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Sport ▲ Rising Trend score 85 · Published October 23, 2026 · Updated October 23, 2026

NYC Marathon 2026: Start Times, Pro Field, Course and How to Watch

Q: When is the NYC Marathon 2026?

**Sunday, November 1, 2026.** It is the 55th edition of the TCS New York City Marathon and marks **50 years of the five-borough course**, first run in 1976. Race weekend starts with the expo at the **Jacob K. Javits Convention Center** from Thursday, October 29 to Saturday, October 31, where bib pickup requires an appointment and photo ID. Sources: NYRR, Marathon Handbook.

Q: What time does the NYC Marathon 2026 start?

All times Eastern: the **men's wheelchair** race starts at **8:00 a.m.**, the women's wheelchair at **8:02 a.m.**, handcycles and select athletes with disabilities at **8:22 a.m.**, the **professional women at 8:35 a.m.** and the **professional men at 9:05 a.m.** The five mass waves follow at **9:10, 9:45, 10:20, 10:55 and 11:30 a.m.** Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on race morning, so check that your phone and watch have switched. NYRR says start times are subject to change. Sources: NYRR, Marathon Handbook.

Q: How can I watch the NYC Marathon 2026 on TV?

In the US, **ESPN2** shows the race nationally from **8:00 to 11:30 a.m. ET** (also on the ESPN App, with a Spanish feed on ESPN3). In the New York area, **WABC-TV Channel 7** has pre-race coverage from 7 a.m. and live race coverage from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., plus a free stream on ABC7NY.com. A finish-line show airs on **ABC from 3 to 5 p.m. ET**. Radio: 710 WOR and iHeartRadio. Abroad, listed partners include **Eurosport** (much of Europe), **L'Equipe** (France), **RTVE** (Spain), **RAI** (Italy), **SuperSport** (sub-Saharan Africa) and **ESPN International** (Latin America). UK and Canadian rights were not confirmed in the sources checked. Sources: ABC7 New York, Marathon Handbook.

Q: Who are the favorites in the women's race?

Defending champion **Hellen Obiri** (Kenya, 2:15:53 personal best) is the headliner and would join Paula Radcliffe and Mary Keitany as a three-time New York winner. Her main rivals are **Sheila Chepkirui** (Kenya, 2024 champion, 2:17:29), **Gotytom Gebreslase** (Ethiopia, 2:18:11), **Viola Cheptoo** and veteran **Edna Kiplagat**. American hopes include **Jess McClain** and **Annie Frisbie**, while US half marathon record holder **Weini Kelati** makes her marathon debut. Sources: NYRR, CITIUS Mag, NBC Sports.

Q: Is Sifan Hassan running the NYC Marathon 2026?

**No.** The Dutch star announced on October 14 that she had withdrawn, saying an illness had slowed her training and she was not where she wanted to be. It is her second major withdrawal of 2026 after an Achilles injury ruled her out of London in April. American **Fiona O'Keeffe** is also out after hamstring surgery. Sources: Marathon Journal, Marathon Handbook.

Q: Who is in the men's elite field?

Defending champion **Benson Kipruto** (Kenya, 2:02:16) has the fastest personal best, ahead of **Deresa Geleta** (Ethiopia, 2:02:38) and **CyBrian Kotut** (Kenya, 2:03:22). Former New York winners **Geoffrey Kamworor** and **Abdi Nageeye** return. The top Americans are **Zouhair Talbi** (2:03:45) and **Conner Mantz** (2:04:43), and Sweden's **Andreas Almgren**, 2025 world 10,000m bronze medalist, makes his marathon debut. No man has defended the New York title since John Kagwe in 1998. Sources: NYRR, CITIUS Mag, NBC Sports.

Q: Who is racing the NYC Marathon wheelchair division?

**Marcel Hug** (Switzerland), the defending champion and a **seven-time** New York winner, is chasing an eighth title. He faces three-time champion **Daniel Romanchuk**, **David Weir** and **Tomoki Suzuki**. The women's race features five-time winner **Tatyana McFadden**, **Catherine Debrunner**, **Eden Rainbow-Cooper** and **Madison de Rozario**. Last year's women's champion, Susannah Scaroni, is not racing. Sources: NBC Sports, ABC7 New York, Marathon Handbook.

Q: What is the NYC Marathon course?

The 26.2-mile course starts at **Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island**, crosses the **Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge**, then runs through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx before finishing in **Central Park** near Tavern on the Green. It crosses five bridges: Verrazzano, Pulaski, Queensboro, Willis Avenue and Madison Avenue. **New for 2026:** the Bronx section around miles 20 and 21 in Mott Haven has been redrawn, cutting the turns there from seven to five, the first route change since 2011. The distance is unchanged. Sources: NY1, Marathon Handbook.

Q: What are the NYC Marathon course records?

**Men: Tamirat Tola, 2:04:58 (2023).** **Women: Hellen Obiri, 2:19:51 (2025)**, which broke a course record that had stood for 22 years. Sources: Marathon Handbook, CITIUS Mag.

The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon is on Sunday, November 1, the 50th anniversary of the five-borough course. The professional women start at 8:35 a.m. and the men at 9:05 a.m. ET on Staten Island, on the morning US clocks go back an hour. Defending champions Hellen Obiri, Benson Kipruto and wheelchair racer Marcel Hug return, but Sifan Hassan has withdrawn. ESPN2 and WABC-TV Channel 7 carry the race in the US. Sources: NYRR, ABC7 New York, Marathon Handbook, NBC Sports.

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The context

Fifty years of the five-borough course

The TCS New York City Marathon runs on Sunday, November 1, 2026, and this edition carries a symbolic weight: it marks 50 years since the race first took in all five boroughs in 1976. The route still starts at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, crosses the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and finishes in Central Park, but for the first time since 2011 it has been tweaked: a short section in the Bronx, between miles 20 and 21, now has five turns instead of seven, with the distance unchanged.

The race is also bigger than ever. In 2025 NYRR counted 59,226 finishers, the largest marathon in history, and nearly 60,000 runners are expected again. Race morning has one trap: daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m., so the professional women go at 8:35 a.m. and the men at 9:05 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, after the wheelchair races from 8:00 a.m. ESPN2 and WABC-TV Channel 7 carry the race in the US, with Eurosport, L’Equipe and RTVE among the international partners.

The women’s race lost its biggest name when Sifan Hassan withdrew on October 14 after an illness, but defending champion Hellen Obiri, who set the course record of 2:19:51 last year, still faces 2024 winner Sheila Chepkirui and Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase, while Weini Kelati makes her marathon debut. On the men’s side, Benson Kipruto tries to become the first man to defend the title since 1998 against Deresa Geleta, former champions Geoffrey Kamworor and Abdi Nageeye, and Americans Conner Mantz and Zouhair Talbi.

In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug goes for an eighth New York title after wins in Tokyo, Boston and London this year, while Tatyana McFadden and Catherine Debrunner lead the women’s field. The 2026 prize money has not been announced; last year each winner took $100,000.

Sources: NYRR, ABC7 New York, Marathon Handbook, NBC Sports, CITIUS Mag, Running USA, NY1, Marathon Journal.

People also ask

14 questions · sorted by search share

Sunday, November 1, 2026. It is the 55th edition of the TCS New York City Marathon and marks 50 years of the five-borough course, first run in 1976. Race weekend starts with the expo at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center from Thursday, October 29 to Saturday, October 31, where bib pickup requires an appointment and photo ID. Sources: NYRR, Marathon Handbook.

All times Eastern: the men's wheelchair race starts at 8:00 a.m., the women's wheelchair at 8:02 a.m., handcycles and select athletes with disabilities at 8:22 a.m., the professional women at 8:35 a.m. and the professional men at 9:05 a.m. The five mass waves follow at 9:10, 9:45, 10:20, 10:55 and 11:30 a.m. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on race morning, so check that your phone and watch have switched. NYRR says start times are subject to change. Sources: NYRR, Marathon Handbook.

With the US back on standard time on race day, New York is five hours behind the UK. The professional women start at 1:35 p.m. GMT and the men at 2:05 p.m. GMT, with the wheelchair races from 1:00 p.m. In Nairobi and Addis Ababa it is 4:35 p.m. and 5:05 p.m. Source: Marathon Handbook (times converted).

In the US, ESPN2 shows the race nationally from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. ET (also on the ESPN App, with a Spanish feed on ESPN3). In the New York area, WABC-TV Channel 7 has pre-race coverage from 7 a.m. and live race coverage from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., plus a free stream on ABC7NY.com. A finish-line show airs on ABC from 3 to 5 p.m. ET. Radio: 710 WOR and iHeartRadio. Abroad, listed partners include Eurosport (much of Europe), L'Equipe (France), RTVE (Spain), RAI (Italy), SuperSport (sub-Saharan Africa) and ESPN International (Latin America). UK and Canadian rights were not confirmed in the sources checked. Sources: ABC7 New York, Marathon Handbook.

Defending champion Hellen Obiri (Kenya, 2:15:53 personal best) is the headliner and would join Paula Radcliffe and Mary Keitany as a three-time New York winner. Her main rivals are Sheila Chepkirui (Kenya, 2024 champion, 2:17:29), Gotytom Gebreslase (Ethiopia, 2:18:11), Viola Cheptoo and veteran Edna Kiplagat. American hopes include Jess McClain and Annie Frisbie, while US half marathon record holder Weini Kelati makes her marathon debut. Sources: NYRR, CITIUS Mag, NBC Sports.

No. The Dutch star announced on October 14 that she had withdrawn, saying an illness had slowed her training and she was not where she wanted to be. It is her second major withdrawal of 2026 after an Achilles injury ruled her out of London in April. American Fiona O'Keeffe is also out after hamstring surgery. Sources: Marathon Journal, Marathon Handbook.

Defending champion Benson Kipruto (Kenya, 2:02:16) has the fastest personal best, ahead of Deresa Geleta (Ethiopia, 2:02:38) and CyBrian Kotut (Kenya, 2:03:22). Former New York winners Geoffrey Kamworor and Abdi Nageeye return. The top Americans are Zouhair Talbi (2:03:45) and Conner Mantz (2:04:43), and Sweden's Andreas Almgren, 2025 world 10,000m bronze medalist, makes his marathon debut. No man has defended the New York title since John Kagwe in 1998. Sources: NYRR, CITIUS Mag, NBC Sports.

Marcel Hug (Switzerland), the defending champion and a seven-time New York winner, is chasing an eighth title. He faces three-time champion Daniel Romanchuk, David Weir and Tomoki Suzuki. The women's race features five-time winner Tatyana McFadden, Catherine Debrunner, Eden Rainbow-Cooper and Madison de Rozario. Last year's women's champion, Susannah Scaroni, is not racing. Sources: NBC Sports, ABC7 New York, Marathon Handbook.

The 26.2-mile course starts at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, crosses the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, then runs through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx before finishing in Central Park near Tavern on the Green. It crosses five bridges: Verrazzano, Pulaski, Queensboro, Willis Avenue and Madison Avenue. New for 2026: the Bronx section around miles 20 and 21 in Mott Haven has been redrawn, cutting the turns there from seven to five, the first route change since 2011. The distance is unchanged. Sources: NY1, Marathon Handbook.

Men: Tamirat Tola, 2:04:58 (2023). Women: Hellen Obiri, 2:19:51 (2025), which broke a course record that had stood for 22 years. Sources: Marathon Handbook, CITIUS Mag.

Benson Kipruto won the men's race in 2:08:09, three hundredths of a second ahead of Alexander Mutiso, the closest finish in race history. Hellen Obiri won the women's race in 2:19:51, a course record. NYRR counted 59,226 finishers, the largest marathon ever held, beating London's 56,640 from April 2025. Sources: NYRR via Running USA, Marathon Handbook.

The 2026 purse had not been published in the sources checked. In 2025, each open-division winner received $100,000, second place $60,000 and third $40,000, and Obiri earned a further $50,000 for her course record. Top American finishers also get extra prize money. Source: Marathon Handbook.

Use the free TCS New York City Marathon App, built by Tata Consultancy Services for NYRR. You can search by name or bib number, follow several runners and see them on a live course map, with splits at the start, every 5K, halfway and the finish. Add your runners before Sunday: the app can be slow to refresh around Central Park. Official times are recorded until 10 p.m. ET. Source: Marathon Handbook.

There is no spectator access at the start or on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, and the Pulaski Bridge is closed to spectators. Suggested spots: Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn (miles 2 to 4), Williamsburg and Greenpoint (miles 10 to 13), First Avenue (miles 16 to 18), East Harlem (miles 18 to 20) and Fifth Avenue at East 90th to 105th Streets (miles 23 to 24). Take the subway and check mta.info. Streets along the course close on race morning and reopen behind the sweep buses; the full 2026 closure list was not published in the sources checked, so call 311 or check NYC DOT on the day. Sources: ABC7 New York, Marathon Handbook.