First Avenue, FDR Exits To Close For NYC Marathon: What To Know

NEW YORK CITY — Tens of thousands of runners will once again take to the streets for the annual New York City Marathon, and they'll be passing right through the Upper East Side.

The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon will send nearly 60,000 people running 26.2 miles across the five boroughs, from a start in Staten Island to victory in Central Park.

This year's race begins at 8 a.m., though start times are spaced out through 11:30 a.m.

Race Map

The course touches all five boroughs — it starts on the Staten Island side of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and passes through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx before re-entering Manhattan to finish the race in Central Park.

On the Upper East Side, the race heads up First Avenue from East 59th Street to East Harlem, and then back down along Fifth Avenue before heading into Central Park around East 90th Street.

In addition to the road closures for the marathon route itself, there are also a few nearby road closures as well, to keep operations in the area running smoothly.

Here's a list of which roads are affected on the Upper East Side.

Key Upper East Side closures

See the citywide list of closures here.

Here's the official course map as provided by New York Road Runners:

Where To Watch

Anyone hoping to watch runners cross the finish line will have to purchase seating at the Grandstand in Central Park, where general admission tickets are $61.48.

But you won't have to pay to cheer on the runners. Officials have recommended several easily accessible viewing spots along the course, including along First or Fifth avenues on the Upper East Side.

Watching From Home

In the New York City area, ABC7 will broadcast the race from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., with pre-race coverage beginning at 7 a.m.

Those outside the city can watch the race from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. via ESPN. ESPN2 will broadcast coverage, and viewers can also watch via their app on smartphones and tablets, and on ESPN.com with a subscription.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.