On Sunday 5 November, more than 50,000 runners will run across New York City’s five boroughs and travel 26.2 miles for the annual New York City marathon.
Throughout the marathon, many people will be scattered around the city to cheer on the runners, whether they be loved ones that are participating or just spectators. If you are a New York City resident, here is how you can watch in person, as well as some tips on how to track your favourite runners.
If you aren’t in NYC, the marathon is available to anyone in the US by watching the livestream on ESPN2 or WABC-TV from 8 to 11.30am. The race will also be streamed on Watch ESPN.
The marathon will be starting in Staten Island, where the runners will run across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn. There won’t be a cheering section around, but many residents usually put up supportive signs on their lawns for the runners.
Because the highest number of miles are in Brooklyn, that is the best borough to physically watch the runners, according to The New York Times. They’ll be running across Fourth Avenue.
The Queens section of the marathon is only about two miles long, from the Pulaski Bridge to the Queensboro Bridge. You can catch runners as they exit the Pulaski Bridge at roughly the race’s halfway mark.
The Bronx is another short area of the marathon, around 135th Street and Alexander Avenue. Manhattan, however, is very similar to Brooklyn and offers multiple viewing areas such as Central Park.
If you aren’t watching the marathon in-person or on television, the New York City marathon came out with an app last year where viewers can watch all four professional races (men’s and women’s, wheelchair and open divisions) in full, and get a look at runners passing through five locations along the course. Users can also track any given runner in real-time.
A new addition to this app is the ability to receive commentary on the races, this year from marathoners Des Linden, Galen Rupp and Amanda McGrory.
As for who to pay attention to at the marathon, there are many celebrities and other well-known people that will be running the marathon.
Matt James from The Bachelor season 25 will be running the marathon for the second time, for the charity ABC Food Tours. Last year he ran alongside Shalane Flanagan, who won the race in 2017.
TJ Holmes and Amy Robach, formerly from Good Morning America, will also be at the marathon. Holmes will be trying to beat last year’s time of 4:25:31 while this is Robach’s third time running the marathon with a previous time of 4:25:30.
Robin Roberts, David Muir and 10 others from ABC News will run the marathon as a relay to raise money for Team For Kids, the Road Runners charity that supports its free youth and community events.
Tony winner and actress Patina Miller is not only a runner, but she will also be singing the national anthem in Staten Island before she heads off to run the marathon herself.
Other notable attendees include Harry Hudson, Sheinelle Jones, as well as comedian and podcaster Cody Ko.
