Getting in is the first marathon: a drawing with more than 240,000 applicants, the 9+1 route through NYRR races, a charity bib, or a qualifying time. Once you have a number, the day itself is simpler than its reputation. You wait on Staten Island in the cold, then climb the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge with the harbor wind in your face and the city laid out ahead. Brooklyn is where the noise begins and barely stops; take it in but keep your early miles honest. The Queensboro Bridge is quiet and long, and then First Avenue hits you like a wall of sound. Save something for the Bronx and the gentle rollers of Central Park before you finish beside Tavern on the Green. There is no cutoff worth worrying about; the course stayed open until 10:00 p.m. last year.
Point-to-point from Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, through Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan, finishing beside Tavern on the Green in Central Park.
2026 entry is closed; 2027 drawing dates not yet announced. 2026 drawing application accepted in early 2026 (exact window not verified); Drawing Day was Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Entry is by drawing, NYRR 9+1 program (nine NYRR races plus one volunteer shift), time-qualifier standards, charity partners (e.g., $3,500 minimum per runner through one listed charity) and international tour operators. A record 240,000+ applicants entered the 2026 drawing. Fees reported by a charity partner: $255 NYRR members, $315 non-members. Register ↗
- The first New York City Marathon was held on September 13, 1970, and the course has included all five boroughs since 1976. ↗
- The 2025 race had 59,226 finishers, a world record for the largest marathon ever. ↗
- NYRR received a record of more than 240,000 applications for the 2026 drawing, with Drawing Day on March 4, 2026. ↗
- In 2025 more than 14,000 charity runners raised a record $80 million. ↗
- Hellen Obiri's 2:19:51 in 2025 broke a 22-year-old women's course record; the men's race was decided by 0.03 seconds. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.