NYC Marathon Start Time 2026: Official Schedule and Live Tracking
The 2026 NYC Marathon begins at 8 a.m. ET on Nov. 1. Here is the full division start time schedule, live tracking details, and street closure information.
Thousands of runners are taking on the 26.2-mile course across all five boroughs on Sunday, Nov. 1, for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. The iconic race features staggered start times beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET with the professional wheelchair division, followed by elite runners and several staggered waves of general-entry participants. Spectators lining the streets and supporters following along remotely can track runners live throughout the day using official mobile tools.
NYC Marathon start times for all divisions
The 2026 New York City Marathon officially gets underway on Sunday morning with staggered division starts on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in Staten Island. According to official race schedules reported by FloTrack, the key division start times include:
8:00 a.m. ET: Professional wheelchair division
8:35 a.m. ET: Professional women's division
9:05 a.m. ET: Professional men's division
Post-9:05 a.m. ET: General-entry runners starting in staggered waves
Because general-entry runners begin in multiple waves after the elite fields depart, an individual participant's actual start time depends on their assigned wave and corral. Spectators planning to cheer on specific participants should confirm their runner's designated wave time ahead of the race.
How to track runners live using the NYRR app
For friends, family, and fans looking to follow participants along the course, New York Road Runners provides live updates through its official mobile application. The free app is available for both major mobile platforms and serves as the primary tool for tracking runners across all five boroughs.
Key features of the tracking application include:
Multi-runner tracking: Spectators can add multiple friends, family members, or professional athletes to keep track of several runners simultaneously.
Participant search: App users can search for runners using their first name, last name, or bib number.
Leaderboards and estimates: The app displays professional division leaderboards, timing updates from course checkpoints, and projected finish times.
Race organizers note that the mobile tracker relies on timing checkpoint data and calculated pace estimates rather than continuous GPS tracking. As a result, a runner's displayed location on the map reflects estimated progress based on timing mat passings rather than an exact real-time physical position. For finalized race times and official records, NYRR also maintains a separate results website.
Street closures and post-race navigation in NYC
With the marathon course spanning Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan before finishing in Central Park, extensive street closures are in effect throughout Marathon Sunday. Neighborhoods surrounding Central Park, including Manhattan's Upper West Side, experience significant travel disruptions due to course routing and designated post-race "Family Reunion" areas where finishers meet up with relatives.
Local reports highlight that cross-town traffic and parking are severely restricted near the finish area. Residents and spectators are encouraged to plan ahead, use public transportation where available, and expect delays across Manhattan throughout the day.
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