It’s Halloween weekend, Daylight Saving Time, and one of our favorite races of the year. Here’s how to watch the elite action and see your friends cross the finish of the New York City Marathon.
Find out how to watch the 2026 New York City Marathon. (Photo: Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
Published October 28, 2026 02:28PM
What to know:
The New York City Marathon is on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026.
The first wave of the race begins at 8:00 a.m. EST, with the men’s professional wheelchair division.
The elite women take off at 8:35 a.m., followed by the pro men at 9:05 a.m.
ESPN2 will air national coverage of the race, but there are other ways to follow along.
You don’t have to be in New York City to watch one of the most magnificent, awe-inspiring spectacles of human endurance. Sure, its magic might come from the iconic setting, the 2 million spectators, the celebrity runners, or the superhuman elites — all better appreciated up close.
But even if you can’t be there in person, watching this triumphant race will still bring you joy. Luckily, there are more ways than ever to catch this year’s New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. Here’s how to watch the 2026 New York City Marathon, and who to keep an eye on race day.
Who to Watch: The Pro Field
Listen, even if you’re not a die-hard pro marathon fan, this is a race to pay attention to. First, in a broad sense, New York is championship-style racing at its finest. Many athletes in the stacked field are self-declared tacticians, meaning they view the race more like a chess game than a time trial. Tactical decisions can make or break an athlete’s podium chances, and everyday runners can learn a thing or two about racing strategy just by watching the elites’ pacing. When do they stick with the pack, when do they surge, when do they settle? Here’s a primer on the who’s who of the runners this year:
Elite Men
Benson Kipruto and Alexander Mutiso in the final 800m of the 2025 New York City Marathon. (Photo: Derek Call)
Kenyan athlete Benson Kipruto is the heavy favorite going into this year’s New York City Marathon. Last year, he held off countryman Alexander Mutiso to win in 2:08:09 — by three hundredths of a second.
We talked to 2024’s champ Somali-Dutch runner Abdi Nageeye, who is returning to run this year, and he said that the Kenyans like to surge down the Queensboro Bridge (around mile 15), so watch for moves there — and for who might follow.
American record holder in the marathon, Conner Mantz, returns to the streets of New York this year. The Utah-based Olympian is coming back from a stress fracture, and he’s just barely returned to running on land. Will his new status as “dad” give him an extra push? Possibly, or maybe he’ll get an extra boost from up-and-comer Zouhair Talbi, who ran 2:03:45 in Boston last April. Talbi, who is Moroccan-born but represents the U.S., seems well-suited for New York’s challenging terrain, and the odds favor him as the American most likely to podium.
In the American chase pack is Joe Klecker, who ran a 2:10:37 to place 10th last year. Also noteworthy is Ahmed Muhamed, who will make his marathon debut. He told Outside Run via phone that he’s not to be counted out.
Elite Women
Obiri looking determined as she runs the final half mile of the 2025 New York City Marathon, where she broke the 22-year-old course record in 2:19:51. (Photo: Derek Call )
If Kenya’s Hellen Obiri wins New York for a third time this Sunday, I’m going to need Jay-Z to write a New York-themed rap in her honor. Last year she ran an incredibly fast race, dropping a 4:58 final mile to shake off Sharon Lokedi and set a women’s course record of 2:19:51.
Besting Obiri is a tall order — but since 2024 NYCM champ Sheila Chepkirui (Kenya) is toeing the line, we could have a mad dash for first and second. Countrywoman Mercy Chelangat is a wildcard contender who could make a run at the podium. She placed fourth at Boston in April in a 2:20:30 — a personal best, and when we asked her to name one word to describe her pre-NYCM feeling, she said, “ready.” We believe her.
Jess McClain placed eighth in New York in 2024 and was the top American that year. She was also the top American woman at Boston two years running, and fifth this past April in 2:20:49, the fastest Boston ever by a U.S. woman. But McClain isn’t satisfied with best in the country; she wants a podium spot — and she very well may be in shape for it.
Another American to watch? Weini Kelati, who will make her highly anticipated marathon debut. She holds the U.S. half marathon record (1:06:04 set in February 2026). It takes a certain kind of toughness to choose New York as your first 26.2 — it’s the kind of toughness that might make the Eritrean-born athlete a perfect candidate for lighting the course on fire.
How to Watch: On TV and Apps
The NYRR App: Download the New York Road Runners app (iOS and Android), which will give you live runner tracking plus leaderboards and feeds of the pro races without the commercial breaks.
ESPN and ESPN Unlimited: ESPN’s coverage of the race starts at 8:00 a.m. EST and runs until 11:30 a.m. As a bonus, ESPN Unlimited also streams pre-race coverage from 7 to 8 a.m. and keeps going after the TV window, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Local stations: If you’re in the New York metro area, you can watch the broadcast on ABC7/WABC-TV from pre-race starting at 7:00 a.m. through 1:00 p.m.
ABC7 New York App: If you’re cheering for a friend or family member, you can see them finish in real time by tuning into the ABC 7 New York App and ABC7NY.com’s dedicated view of the finish line.
New York City Marathon Start Times
All times are in Eastern Standard Time. (Don’t forget Daylight Saving Time ends the night before.)
8:00 a.m. Men’s Professional Wheelchair Division
8:02 a.m. Women’s Professional Wheelchair Division
8:22 a.m. Handcycles and Select Athletes with Disabilities
8:35 a.m. Professional Women’s Open Division
9:05 a.m. Professional Men’s Open Division
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