How Hard Is The New York City Marathon? Here’s A Mile-By-Mile Breakdown.

New York City isn’t known for subtlety, and its marathon course is no exception.

If you’re one of the 50,000+ runners tackling the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 2, you’ll wind your way through all five boroughs, tackle five bridges, battle long stretches of quiet suffering (looking at you, Queensboro Bridge), and end your day either elated or broken, or most likely, both, on the rolling roads of Central Park.

The NYC Marathon is a race of energy and attrition. With over 800 feet of elevation gain, unpredictable weather, and strategic mental landmines planted throughout the back half, it’s a course that demands respect.

But with the right pacing plan, course knowledge, and a healthy dose of grit, it’s also a place to run smart, and maybe even run fast.

Let’s dive into a mile-by-mile breakdown of the course so you know exactly what you’re getting into; every hill, turn, bridge, and block.

Miles 1–2: The Verrazzano Bridge | Staten Island

Key Tip: Start conservatively. You can’t win the race here, but you can definitely ruin it.

The race kicks off with fireworks, cannons, helicopters, and Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” blasting as you climb the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. It’s a magical moment, but don’t let the hype send your heart rate soaring.

Mile 1 is a steady uphill (150+ feet), so expect to run 30-45 seconds slower than goal pace. Mile 2 is a downhill boomerang, shedding all that elevation and tempting you to speed up. Resist the urge. Stay light, stay calm, and use this mile to recover from the climb.

Miles 3–8: 4th Avenue | Brooklyn Begins

Key Tip: Find your rhythm, run the tangents.

Brooklyn brings the first long stretch of runnable road. Miles 3 to 8 take you along 4th Avenue, a straight, slightly rolling boulevard lined with screaming crowds and homemade signs.

This is your chance to settle into goal marathon pace, watch your hydration, and relax your breathing. It’s mostly flat, but you’ll gain and lose small amounts of elevation—nothing dramatic, but enough to throw off pacing if you’re not paying attention.

Remember: don’t follow the blue line, unlike Berlin, the NYC blue line isn’t the shortest route.

Miles 9–12: Fort Greene and Williamsburg | Rolling and Rowdy

Key Tip: Soak in the crowds, but don’t get carried away.

At Mile 8, the course turns onto Lafayette Avenue, a beautiful tree-lined stretch through brownstone Brooklyn. It’s also where the three start waves finally merge.

Expect a slow incline here (~50 feet over half a mile), followed by a nice descent.

Williamsburg (Mile 11) is raucous and unpredictable—live bands, DJ booths, and crowds spilling onto the streets. Take it all in, but keep your breathing and pace in check.

Miles 13–15: Pulaski Bridge & Queens | The Calm Before the Storm

Key Tip: Stay patient and focus on effort, not splits.

Crossing the Pulaski Bridge into Queens signals the halfway point. There’s a steep little incline (~50 ft in ¼ mile) right before the 13.1 mark. Don’t panic if your split is slow, it’s effort that matters now.

Long Island City is less visually stimulating and less crowded, making it a good time to do a full systems check: how’s your hydration? Fueling? Form?

Because the hardest part of the race is coming up next.

Miles 15–16: The Queensboro Bridge | The Wall Before the Wall

Key Tip: Mantra time. This is the loneliest mile of the marathon.

No spectators. No music. No sun if the weather’s bad. Just the echo of your breathing and ¾ of a mile of uphill on the infamous Queensboro Bridge.

This climb (102 ft) is deceptively tough and hits just as fatigue starts creeping in. The silence can be haunting—but also centering.

At the top, take a breath. On the descent, don’t pound the quads. Stay efficient and let gravity work for you.

And then brace yourself for the roar.

Miles 17–19: First Avenue | Manhattan Mayhem

Key Tip: Don’t take the bait. Hold your pace.

The descent off the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan is a wall of sound. Spectators are stacked 10-deep on First Avenue. It’s electric. It’s emotional.

It’s a trap.

From Mile 16 to 18, the course is fast and slightly downhill. This is where many runners blow up. Stick to your pace and fuel wisely, Maurten gels are offered at Mile 18.

Beyond 96th Street (Mile 18.5), the crowds thin, and you’ll feel the race shift. Welcome to the quiet grind.

Miles 20–21: Bronx Interlude | Short but Not Sweet

Key Tip: Focus on mechanics. This is where the legs start lying to you.

Crossing the Willis Avenue Bridge (Mile 19.5) means entering the Bronx, the shortest borough stint on the course but a decisive one.

The bridge is a steep blip (~50 ft), and the Bronx streets are full of turns (up to 7 in this stretch). Expect the unexpected: DJs, gospel choirs, and shouting uncles on folding chairs.

At Mile 20, if you’re feeling okay, great. If you’re not, you’re not alone. Either way, the real race begins now.

Miles 22–23: Fifth Avenue | The Long Climb

Key Tip: This is the hardest stretch of the marathon. Grind smart.

Crossing back into Manhattan via the Madison Avenue Bridge brings you to Fifth Avenue—and the brutal incline from 110th to 86th Street.

It’s not steep (~100 feet over nearly a mile), but at this point in the race, it feels like Everest.

Most runners slow significantly here. That’s okay. Keep your head up, your arms driving, and break it into blocks, “10 more blocks, then reassess.” One block at a time.

Miles 24–25: Central Park Entry | Rolling Rebirth

Key Tip: Let the course help you.

Finally, you hit Central Park. The crowds return in force, and the course rolls, up, down, up, down.

These hills aren’t massive, but they’re noticeable on tired legs. Fortunately, the downhills give your quads a break, and the energy here is contagious.

Let the crowds do the work. Smile, if you can. You’re almost there.

Miles 26–26.2: Columbus Circle to the Finish | Empty the Tank

Key Tip: The finish line is closer than it looks.

You’ll briefly leave the park on 59th Street, where crowds roar around Columbus Circle, then dive back in just before Mile 26.

The final 400 meters includes a small uphill bump, just cruel enough to make you question your choices. But then, the grandstands appear. The flags. The cameras. The roar.

The finish line, finally, is in sight.

You did it.

Final Key Tips For Runners

• Even splits beat negative splits on this course. In 2023, only one top-25 man ran a negative split (Tamirat Tola, who set the course record). The back half is slower, expect it.
• Effort-based pacing is key. Run by feel, especially on the bridges and Fifth Avenue.
• Study the tangents. Running the shortest path saves dozens of seconds on NYC’s curvy route.
• Don’t chase the blue line. It’s not the shortest route.
• Use the hills. Shorten stride on the ups, open up on the downs. Be efficient.
• Fuel early. Don’t wait for Mile 18 to eat or drink. Hydration stations start at Mile 3.
• Enjoy the madness. This is a once-in-a-lifetime race, no matter how many times you run it.