New York, United States · November
Pacing the New York City Marathon
Rolling, with bridges
Five boroughs, five bridges, and the hardest course of the big city marathons to run a fast time on. Spectacular, and not the place to chase a personal best.
Official site: dates and entry
Dates, ballots and entry rules change every year and are not listed here. Check the official site.
How to pace it
The race opens with a climb over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in the first mile, which means the slowest split of your day is the first one. That is correct and you should let it happen.
The Queensboro Bridge in the second half is the defining stretch. It climbs, it is closed to spectators so it falls silent after miles of noise, and it arrives at the point where the race starts to hurt. Runners describe it as the psychological low of the day. Plan to lose time there and to get it back on First Avenue afterwards.
First Avenue is loud, straight and slightly downhill, which is a combination that produces a burst of pace nobody intends. It is a long way from there to the finish.
Central Park at the end rolls continuously. There is no flat run-in.
Worth knowing
- Expect uneven splits by design. A flat pace plan does not fit this course.
- The bridges are exposed and the wind on them can be significant.
- Entry is usually by ballot, time qualification or charity. Check the official site.
What the common targets ask for
| Finish | Per km | Per mile |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 4:16 | 6:52 |
| 3:30:00 | 4:59 | 8:01 |
| 4:00:00 | 5:41 | 9:09 |
| 4:30:00 | 6:24 | 10:18 |