TCS New York City Marathon, Neighborhood by Neighborhood
Brooklyn
Bay Ridge
Miles 2–4; Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to Fourth Avenue and 65th Street
(Lead women: 9:30, lead men: 10:00, last runners: 11:30)
Originally settled by Norwegians (Leif Ericson). Now described as a “naturally forming retirement
community,” as several generations of immigrants have stayed on (instead of moving out/up)
thereby skewing the demographics slightly older than other neighborhoods. Still there are plenty
of families and incredible diversity as one typical block contains a Greek restaurant, a bagel shop,
a Vietnamese place, a Japanese place, a deli of indeterminate nationality, a Chinese restaurant, a
pizzeria, and a kebab shop. This is archetypal New York.
Notwithstanding the neighborhood’s aging demographic, it’s perhaps most famous for that
classic American celebration of restless youth, Saturday Night Fever, which was set in the
neighborhood’s Italian community.
The commercial heart of the area is at the north end, around 60th Street.
Course Features
Aid Station #1 (Mile 3a)—Fourth Avenue between 82nd & 81st (near the 5K point)
Aid Station #2 (Mile 3b)—Seventh Avenue between 78th & Bay Ridge Parkway (near the 5K
point, Green course)
Aid Station #3 (Mile 4)—Fourth Avenue between 63rd & 62nd Streets
Photography:
92nd Street overpass at Eastern terminus of Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (wide shot)
Southern end of Fourth Avenue at 92nd Street (Bridge in background, framed by neighborhood
Streets)
Neighborhood’s northern edge near 71st Street, where Fourth Avenue makes a slight turn and
runs to the horizon in both directions
Transportation:
The entire Fourth Avenue corridor is served by the R train.
Sunset Park
Miles 4-6: Fourth Avenue from 65th Street to 24th Street
(Lead women: 9:40, lead men: 10:10, last runners: 12:25)
The neighborhood derives its name from one of Brooklyn’s most popular picnic spots. The heart
of this neighborhood is around this park, Fifth Avenue and Sunset Park and Brooklyn’s
Chinatown, which the course does not pass.
Once one of the world’s busiest districts for shipping, this neighborhood has always welcomed
immigrants and thus has great ethnic diversity, as manifest in the astonishing proliferation of
houses of worship. You will find many children and very vocal crowds along this portion of the
course.
Also of note: Green-Wood Cemetery (36th Street), St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church (with its
distinctive egg-shaped campanile), Brooklyn’s Chinatown (Eighth Avenue, not on the course),
Sunset Park (Fifth Avenue), Bush Terminals (near the course), Brooklyn Army Terminals (near the
course).
Course Features
Aid Station #3 (Mile 4)—Fourth Avenue between 63rd & 62nd Streets
Aid Station #4 (Mile 5)—Fourth Avenue between 44th & 43rd Streets
United Entertainment Zone—Fourth Avenue between 38th & 37th Streets
Transportation:
This portion of Fourth Avenue is served by the N/R trains.
Park Slope/Gowanus
Miles 6–8; Fourth Avenue from 24th Street to Flatbush Avenue
(Lead women: 9:55, lead men: 10:20, last runners: 12:40)
Fourth Avenue is the traditional boundary between these two neighborhoods, so the course
touches both simultaneously.
Perhaps no neighborhood illustrates the transformation of neighborhoods in urban America
from flight to blight to renewal, better than Park Slope. The changes in the neighborhood are
evident along Fourth Avenue, where houses with stoops, tenements, and new condo buildings
intermingle. The crowds of spectators show a similar range in income and (in inverse proportion)
enthusiasm.
Gowanus is an industrial neighborhood in which reside many artists, artisans, and light industrial
enterprises. It has become a trendy music and entertainment district.
Noteworthy sights are too many to list here. Highlights include the Old Stone House (a
Revolutionary War site at Third Street) and the original clubhouse of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Course Features:
10K mark—Fourth Avenue & 18th Street
Aid Station #5 (Mile 6)—Fourth Avenue between 24th & 23rd Streets
Aid Station #6 (Mile 7)—Fourth Avenue between Second & First Streets
Aid Station #7 (Mile 8)—Fourth Avenue between Bergen & Dean Streets
Photography:
The northern end of Fourth Avenue combines long vistas with big crowds. The Flatbush
entertainment zone will be very active and dynamic.
The overpass of the Prospect Expressway at 17th Street, which offers vistas of the very long
avenue straightaway, or street level on Fourth Avenue.
Transportation:
The entire Fourth Avenue corridor is served by the N/R trains.
Atlantic Avenue / Brooklyn Academy of Music
Mile 8; Flatbush Avenue and Lafayette Avenue
(Lead women: 10:05, lead men: 10:30, last runners: 12:55)
Brooklyn’s urban density peaks at the northern terminus of Fourth Avenue, as runners cross
Atlantic Avenue, pass the Barclays Center (home of the Brooklyn Nets) and veer onto Flatbush.
The real racing begins with a sharp turn from Flatbush onto Lafayette at the Brooklyn Academy
of Music (BAM). A beautiful building with a long cultural history and an easily accessible location
in the very heart of Brooklyn, BAM is a favorite spot for Marathon spectators.
Add great entertainment, neighborhood diversity and even the occasional mid-Marathon
wedding ceremony and BAM is an ideal place to catch the Marathon in Brooklyn. BAM’s central
location and multiple subway lines make it an ideal stop on an itinerary that includes several
spots along the course.
Course Features:
Jumbo Tron, Entertainment Zone, Social Media Activation—Flatbush at Ashland Place
Cheering Zone—TCS (Lafayette Street & Ashland Avenue)
Photography:
In the vicinity of BAM, crowds are thick and entertainment raucous. The corner of Flatbush and
Lafayette is one of the most exciting points on the course. Virtually unlimited transportation
options make this a favorite stop on multi-location itineraries.
This is perhaps the best single location in Brooklyn to photograph the Marathon due to the
diverse activities, backgrounds and transportation options.
Transportation:
Almost every subway line serves the area.
Fort Greene/Clinton Hill
Miles 8–9; Lafayette Avenue
(Lead women: 10:10, lead men: 10:35, last runners: 1:10)
Tree-lined Lafayette Avenue is the best place on the marathon course to find “Brownstone
Brooklyn.” Expect diverse residents, stoops full of vocal spectators and brunch parties visible
behind wide first-floor windows of the lovingly restored townhouses. Check out one of the best
musical acts on the course—the Bishop Loughlin High School band—at Clermont Avenue.
Course Features:
Aid Station #8 (Mile 9)—Lafayette Avenue and Classon Street
Photography:
The whole of stretch Lafayette is tree-lined and quite lovely.
Transportation:
The western reaches of Lafayette are within easy walking distance of BAM; the entire length is
served by the G train.
South Williamsburg
Miles 10–11; Bedford Avenue to the Williamsburg Bridge
(Lead women: 10:15, lead men: 10:40, last runners: 1:25)
The course becomes strangely silent as it passes through the Satmar Hasidic community. Dressed
in their traditional long black garb and hats, members of this numerous and fast-growing
community go about their business (Sunday is a work day for them), often paying little attention
the marathon. It feels like two different worlds passing each other.
The Satmar were originally resistant to the marathon with its worldly physicality (and short
pants) and disruptive street closures; however, Fred Lebow exhorted them in Yiddish to cheer
for the runners. Ever since, they have half-embraced the event and children watch with
undeniable curiosity and the elders with a combination of bemusement and mild annoyance. It’s
a noticeably different from the rest of the course.
Course Features:
Aid Station #9 (Mile 10)—Bedford Avenue between Flushing Avenue & Lynch Street
Photography:
The distinctive dress worn by the Hasidim is visually arresting, especially in contrast with the
ultra-casual attire of the runners. This is always an interesting area for photography. Best density
is between Flushing and Division avenues.
The area around the Williamsburg Bridge also offers interesting turn-of-the-last-century
architecture and the bridge itself for backgrounds.
Transportation:
The J/M/Z trains stop at the north end of this neighborhood. The L train is a pleasant but long
(one-mile) walk.
Williamsburg
Miles 11–12; Bedford Avenue from the Williamsburg Bridge to McCarren Park (North 12th
Street)
Lead women: 10:20, lead men: 10:45, last runners: 1:25
The course passes through the heart of New York’s artist community along Bedford Avenue.
Here you will find a mix of creative types and transplants who reside in the new high-rise towers,
along with Puerto Ricans and Italians who live in still-vital ethnic enclaves here. There are
sidewalk cafés, trendy boutiques, wall murals, and music, along with young and enthusiastic
spectators.
Key spots: the Williamsburg Bridge at South Sixth Street, the historic Metropolitan Pool and
Recreation Center at North Second Street, the subway station at North Seventh Street, and
McCarren Park all provide excellent visuals, abundant spectators, and local color.
Course Features:
Entertainment Zone—Bedford Avenue at North 12th Street (McCarren Park)
Entertainment Zone (United)—Bedford Avenue at Lorimer Street (McCarren Park)
Aid Station #10 (Mile 11)—Bedford Avenue between South 3rd Street & South 2nd Street
Aid Station #11 (Mile 12)—Bedford Avenue at McCarren Park
Photography:
McCarren Park defines the neighborhood’s northern extremis and provides a long straightaway
lined with plane trees in the European boulevard tradition. The park is full of activities ranging
from stickball to hipster kickball on Sunday afternoons. The recent course change, which routed
the race directly through the park, has made this an interesting nexus for entertainment and
serious recreational sport.
Transportation:
The L train stops in the heart of the neighborhood.
Greenpoint
Miles 12–13; Manhattan Avenue and McGuinness Boulevard
(Lead women: 10:25, lead men: 10:50, last runners: 1:40)
The typical history of New York neighborhoods includes waves of immigrants settling and then
moving on. Greenpoint is an exception to that pattern and has been home for more than a
century to the city’s largest (and, some argue, the nation’s largest) Polish population. The
neighborhood has a very “Old World” feeling with many shops catering to local ethnic tastes and
with signs in Polish. From Manhattan Avenue, runners get a teasing glimpse of Midtown
Manhattan ahead, framed by the neighborhood buildings in a fairly narrow portion of the
course.
Course Features:
Entertainment Zone 2—Bedford Avenue & North 12th Street
United Entertainment Zone—northwest corner of McCarren Park, Bedford Avenue and Lorimer
Street
Entertainment Zone—Greenpoint Avenue & McGuinness Avenue
Halfway Point on Pulaski Bridge
Aid Station #12 (Mile 13)—McGuinness Boulevard & Green Street
Photography:
Aside from McCarren Park and its two entertainment zones, the beautiful Gothic Revival Church
of St. Anthony–St. Alphonsus at 862 Manhattan Avenue merits special attention. The
architecture, the nearby music stage, and the neighborhood’s ethnic character make this an
interesting spot.
Photographers wishing to shoot on the Pulaski Bridge must apply in advance. Security is tight
there and space is extremely limited.
Transportation:
The G train stops at several places in the neighborhood.
Queens
Long Island City
Miles 13–16; Pulaski Bridge to Queensboro Bridge
(Lead women: 10:30, lead men: 10:55, last runners: 2:25)
More teasing views of Manhattan as the Marathon zigzags through industrial streets of Long
Island City. LIC is geographically large and ethnically mixed. Bustling on weekdays with
enterprises ranging from taxi depots to bakeries to movie studios, the area is quiet on a typical
Sunday morning—but not on Marathon Day!
The south end of Vernon Boulevard is a busy commercial core, as is the Court Square area near
the approach to the Queensboro Bridge.
Course Features:
Entertainment Zone—44th Drive & Hunters Street, near Court Square
Entertainment Zone—Queens Plaza South at Crescent Street
Aid Station #13 (Mile 14)—Vernon Boulevard between 46th Road & 46th Avenue
Aid Station #14 (Mile 15)—Crescent Avenue between 43rd Avenue & 42nd Road
Photography:
Spectacular shots can be had on 44th Drive as the runners approach with the Manhattan skyline
in the background. Note that the Queensboro Bridge is off-limits without prior police approval.
Transportation:
The early parts of the neighborhood are served by the G and 7 trains. Many lines go to the Court
Square/Queensboro Plaza area.
Manhattan, Part I
East Side
Miles 16–18; First Avenue to 92nd Street
(Lead women: 10:50, lead men: 11:10, last runners: 3:25)
This is perhaps the most memorable—and uniquely New York—portion of the course. Tall
buildings and frenzied spectators turn First Avenue into a tunnel of exuberant sound. The avenue
is wide and bright and the vista spectacular. Runners receive a noticeable boost.
Once a predominantly German and middle-class neighborhood, the Upper East Side is now one
of the nation’s wealthiest. Expect to find tall apartment buildings with filled balconies and bars
and restaurants serving marathon specials and spectators filling the sidewalks.
In recent years, the elite runners have achieved astonishingly fast splits on this portion of the
course, breaking the field apart and winnowing it to a few serious contenders. Sometimes, this
enthusiasm becomes their undoing in the later stages.
Course Features:
Jumbo Tron and Social Media Activation—First Avenue and 65th Street
Fred’s Team and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cheer Zone—First Avenue between 67th Street and
68th Street
Poland Spring Hydration Zone—First Avenue between 76th Street & 78th Street
Photography:
Very dramatic all along the avenue. “Canyon effect” with tall buildings for wide shots. Plenty of
wildly enthusiastic spectators.
Transportation:
Take the 4/5/6 train to the Upper East Side or the N/R/W to 59th Street.
Yorkville/East Harlem
Miles 18–20; First Avenue and 92nd Street to the Willis Avenue Bridge
(Lead women: 11:00, lead men: 11:20, last runners: 3:20)
The northern portion of First Avenue passes through a historically Latin (predominantly Puerto
Rican) neighborhood affectionately known as “El Barrio.” Here you will find lower-rise buildings
mixed with public housing set far back from the avenue, creating an effect that is much quieter
than what one finds farther to the south.
Neighborhood life centers around 116th Street, generally west of the course, where one finds
colorful restaurants, bodegas, and active Street life. The neighborhood’s greatest cultural
treasure, El Museo del Barrio, is located on Fifth Avenue at 104th Street, which the course
passes later in the race.
Course Features:
Entertainment Zone (United)—1st Avenue between 95th and 96th Streets
Powerbar Gel Zone First Avenue between 93rd & 95th Streets
Aid Station (Mile 18)—First Avenue between 96th & 97th Streets
Aid Station (Mile 19)—First Avenue between 115th & 116th Streets
Transportation:
Take the 6 train.
The Bronx
South Bronx
Mile 20; the Bronx, from the Willis Avenue Bridge to the Madison Avenue Bridge
(Lead women: 11:10, lead men: 11:30, last runners: 3:40)
More specifically known as Mott Haven, this is one of the most under-appreciated portions of
the course, owing perhaps the 20-mile mark, where runners’ glycogen fuel starts to become
seriously depleted. Fortunately the spectators along this portion of the course are aware of this
fact and they take a special interest in providing a strong emotional boost, with enthusiastic
cheering, music, and home-made signs.
This was once considered to be a quiet section of the course. As the City and the Marathon have
grown together, there are no longer any “dead zones.” This transformation is most apparent in
the Bronx.
The Church of Saint Jerome, located at Alexander Avenue and East 138th Street is quite beautiful
and anchors a section where much of the neighborhood’s 19th century construction remains.
Course Features:
20-Mile mark—135th Street between Willis Avenue & Alexander Avenue
Entertainment Zone—139th & Morris Avenue
Aid Station #19 (Mile 20)—138th Street between Alexander & Third avenues
Photography:
The 138th Street corridor has enthusiastic fans and historic architecture. Spectators around the
20-mile mark always have amusing and inspiring hand-made signs. The Willis Avenue and
Madison Avenue bridges are not crowded and usually fine for photography, while presenting
interesting backgrounds. NYRR has always had success photographing the professional race here.
Transportation:
The 4/5/6 trains are the best way to reach the South Bronx.
Manhattan, Part II
Harlem
Miles 21–23; Fifth Avenue from the Madison Avenue Bridge to 109th Street
(Lead women: 11:15, lead men: 11:35, last runners: 4:40)
Harlem holds a special place in the cultural fabric of the nation and in the life of the City. The
Streets are noisy and packed with spectators, many dressed in their Sunday best as they exit the
many churches near the marathon route.
The heart of the neighborhood can be found near the 125th Street retail corridor or in and
around Marcus Garvey Park (120th–124th Streets). Central Park and the skyscrapers of Midtown
become visible south of Marcus Garvey Park.
Course Features:
Harlem Cheering and Entertainment Zone, Marcus Garvey Park West
Harlem Miles Entertainment Stage—Fifth Avenue & 135th Street
Harlem Miles Entertainment Stage—Fifth Avenue &125th Street
Harlem Miles Entertainment Stage—Fifth Avenue & 117th Street
Aid Station (Mile 21)—Fifth Avenue between 135th & 133rd Streets
Aid Station (Mile 22)—Fifth Avenue between 118th & 117th Streets
Photography:
Marcus Garvey Park is a great place to photograph the Marathon. With diverse activities, varied
backgrounds, and active spectators, the action starts later in the day with plenty of support for
mid-pack runners. Along the strip of Fifth Avenue south of the park, runners head toward the
city skyline in the distance. This is a logical second location for a multi-stop itinerary. Expect a
significant gap between lead runners and mid-packers.
Transportation:
Take the 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 train to 125th Street.
Museum Mile
Mile 23; Fifth Avenue along Central Park (from 109th Street to 90th Street
(Lead women: 11:25, lead men: 11:45, last runners: 4:40)
More of a cultural district than a neighborhood, Museum Mile is one of the most visited parts of
the city. Yet it maintains a calm, stately feeling.
This portion of the course is very scenic as runners climb what is arguably the toughest hill on
the course along this tree-lined and shady stretch. Mansions and world-famous museums (such
as the Guggenheim, El Museo del Barrio, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Jewish
Museum), living repositories of the city’s cultural life and history, create a passage up to the
Engineer’s Gate to Central Park.
Leaders in the professional race often try to break their competition on this deceptively hard
climb.
Course Features:
Fred’s Team and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cheer Zone—Fifth Avenue just north of 90th
Aid Station (Mile 23) Fifth Avenue between 102nd & 101st Streets
“Welcome to Central Park” banner at Fifth Avenue and 90th Street
Photography:
The entire strip is quite picturesque, especially if the fall foliage is peaking. Note that it is very
easy to combine this location with an earlier spot on First Avenue.
Transportation:
Take the 6 train to the Upper East Side.
Central Park
Miles 24–25; West Drive from 90th Street to Grand Army Plaza
(Lead women: 11:25, lead men: 11:45, last runners: 4:40)
If the city’s heart is in its neighborhoods, Central Park is its lungs. Beautiful in autumn splendor,
Central Park presents a literal breath of fresh air. But it is not quiet on race day, as both sides of
the roadway are typically packed with enthusiastic and knowledgeable spectators who know that
the race is near its conclusion. Runners pass historic landmarks such as the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, Cleopatra’s Needle, Cat Hill, and the Boathouse. This is the place to find fall
foliage and natural beauty.
Course Features:
Aid Stations (Mile 24, 25)—East Drive
Team for Kids Cheer Zone—East Drive & 72nd Street
Central Park South
Mile 25; 59th Street from Fifth Avenue/Grand Army Plaza to Columbus Circle
(Lead women: 11:35, lead men: 11:55, last runners: 5:00)
Crowds only get denser and more vocal along the Marathon’s penultimate stretch. Tall buildings
line one side of the course and Central Park the other. Runners can sense that the Finish is near
and the spectators give all their energy to help them get there. This is one of the most energetic
and dramatic places on the entire route and perhaps the best place to get a measure of the
marathon’s true magnitude.
Course Features:
Entertainment Zones at Sixth and Seventh Avenues and Columbus Circle
Cheering Zones at Sixth Avenue and Columbus Circle
Photography:
This area is fantastic for photography. The combination of tall buildings, packed spectators and—
most of all—the runners’ delight at their approaching finish creates an energy that is unique in
all of sports. With abundant transportation options, this is a logical end-point to a multi-location
itinerary.
Mile 26
Columbus Circle to finish area, Central Park
(Lead women: 11:40, lead men: 12:00, last runners: 5:00)
Course Features:
“Mile 26” banner over the roadway
The race reenters Central Park at Columbus Circle and the sidelines from there to the Stadium at
Tavern on the Green are open to the public—and the sidelines are packed. This is the race’s
home stretch, filled with emotion and triumph of the human spirit. The Park itself is very
beautiful and the perfect backdrop for one of the most classic moments in all of sports—the
finish of the TCS New York City Marathon.
Photography:
This area is magical for photography, combining the Park’s natural beauty with the very human
glory of a magnificent achievement: completion of the TCS New York City Marathon. However: It
must be stated that crowds are so thick in this area as to make photography difficult. It is best to
stake out a location early in the morning, or to avoid it and find more accessible areas.