Is this the hottest race in the world? Those who enter the New York City Marathon lottery have a better chance of getting accepted to Harvard. An alternative to obtain guaranteed entry, NYRR’s 9+1 program, where participants can sign up for nine qualifying races and one volunteer activity, has gotten so popular the New York Times compared it to getting Taylor Swift concert tickets.
Are the five months of training, the blisters, the money spent on energy gels, new shoes all worth it on race day? As a two-time New York City Marathon finisher, here’s what it’s actually like to run one of the most popular races in the world…
New York City Marathon
(James Barrett @jimmyrox)
I had to say it out loud because it didn’t feel real. I am one of 50,000 participants who ran from Staten Island, through Brooklyn, into Queens, up to Harlem and down to Manhattan into Central Park in one go. Welcome to the New York City Marathon, where they say ‘it will move you’ and it sure does.
The key to completing this bucket list race isn’t how long you trained or what brand of running shoes you have, but the mental game—mind over matter. That, along with the help of thousands of screaming spectators and over 10,000 volunteers handing out cups of water and Gatorade, is the only way you’ll make it through.
I’ve been lucky enough to run the New York City Marathon twice–in 2021 and 2023 with a three peat coming in 2026.
I trained consistently for five months and unsurprisingly altered my lifestyle. The schedule was consuming, running upwards of 25+ miles a week, stretching, fueling and carb loading. With good days and bad, gearing up for this once-in-a-lifetime day was nothing short of inspiring as I pushed myself in ways I didn’t imagine.
When race day finally arrived, this is how it went…
4:40 AM
My friend and I woke up in our Midtown hotel room and started stretching and mentally preparing. ‘We’re running a marathon today,’ we said aloud in disbelief and excitement. It was the first for both of us. My stomach is doing somersaults. Do I even need to say I didn’t get a good night’s sleep? I’m in full adrenaline mode—this is all happening.
5:30 AM
Here we are, walking down the sidewalk with our race bibs pinned under our sweats as we pass cabs dropping off partiers returning from a night out. The quiet of the city was serene, to see the calmness before all of the excitement that was about to ensue. We boarded our bus and the next stop: Staten Island.
6:30 AM
We arrived at Staten Island to the runner’s village, where we had different colored areas and start times. I looked around at crowds of people, rocking sweats that were to be donated.
New York City Marathon
(James Barrett @jimmyrox)
Every single person in this crowd was about to run the same race, faced the same hurdles over the last five months, if not longer, and that bonded us. People were speaking different languages but the drive and grit that we all encompass are universal.
9:55 AM
Someone sang the National Anthem before we took off and Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” was playing as we headed towards the Verrazano Bridge, which is the first and steepest mile of the race.
Pretty surreal, right?
As ready as I was to run, I was also excited to see New York City from a perspective that only marathon participants can experience while running the streets.
11:00 AM
Brooklyn showed up. The crowds were unreal. People don’t just cheer for those who they know, they scream for everyone. Signs offered “power boosts” if you high-fived them, and witty motivational lines. Heading through Brooklyn was the flattest elevation of the race and felt more like a party.
12:30 PM
The peak of the party has passed, but instead of Irish exiting, you realize that there are 11 miles left. The Queensboro Bridge is notoriously one of the hardest parts of the run. Spectators are not allowed on the bridge, so runners are left alone with their thoughts and hopefully the most bombastic pump-up song they have on their playlist.
When you get off, runners are greeted with roars from crowds that line First Avenue. With sounds so grand, it’s nicknamed “The Wall” of the race.
New York City Marathon
(James Barrett @jimmyrox)1:30 PM
At mile 20, a young child with his mother had a table set up with cups of Coca-Cola and bananas. I learned recently that drinking soda during a long run actually helps you and this little boy helped me more than he knows.
My legs cramped like they’ve never before, pulsating with a sensation like my thighs have turned to stone. I didn’t walk at all and wasn’t about to. By mile 23, I finally stopped at the medical tent for five minutes where someone gave my legs a massage. That helped me finish the race.
2:30 PM
The uphill ascent into Central Park with screaming crowds lined up is like watching the building climax of a movie, except you’re the main character and it’s real life. I began swerving through runners, my pace decreasing nearly four minutes from my previous mile.
New York City Marathon
(James Barrett @jimmyrox)
That’s the runner’s high of the New York City marathon I suppose because no matter how much you train, those crowds will move you.
Good luck to all the runners this year. It’s the most inspiring day in New York City for runners and spectators alike. When the going gets tough, remember to put one foot in front of the other.