NYC Marathon 2026: Start Times, How to Track Runners, Where to Watch and the Route

The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon is underway on Sunday, Nov. 1. Tens of thousands of runners are heading from Staten Island through all five boroughs to the finish in Central Park. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the race’s five-borough course, according to ESPN. Last year a record 59,226 runners crossed the finish line, CBS New York reported, citing New York Road Runners (NYRR).

Here’s what to know about start times, following runners live, watching on TV, and where to stand along the course.

What time does the NYC Marathon start?

Starts are staggered between 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. ET, beginning with the wheelchair divisions. NYRR’s official start timeline:

• 8:00 a.m.: Men’s professional wheelchair division
• 8:02 a.m.: Women’s professional wheelchair division
• 8:22 a.m.: Handcycle category 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 a.m.: Wave 1
• 9:45 a.m.: Wave 2
• 10:20 a.m.: Wave 3
• 10:55 a.m.: Wave 4
• 11:30 a.m.: Wave 5

NYRR says each bib shows the runner’s wave, start color (blue, orange or pink) and corral. Runners may move to a later wave but not an earlier one. Note that daylight saving time ended at 2 a.m. Sunday, so clocks fell back an hour before race morning, as CBS New York pointed out.

NYC marathon tracker: how to track runners

NYRR says runners can be followed live through the official NYRR app (developed by Tata Consultancy Services) or the live-tracking website. CBS New York reports the web tracker is at liveresults.nyrr.org, where you can look up a runner by name or bib number.

The app also includes live course cameras at the start, the finish and key spots on the course, an interactive spectator guide, and a “Follow” feature that keeps tracking a runner at future NYRR events, according to NYRR. Official results will be posted at results.nyrr.org after the race, CBS New York said.

How to watch the NYC Marathon on TV and streaming

According to ESPN:

• National: ESPN2 and the ESPN App, 8-11:30 a.m. ET. Extra coverage streams on the ESPN App from 7-8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Streaming requires an ESPN Unlimited plan.
• New York area: ABC7/WABC-TV, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., with pre-race coverage from 7 a.m. The ABC 7 New York app and ABC7NY.com will also carry a dedicated finish-line view from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Finish-line show: “Live from the TCS New York City Marathon” airs 3-5 p.m. ET on ABC, hosted by Will Reeve and Rhiannon Ally.
• Spanish: Spanish-language coverage runs 8-11:30 a.m., with an ESPN Deportes re-air on Monday, Nov. 2.

NYC marathon 2026 route and where to watch

The race starts on Staten Island and crosses the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn. It then runs through Queens and over the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, dips into the Bronx and returns to Manhattan for the finish in Central Park. CBS New York says spectators can line most of the course between Miles 3 and 26, but there is no viewing at the start line or on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

Viewing spots recommended by organizers, per CBS New York:

• Brooklyn: Fourth Avenue (Miles 2-4), Fourth and Flatbush avenues (Mile 8), Williamsburg and Greenpoint (Miles 10-13)
• Queens: Pulaski Bridge (Mile 13.1)
• Manhattan: First Avenue (Miles 16-18), East Harlem (Miles 18-20), First Avenue and 120th Street (Miles 19-20), Fifth Avenue from East 90th to East 105th streets (Miles 23-24), and Columbus Circle

A limited number of paid seats were also offered for the East Side Grandstand, which overlooks the final 200 meters and the finish line.

Who to watch in the pro races

NYRR says the professional field includes three defending champions. Kenya’s Hellen Obiri broke the women’s course record on her way to her second title last year. Her compatriot Benson Kipruto won the men’s race by less than a second, the closest finish in event history. Switzerland’s Marcel Hug returns in the wheelchair division with seven New York titles.

The women’s field also includes 2024 champion Sheila Chepkirui, three-time Olympic champion Sifan Hassan and American half marathon record holder Weini Kelati, who is making her marathon debut. Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta is among the top men’s challengers.

Celebrities running the NYC Marathon 2026

NYRR announced a long list of famous runners. They include Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly, Tony winner Patina Miller, actor and singer Joshua Bassett, former England midfielder James Milner, “Queer Eye” star Antoni Porowski, Dylan Efron, Zac Clark and mentalist Oz Pearlman.

Race-day weather

Marathon Handbook, citing National Weather Service forecasts, expected a start in the upper 40s on Staten Island under sunny skies with light wind, warming toward a high near 62 F in the afternoon. Runners in the later waves will run through the warmest part of the day.

FAQ

Earlier coverage: NYC Marathon 2026: Start Times, Bronx Route Change, How to Watch and What to Know for Sunday's 50th Five-Borough Race (Oct 30)