TCS New York City Marathon 2026: A Global Event

Tens of thousands of athletes from around the world participate in the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. This prestigious event spans the five boroughs of New York City, beginning in Staten Island and concluding in Central Park, Manhattan. The 26.2-mile course attracts crowds who gather annually to support family members and friends, as well as other participants.

The marathon starts in waves. On Sunday morning, the wheelchair division kicked off at Fort Wadsworth around 8 a.m. ET. Following them, handcyclists and select athletes with disabilities hit the course, followed by the professional women’s and men’s open divisions. Between 9 and 11:30 a.m., five separate waves of runners commence their journey.

Notable competitors include Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto, both defending their titles in the women’s and men’s open divisions respectively. They claimed victory in the 2025 marathon. Swedish athlete Andreas Almgren, celebrated for his World Half Marathon win, makes his full marathon debut alongside Conner Mantz, the holder of the American marathon record, achieved in Chicago with a time of 2 hours, 4 minutes, and 43 seconds.

Throughout the event, volunteers assist by setting up water distribution tables along the course, particularly noted at Alexander Avenue in the Bronx. Real-time updates on the progress of the runners are available via the New York Road Runners’ interactive tracker. Full results are posted after the marathon concludes.

The race route begins in Staten Island, crosses the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn, continues through Queens and Manhattan, skirts the Bronx, and finally loops back to Central Park. During the marathon, numerous streets and bridges are closed to traffic.