Two time top 10 finisher and Team RunRun Coach Scott Fauble breaks down the NYC Marathon Course and shares his pro tips to run your best marathon ever this November in New York.
The hay is in the barn and the time to build fitness is over. That doesn’t mean you can’t still get faster! Commit to a smart taper, proper carb load, then plan your race strategy like a pro. To help you do just that, I’ll walk you through the NYC Marathon course section by section and discuss what the best way to attack each part is. Read on for my personal NYC Marathon pro tips to conquer your race this Fall!
The Start to Mile 2
The gun fires and you run up and over the giant Verrazano Bridge that connects Staten Island to Brooklyn. As you can imagine, this section goes from being super uphill to super downhill, with the added bonus being that you’re going to be crammed into a sea of runners all moving the same way.
Pro tip: Don’t stress, just get yourself going, find some space and get yourself over to Brooklyn.
Mile 2 to Mile 12
At around 2 miles you get off the bridge and enter Brooklyn. The mass of runners begins to spread out and you should have enough space to start to settle into your unique rhythm and flow.
Pro tip: For the next 10 miles, focus on running as smoothly and effortlessly as possible. Let the crowd noise carry you (but not so much that you get carried away) and allow the race to come to you. Marathon pace should feel too easy throughout these miles.
Mile 12 to Mile 14
At 12.5 miles you head up the next bridge, leaving Brooklyn behind and entering Queens. I always found this to be one of the more challenging parts of the course as fatigue starts to creep in and you can’t smell the finish line yet. Add to that, the crowds let up as you move onto the bridge and it can be a little eerie going from the cacophony of Brooklyn to a relatively quiet stretch.
Pro tip: Use this as a chance to check in with your body and smile as you’re about to hit the half-way mark. Relax up the hill and then use the downhill on the other side to get your pace back. As you enter Queens, reconnect with your “marathon rhythm” for the next few miles before you turn on the next bridge.
Mile 14 to Mile 16
The first half of the Queensboro bridge is probably the hardest part of the race so far.
Pro tip: Don’t stress and don’t push the half mile up to the top. Now is the time to demonstrate your mental strength. One mental exercise I like to use to distract myself is going through the colors of the rainbow and searching for each color on the course. When you crest the bridge at the 25km mark, take 10 hard steps to get your pace back and then just let your legs go as you cruise down the other side.
Mile 16 to Mile 19
You’re entering Manhattan for the first time and turning onto 1st Ave. This is the opposite of mile 12 where you go from loud to quiet. Now you are going from the silence of the bridge to the loudest part of the course. Once you get onto 1st Ave you have one of the most fun parts of the course. The road is rolling and the crowds are awesome.
Pro tip: Use the energy of the crowd and the downhill, but stay in check! It’s easy to let your pace spike and lose control with all the excitement. As the road rolls on, keep your eyes up and effort dialed, remembering to enjoy yourself too!
Mile 19 to Mile 21
At 19 miles you hit another bridge and exit Manhattan. I always found this to be one of the hardest parts of the course. While the hill isn’t long, it’s steep enough to break your rhythm.
Pro tip: As you get to the top of this punchy climb, make a little push to get your pace back and really focus on staying strong through this mile.
Mile 21 to Mile 23
Now as you turn and head back into Manhattan, shift your focus: it’s time to start RACING! You have a couple of flat miles before you climb into the park.
Pro tip: Use these miles to switch into killer mode and start picking people (and time) off.
Mile 23 to Mile 24
Warning: huge hill approaching as you run next to Central Park! But what goes up, must (thankfully!) go down.
Pro tip: Keep your focus on racing and OFF your watch. Your pace is going to slip but you can still run aggressively. Try to catch 5 people before you take the right turn into the park. After this turn, make another little push to get you out of that slump and then relax as you cruise downhill.
Mile 24 to the Finish
You’ve taken on board all the prior NYC Marathon pro tips, now you are just pushing the whole way! The watch doesn’t matter anymore, all that matters is cultivating positive vibes and staying strong mentally.
Pro tip: Try to smile as you turn out of the park and start heading up 59th. This is the toughest part of any marathon and you have to figure out a way to look forward to it. Maybe it is remembering all the work you’ve done to get here, maybe it’s thinking about family, maybe it’s just trying to beat as many people as possible or get to that post-race party as fast as possible!
You’ve finished the New York City Marathon! Congratulations!
Grab a banana and something to drink, and be proud of what you just accomplished. No matter your time or finishing position, you just ran 26.2 miles!
Bonus NYC Marathon Pro Tips:
Check out this TCS NYC Marathon webpage for more helpful course-related info and FAQs.
“New York Marathon: Everything You Need to Know about Running the NYC Marathon” is another great, brief resource.
Professional runner (with a 2:08 marathon PR) Scott Fauble has joined the Team RunRun coaching roster! Scott has multiple top 10 finishes in marathon majors such as Boston and NYC, along with 3 Olympic Marathon Trial races, and is ready to help athletes take their training to the next level.