The TCS New York City Marathon this Sunday will see people setting up shop in all five boroughs to catch a piece of the action.
If you can’t be there in person, there are a few ways to follow the action virtually. WABC-7 will have coverage from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. For those outside of New York, ESPN2 will be broadcasting from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with a Spanish option on ESPN3.
As for the in-person viewing opportunities, the most iconic is the East Side Grandstand; for $55 (not including fees), spectators get to sit down the final 200-meter stretch to cheer on the runners as they cross the finish line.
If that’s too rich for your blood, there is a standing room area inside Central Park, stretching from Columbus Circle to the south grandstands, which is about 500 feet from the finish line. In Columbus Circle, there’s room to watch the runners as they take their final turn.
Where to watch on the marathon route
There are plenty of spots along the route worth checking out as well. While sadly catching the very beginning of the race from the Verrazzano Bridge isn’t possible, spectators can catch runners as they make their way off of the bridge on Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. Each of the B, D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains can get you here.
The Pulaski Bridge serves as the race’s halfway point. While fans cannot congregate on the bridge, they can pack the connecting streets in Long Island City and Brooklyn. The G and 7 trains are the most convenient way to get here.
First Avenue in Manhattan may be one of the route’s more festive spots; the area is lined with several bars and restaurants. It is accessible via the 4/5/6 trains.
The Charity Cheer Zone is located on First Avenue and 120th Street; take the 6 train here to help acknowledge the runners who are raising money for their chosen causes.
East Harlem gets its turn to cheer in miles 18-20; the 6 train is the smoothest way to get there.
Even in with the marathon marking the 50th year of its five-borough course, changes to the route are being made. Late in the race in the Bronx, runners on Alexander Avenue, instead of turning left onto East 138th Street, will turn left onto East 141st Street. Then the runners will turn left onto Third Avenue before making their way onto 138th Street.
With this change, East 141st Street has become a viable viewing location.
Other intersections along the marathon route from Brooklyn through Manhattan are also accessible to people looking to watch the runners go by.
