Long Island Marathon 2016: What You Need to Know

UNIONDALE, NY - The 43rd annual Long Island Marathon will be kicking off this weekend.

On Saturday, April 30 the 1 Mile race will take place starting at 8 a.m. followed by the 5k race beginning at 8:30 a.m. There will also be a one-mile run and Kids Fun Run taking place.

On Sunday, May 1 the Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K races will take place together on Charles Lindbergh Boulevard behind the famed Nassau Coliseum and finish together inside Eisenhower Park all starting at 8 a.m.

Both races will start on Charles Lindbergh Blvd and finish on the 1998 Goodwill Games world-record-setting track inside the Mitchel Athletic Complex.

The race began in 1970s, when it was run as the Earth Day Marathon and featured only a full, 26.2-mile marathon before adding a half marathon in 1984 as well as a 10K and 5K, and a one-mile run and children’s fun run.

The event is expected to attract over 8,800 people, which exceeded last year's total, Newsday reports.

For those planning on attending, here what you need to know.

• Runners can check in prior to the races at the Sports and Fitness Expo in Uniondale on Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Participants should arrive early and should plan to leave enough time for parking and travel to starting line.
• Several local roads will be closed. Check out a full list of road closures here.
• All cars at starting line and other staging areas must be credentialed and known in advance.
• Uniformed police officers as well as NCPD Homeland Security officers will be patrolling the area.
• All bags and backpacks will be checked. Participants can only use clear bags at the baggage check. Clear bags will be provided by race officials at participant check-in and spectators can not bring bags into the finish line area in Eisenhower Park.
  
• There will be new “start-line parking areas” at the Nassau Community College, which will ease morning congestion getting into Eisenhower Park
• New shuttle buses during race weekend; return shuttles from Eisenhower park back to NCC parking after the Sunday races; and shuttle buses from the Westbury LIRR station to Mitchel Field for the Sports and Fitness Expo and to and from Start and Finish Areas on Sunday.

For more information, visit: run-li.com.