TCS New York City Marathon
Sunday, November 1, 2026
Elevation Gain
250m
Elevation Range
52m
Avg Temperature
50°F / 10°C
Course Profile
hilly
Course Map & Elevation
Course Overview
A hilly, point-to-point course through all five NYC boroughs with 250m of total elevation gain across five bridges and relentless rolling terrain. This is not a PR course — it is a racing course. The one thing that makes NYC unique is the Queensboro Bridge silence at km 24, followed by the deafening First Avenue roar, creating the most dramatic emotional swing in marathon running.
Key Segments
Verrazzano Bridge and Brooklyn
Terrain: Steep bridge climb to 87m in the first km, sharp descent into Brooklyn, then deceptively rolling terrain through Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Park Slope, and Bed-Stuy to Williamsburg
Challenge: The Verrazzano climb and descent hammers quads early. Brooklyn is 13 miles of rolling terrain that feels much longer than it is. Crowd energy tempts aggressive opening.
Tactic: Run the Verrazzano conservatively — 15-20 sec/km slow. Shorten stride on the descent. Through Brooklyn, run by effort, not pace. The undulations are constant and deceptive.
Queensboro Bridge to First Avenue
Terrain: Pulaski Bridge into Queens, then the long, silent Queensboro Bridge climb (42m peak at km 24.5), followed by the flat straightaway of First Avenue running north
Challenge: The Queensboro Bridge is crowd-free and silent — a 2km climb into a void where many runners blow up. Then First Avenue's crowd roar triggers dangerous surges.
Tactic: Shorten stride on the Queensboro climb and run by effort only. When you emerge onto First Avenue, DO NOT SURGE. You have 16km left. The crowd noise is lying to you about how good you feel.
Bronx and Harlem
Terrain: Willis Avenue Bridge (6.47% grade — steepest climb on course), brief Bronx out-and-back, Madison Ave Bridge return, then the grinding Fifth Avenue uphill through Harlem
Challenge: The Willis Avenue Bridge at km 31.5 is the steepest pitch on the course on completely spent legs. Fifth Avenue (km 35-38) is a long, grinding uphill along Central Park.
Tactic: Power-walk the Willis Avenue Bridge if needed — losing 20 seconds here saves minutes later. Fifth Avenue is effort-based only. Do not look at your watch.
Central Park to Finish
Terrain: Rolling Central Park hills — no flat finishing kilometres. Cat Hill, the 102nd Street Transverse undulations, then south to the 67th Street finish.
Challenge: There is no respite in the final 4km. Central Park's rolling hills are brutal on spent legs. Many runners hit the wall here.
Tactic: If you were patient through Brooklyn and First Avenue, this is where you pass hundreds of faders. Maintain cadence, stay tall, and let the Central Park crowd noise carry you to the finish.
Race-Specific Training
- •Include weekly hill training with both bridge-simulation climbs (short, steep 1-2 min efforts) and sustained uphill tempo (5-8 min at threshold) to prepare for the five bridges and Fifth Avenue
- •Practice running strong on rolling terrain in the final 10km of long runs to simulate Central Park on tired legs
- •Run at least one long training run that includes a silent, crowd-free stretch followed by a noisy section to practice the Queensboro-to-First-Avenue emotional transition
Conditions & Environment
Altitude
Start at 50m (Fort Wadsworth), Verrazzano peak at 87m, most of the course at 10-30m, finish at 25m. No altitude concerns.
Weather
First Sunday of November. Typical race-morning temps 4-13C (40-55F). Can swing from freezing to 18C (65F). Highly variable — check the forecast obsessively in the final week.
Sun & Wind
The Verrazzano and Queensboro Bridges are fully exposed to wind. First Avenue can channel headwinds. Central Park provides tree cover. November sun is low and in your eyes heading south.
What to Wear
Layers are essential for the 1-2 hour wait at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island. Throwaway clothes and an old blanket are critical. Dress for conditions 8-10C warmer than start temp.
Pacing Strategy
| Segment | Pace | Note |
|---|---|---|
| km 0-21 | 10-15 sec/km slower than goal pace | Verrazzano conservatively, Brooklyn patiently. You are banking energy for the second half. This is not a negative-split race — it is a controlled-fade race. |
| km 21-31 | Goal pace (effort-based) | Queensboro by effort, First Avenue by discipline. Take final gel at km 28-30. |
| km 31-38 | 10-20 sec/km slower than goal pace (effort-based) | Willis Avenue Bridge and Fifth Avenue — run by effort only. Accept slower splits. Save everything for Central Park. |
| km 38-42.195 | Whatever you have left | Central Park hills. If you were patient all day, you will pass hundreds of runners who were not. That is the NYC Marathon reward. |
Race Day Tip
The ferry and bus logistics to Fort Wadsworth take 60-90 minutes and you will wait outdoors in Staten Island for 1-2 hours before your wave. Bring a full throwaway outfit including pants, a jacket, and a blanket. First-timers consistently underestimate how long and cold the pre-race wait is. Also: the three start villages (Blue, Orange, Green) take completely different routes through Brooklyn for the first 13km before merging — you will not see friends from other start groups until Manhattan.
Race details subject to change. Verify with the official race website.
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