Course Information
The first New York City Marathon, in 1970, was four-plus laps of Central Park. In 1976, in celebration of the U.S. bicentennial, NYRR moved the marathon to the streets of New York's five boroughs: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. The course united dozens of culturally and ethnically diverse neighborhoods, crossed five bridges, and finished at Tavern on the Green in world-famous Central Park. The course continues to challenge thousands of athletes every year and has become a model for big-city marathon courses around the world. [Course Map]
GarminTM
Garmin, a leader in GPS navigation and personal fitness devices, is the course mapping sponsor for the ING New York City Marathon 2009. With the help of its web division, MotionBased, Garmin is giving runners detailed course metrics and mapping. View course data such as time, distance, speed, elevation and hill analysis. [More]
Signage, Clocks, and Checkpoints
Mile signs and clocks will be posted at every mile. Before mile 8, check the clock marked with color-coded signs corresponding to your start color. (The orange, green, and blue starts merge at mile 8.) After mile 8, all mile markers are orange.
Course clocks will be set to correspond with Wave 1.
Yellow kilometer signs and clocks will be posted every 5 kilometers.
Timing mats will be located at the start, every 5K (3.1 miles) to 40K (24.8 miles), the half-marathon mark (13.1 miles/21.1K), every mile after mile 13.1, and the finish. Failure to cross all mats could lead to incorrect scoring or disqualification.
There will be video checkpoints and volunteers checking race numbers along the course. Be sure your race number is pinned to the front of your shirt and clearly visible. Failure to appear at video checkpoints may result in disqualification.
Beverages
Poland Spring Brand Natural Spring Water will be available at the start and at official fluid stations every mile beginning at mile 3—over 1.6 million cups!
Lemon-Lime Gatorade Endurance Formula sports drink will be available at official fluid stations every mile beginning at mile 3 (except at mile 17). This specialized sports drink contains approximately twice the sodium of Gatorade Thirst Quencher (200 mg per 8 ounces), along with chloride, potassium, magnesium, and calcium to help sustain hydration by more fully replacing what is lost in sweat.
At each fluid station, there will be tables on both sides of the course. To avoid the bottleneck at the first table, get your beverage from a later table.
Please keep moving even after you pick up your beverage. If you wish to slow down to drink, do so after you have passed all tables.
The Poland Spring Hydration Zone—two blocks of a Poland Spring environment including water stations and music—will be located at mile 17 on First Avenue.
For your safety, take fluids only at these official stations. They will be protected by race security.
Music
More than 100 live bands stationed at regular intervals along the course will motivate and entertain participants and spectators alike. A special stage at Columbus Circle sponsored by Continental Airlines will provide inspiration for the final .2 mile, and there will be live entertainment at the finish line as well.
Food
At the PowerGel Energy Zone at mile 18, assorted flavored PowerGels will help you hurdle "the wall" and energize you to the finish. For your safety, take food only at this official station. It will be protected by race security. For more information about available flavors, click here.
Official Photographs and DVD
brightroom will be taking your picture and capturing video footage before, during, and after the marathon. For identification purposes, please keep your race number in clear view.
Sponge Stations
Sponges soaked with water will be available at the Poland Spring Hydration Zone (mile 17).
Toilets
Portable toilets (including wheelchair-accessible ones) will be located at every mile beginning at mile 3. These locations are marked with signs.
Medical Aid Stations
There will be medical stations on the course approximately every mile starting at mile 3 and at the finish. For help during and after the race, look for medical stations adjacent to each fluid station and sports medicine volunteers wearing red vests. Medical volunteers and supplies will be available at all aid stations. If you incur an injury or feel discomfort, including a cramp or blister, stop at the nearest aid station The medical personnel may be able to help you get back on the course safely and quickly.
Etiquette
The ING New York City Marathon field consists of both novice and experienced marathoners. Some entrants are looking for a best time, and others just for the experience. In order to maximize enjoyment for everyone, we ask that you please be considerate of your fellow marathoners at all times.
When slowing down -- to eat, drink, relieve a cramp, or for any other reason -- move to the side of the course. Watch out for people behind you.
Move to the side if the person behind you calls out, “Coming through” or “Excuse me.”
If using a cell phone or camera, move to the side and then stop running until you are done.
At fluid stations, move over gradually if you are taking a beverage. There are many tables at each station, on both sides of the road, so you need not rush to the first table. The last table is marked by balloons.
Do not stop or stand in fron of a table.
When discarding a cup, toss it gently toward the side of the road or straight down toward your feet. Make sure you do not hit other participants with your cup or its contents.
In some places, the course may be crowded. Do your best to not push or bump into your fellow marathoners.
Sweep Bus and Street Openings
Sweep buses will follow the marathon route at a 6 1/2-hour marathon pace, roughly 15 minutes per mile, after the 10:20 a.m. start. These buses will transport any entrant who wishes to drop out to the south end of the finisher area.
After the buses pass by, the city streets will reopen to vehicular traffic. Cross-street protection, medical assistance, aid stations, and other services will no longer be available. At this point, marathoners on the course should move onto the sidewalk and watch for cross-street traffic for the remainder of the race.
The official ending time of the race is 6:40 p.m.
Dropping Out
If you need to drop out for any reason, report to the nearest medical aid station (after every water station). The station will take your name and forward the information to the information kiosk at the finisher area.
Let your family and friends know beforehand that they should check the information kiosk at the finisher area on Central Park West if they are unsure of your whereabouts. Please make sure your family knows your race number.
If you have not completed the whole course, do not go through the finish line, or you will be disqualified and barred from future ING New York City Marathons. Instead, enter Central Park at West 72nd Street after 7:00 p.m. to claim your baggage consolidation area. Access to the park at W. 72nd Street in not available prior to 7:00 p.m. Baggage is also available for pickup Monday morning starting at 8:00 a.m. at the command trailer near the finish line.
