tompkins Avenue between Fingerboard Road and School Road
- School Road between Bay Street and Staten Island Expressway
- Lily Pond Avenue between Staten Island Expressway and Father Capodanno Boulevard
- McClean Avenue/Battery Road between Lily Pond Avenue and New York Avenue
- Hylan Boulevard between Bay Street and Olga Place
- Steuben Street between Olga Place and West Fingerboard Road
- West Fingerboard Road between Steuben Street and Hylan Boulevard
- Sand Lane between Hylan Boulevard and Father Capodanno Boulevard
- Father Capodanno Boulevard between Sand Lane and Lily Pond Avenue
- Verrazano Bridge
BROOKLYN
- Dahlgren Place between Verrazano Bridge and 92nd Street (Northbound)
- 92nd Street between Dahlgren Place and 4th Avenue
- Brooklyn Queens Expressway (Southbound) between Verrazano Bridge and 79th Street
- Gatling Place/79th Street BQE Entrance Ramp between 83rd Street and 79th Street
- 7th Avenue (Southbound) between 79th Street and 74th Street
- 74th Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue
- 6th Avenue between 74th Street and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway
- 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway between 7th Avenue and 4th Avenue
- Fort Hamilton Parkway between 92nd Street and 94th Street
- 94th Street between Fort Hamilton Parkway and 4th Avenue
- 4th Avenue between 94thStreet and Flatbush Avenue
- Flatbush Avenue between 4th Avenue and Lafayette Avenue
- Lafayette Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and Bedford Avenue
- Bedford Avenue between Lafayette Avenue and Nassau Avenue
- Nassau Avenue between Bedford Avenue/Lorimer Street and Manhattan Avenue
- Manhattan Avenue between Nassau Avenue and Greenpoint Avenue
- Greenpoint Avenue between Manhattan Avenue and McGuinness Boulevard
- McGuinness Boulevard (Southbound) between Greenpoint Avenue and Pulaski Bridge
- Pulaski Bridge (Southbound)
QUEENS
- 11th Street between Pulaski Bridge/Jackson Avenue and 48th Avenue
- 48th Avenue between 11th Street and Vernon Boulevard
- Vernon Boulevard between 48th Avenue and 10th Street
- 10th Street between Vernon Boulevard and 44th Drive
- 44th Drive between 10th Street and Hunter Street
- Hunter Street between 44th Drive and Crescent Street
- Crescent Street between Hunter Street and Queens Plaza South
- Queens Plaza South between Crescent Street and 23rd Street
- Queens Plaza North between Crescent Street and 23rd Street
- 23rd Street between Queens Plaza South and Queens Plaza North
- Queensboro Bridge (Eastbound)
- Queensboro Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Path
MANHATTAN
- Queensboro Bridge (Vehicle Entrance Ramp Eastbound)
- East 59th Street between 2nd Avenue and 1st Avenue
- East 60th Street between 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue
- 1st Avenue between East 59th Street and Willis Avenue Bridge
- Madison Avenue Bridge (Westbound)
- 142nd Street between Lenox Avenue/Malcom X Boulevard and 5th Avenue
- 5th Avenue between 142nd Street and 124th Street
- Madison Avenue (FDR Service Road) between East 135th Street and East 142nd Street
- East 138th Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
- West 124th Street between 5th Avenue and Mount Morris Park West
- Mount Morris Park West between West 124th Street and West 120th Street
- West 120th Street between Mount Morris Park West and 5th Avenue
- 5th Avenue between 120th Street and 90th Street
- 90th Street between 5th Avenue and East Drive
- East Drive between 90th Street and Grand Army Plaza
- Grand Army Plaza between East Drive and West 59th Street
- West 59th Street between 5th Avenue and Columbus Circle/8th Avenue/Central Park West
- Columbus Circle between West 59th Street and Central Park Driveway
- Central Park Driveway/8th Avenue Approach to West Drive
- West Drive between 8th Avenue Approach and 85th Street Approach to West Drive
- Terrace Drive between West Drive and East Drive
- Center Drive between West Drive and East Drive
- West 85th Street Approach to West Drive
- West 81st Street Approach to West Drive
- West 77th Street Approach to West Drive
- West 67th Street Approach to West Drive
BRONX
- Willis Avenue Bridge
- East 135th Street between Willis Avenue and Alexander Avenue
- Alexander Avenue between East 135th Street and East 138th Street
- East 138th Street between Alexander Avenue and 3rd Avenue
- 3rd Avenue between East 138th Street and East 139th Street
- Morris Avenue between East 139th Street and East 140th Street
- East 140th Street between Morris Avenue and Rider Avenue
- Rider Avenue between East 140th Street and East 138th Street
- East 138th Street between Rider Avenue and Madison Avenue Bridge
