You line up at Newport at 7 a.m. with the Hudson on your left and the Manhattan towers catching the first light across the water. The course is two loops of the same route, the second run in reverse, so the Paulus Hook brownstones, the Powerhouse Arts District and the long, exposed stretch down Caven Point Road past Liberty State Park all come around twice. It is almost entirely flat, under 400 feet of gain over 26.2 miles, which is why roughly one in six finishers leaves with a Boston qualifier. The marathon field is modest, a little over 3,000, alongside a larger half-marathon crowd, so you are rarely boxed in. Expect wind off the bay on the southern loop and some rough pavement; past runners mention the potholes. You finish back at Newport with the skyline behind you and a PATH train home a few blocks away.
Mostly flat road course along the Hudson waterfront and through downtown Jersey City, with a high point of only 68 feet and a low of 4 feet, marketed as one of the flattest certified marathons in the US. Course map ↗
Registration opens 2026-08-10. Closes 2027-04-15. First-come, first-served; official site says the race sold out the previous two years and offers a waitlist. RunSignup price tiers: marathon $200 (Aug 10-Dec 31, 2026), $225 (Jan 1-Apr 15, 2027), $250 (Apr 16-18, 2027), plus signup fee; half $150/$165/$180 on the same schedule. RunSignup lists an online registration deadline of April 15, 2027, 11:59 PM EDT, though a race-week price tier through April 18 is also shown. No refunds; deferral ($25 fee) before March 21, 2027; bib transfer ($25 fee) before April 12, 2027; event switch $25. Teams of 10+ get 10% off. Opens date is inferred from the first RunSignup price tier start (Aug 10, 2026). Register ↗
- Marathon finishers have grown every year: 1,945 (2023), 2,326 (2024), 2,995 (2025) and 3,111 (2026), with BQ rates between 15.9% and 18.7%. ↗
- Course records stand at 2:17:32 (male), 2:32:50 (female) and 2:29:33 (non-binary); the race pays a $2,500 course-record bonus on top of a $3,000 first-place open prize. ↗
- The course is USATF-certified and sanctioned and is a qualifying event for the 2028 Boston Marathon; 2027 will be the fifth annual edition. ↗
- An OTQ Performance Program puts two pacers on each 2028 Olympic Trials standard (2:16:00 men, 2:37:00 women), open to any marathoner who starts from the assigned corral. ↗
- Runners rate it 3.3/5 on RaceRaves (23 ratings): praised as flat and fast for PRs and BQs, criticized for a cramped expo, potholed pavement and limited post-race amenities. ↗
Checked 2026-10-14. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.