Ive run theNew York City Marathontwice, and there’s nothing quite like it.
Ive stayed in one spot all day, and hit three boroughs in as many hours.
Ive watched sub-elite friends race, and back-of-the-pack buddies too.
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Ive even helped tourists by offering recommendations of where and how to watch the festivities unfold.
Finding the right place to watch the race makes the city feel like a small town for a day.
Before we dive in, lets get a few of the basics out of the way.
The NYC Marathon traverses all five of New York City’s boroughs over those 26.2 miles.
Take a read through these spots to find out which placeor placesappeal most to you.
Head to 74th Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues, and you’ll find an amazing block party awaits.
Bay Ridge has an old-school feelyou’re not in hipster Brooklyn anymore.
Then head to 74th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues.
Its straight and wide and thus easy to spot people you are tracking as they race.
And the party don’t stop until everyone has done theElectric Slideafter the runners pass through.
The atmosphere is electric, even before the Electric Slide.
Shout out the names runners have printed on their shirts.
It’s a guaranteed way to get a smile here that you might not get at mile 24.
But take note, you may want to stay there for the duration.
With that in mind, why not make a day of it after your cheer responsibilities are done?
How to get there:Take the L train to Bedford Avenuethis is an accessible stop.
The area is also easily reachable from North Brooklyn as well.
(Neither of these stations is accessible.)
Stay on the west side of First.
Youll see your runner pass you at about their 16- or 17-mile mark.
Stay in the high 90s or low 100s for the most efficient double glimpse.
Runners are in their 22nd or 23rd mile up here, and often they are distinctly lacking in pep.
Its also the part of the race where they may bonk.
There is plenty of action around the park and along upper 5th Avenue to motivate your cheers.
From the former, walk west to Fifth Avenue; from the latter, walk east to Fifth Avenue.
Walk west from the subway, cross Fifth Avenue and enter the park.
NGL, its a tight squeezelots of people want to glimpse runners as they head into their final mile.
During the middle of the day, these blocks can get five or six people deep.
Moves have been made here, titles won and lost.
Post-Race Meet-up Spots
You won’t be able to meet your runner at the finish line itself.
There are endless bars and restaurants on Manhattan’s Upper West Side along Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues.
As you could probably guess, they are also all very crowded on Marathon Sunday.
Some restaurants will take reservations, but others limit that privilege to big groups.
