New York City Marathon 2026: new Bronx route, start times and road closures

The essentials: More than 50,000 runners are expected at the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1, 2026, which FOX 5 New York counts as the 55th running. The race starts at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island and finishes near Tavern on the Green in Central Park, on a course altered in the Bronx for the first time in 15 years. This year also marks 50 years since the five-borough layout debuted on October 24, 1976.

What has changed on the course?

The adjustment is short, but it is the first official route change in 15 years, according to FOX 5, which says the aim is to reduce neighborhood congestion in the South Bronx.

After crossing the Willis Avenue Bridge, runners now turn left onto East 135th Street, then quickly right onto Alexander Avenue. They stay on Alexander to East 141st Street, turn left onto Third Avenue, right onto East 138th Street, and cross the Madison Avenue Bridge into Manhattan.

Morris Avenue, East 140th Street and Rider Avenue are no longer on the route.

What time does each group start?

Start time (ET)	Group
8:00 a.m.	Professional wheelchair
8:22 a.m.	Handcycle and select athletes with disabilities
8:40 a.m.	Professional women
9:05 a.m.	Professional men
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

Source: FOX 5 New York.

One practical warning for anyone with a corral time: US clocks go back an hour at 2 a.m. on November 1, hours before the first start.

Who is in the professional field?

Defending champions Hellen Obiri, Benson Kipruto and Marcel Hug head a field that includes 40 Olympians and Paralympians, 25 Olympic, Paralympic and World Championship medalists and 22 national record holders, ABC7 reports.

• Women: Obiri broke the course record last year on her way to a second New York title. She faces 2024 champion Sheila Chepkirui, three-time Olympic champion Sifan Hassan, Weini Kelati on her marathon debut, Jess McClain and Fiona O’Keeffe.
• Men: Kipruto won last year by the narrowest margin in the race’s history. His challengers include Geoffrey Kamworor, Abdi Nageeye, Conner Mantz, Zouhair Talbi and Joe Klecker.
• Wheelchair: Hug, a seven-time New York champion, leads a men’s field with Daniel Romanchuk and David Weir. Tatyana McFadden, Catherine Debrunner and Madison de Rozario are in the women’s race.

Which roads and bridges are closed?

The whole course is shut to traffic in stages. The main closures listed by FOX 5 and West Side Rag:

Location	Closure
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, upper level	11 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, lower level	7 a.m. to 4 p.m., marathon traffic only
Pulaski Bridge	7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Queensboro Bridge, lower level into Manhattan	6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Willis Avenue and Madison Avenue bridges	7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Fourth, Lafayette and Bedford avenues, Brooklyn	6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
New Bronx section	7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
First Avenue, 59th Street to Willis Avenue Bridge	7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Fifth Avenue, 138th to 90th Street	9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Central Park West, Columbus Circle to 81st Street	Midnight to 10:30 p.m.

Around the finish, West Side Rag also lists Broadway and Columbus Avenue between 59th and 77th streets, closed from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and the 65th and 79th Street traverses in Central Park, closed from midnight to 9:30 p.m. The family reunion zone is on West 69th to 71st streets, between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

How can you watch it?

ABC7 will start pre-race coverage at 7 a.m. Live coverage begins at 8 a.m. on Channel 7 and ESPN2.