A milestone Sunday in the five boroughs
Nearly 60,000 runners are crossing New York City today, Sunday, November 1, in the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. This year's race marks 50 years since the marathon first left Central Park and spread across all five boroughs, turning a local loop into one of the world's great street parties.
Demand to run has never been higher. More than 240,000 people applied through the lottery for a spot, the most competitive drawing in the race's history.
The day opened at 8:02 a.m. ET with the women's wheelchair start, followed by the elite fields and waves of everyday runners pouring over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge from Staten Island into Brooklyn. Marathon weekend warmed up on Saturday, when more than 11,500 people ran the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K across the same Central Park finish line.
The races to watch
Both 2025 champions are back to defend their titles. Kenya's Hellen Obiri set the women's course record last year in 2:19:51, cutting almost three minutes off the old mark. Benson Kipruto returns as men's champion after winning in 2:08:09.
Men's open: Former winners Geoffrey Kamworor and Abdi Nageeye are in the field. Deresa Geleta, with a 2:02:38 best, makes his New York debut. Americans Conner Mantz and Zouhair Talbi, the two fastest U.S. men in history, meet again.
Women's open: U.S. half marathon record holder Weini Kelati runs her first marathon, joining Jess McClain and Annie Frisbie in one of the deepest American women's fields New York has seen.
Wheelchair: Marcel Hug and Daniel Romanchuk were side by side at 10K, less than a second apart, while Catherine Debrunner opened an early lead in the women's race.
A new course record pays a bonus, but only to a winner who breaks it outright. Official results will be posted by New York Road Runners as the day goes on.
Download the official app
The easiest way to follow today's race is the free Official New York Road Runners App, the TCS New York City Marathon app built by Tata Consultancy Services. Download it here, or search "New York Road Runners" on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
With the app you can:
Track runners live — follow friends and family mile by mile in real time.
Watch the pros — live feeds of all four professional divisions, depending on broadcast rights where you are.
Check leaderboards — see who is leading as splits come in.
Plan your viewing — course maps and race-day information help you find your runner on the course.
Prefer TV? ESPN2 and WABC-TV/ABC7 carry the race, with ABC airing a national show from 3 to 5 p.m. ET and radio coverage on 710 WOR and iHeartRadio.
Heading out to cheer?
Crowds are expected to be huge, so leave early and give yourself extra time to get around the city. Add your runner in the app before you go, so you know when they will pass your spot.
The finish line in Central Park stays busy well into the evening. Runners who finish after 10 p.m. ET still receive a medal, though not an official time. Whether you are on First Avenue or on your couch, today is a day to cheer every one of them home.