What Time Does the 2026 NYC Marathon Start? Exact Wave Schedule, Route Insights & How to Watch Live

Runners and spectators alike are counting down to the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, set for Sunday, Nov. 1. If you’re planning your morning—or trying to catch your favorite runner on TV or along the course—these are the start times you need to know. The cannon fires earliest for the Men’s Professional Wheelchair Division at 8:00 a.m. ET, followed two minutes later by the Women’s Professional Wheelchair field at 8:02 a.m. Handcycles and select athletes with disabilities roll off at 8:22 a.m. Elite runners take center stage next: the Professional Women’s Open Division begins at 8:35 a.m., with the Professional Men’s Open Division leaving the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge at 9:05 a.m. Mass-participation runners start in five color-coded waves: • Wave 1 – 9:10 a.m. • Wave 2 – 9:45 a.m. • Wave 3 – 10:20 a.m. • Wave 4 – 10:55 a.m. • Wave 5 – 11:30 a.m. How to watch: ABC7 and ESPN2 will carry live coverage beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET, with ESPN+ streaming the full broadcast. International viewers should check local listings; most major sports networks and the official TCS NYC Marathon app will provide live streams and on-demand replays. Travel tips: Staten Island Ferry service starts at 5:00 a.m., and NYRR-chartered buses depart Midtown Manhattan from 5:30 a.m. onward. Road closures begin as early as 7:00 a.m. along the 26.2-mile route through all five boroughs, so plan extra time whether you’re running, volunteering, or cheering. Weather check: Early November in New York City typically sees temperatures in the upper 40s to mid-50s Fahrenheit at gun time, so dress in layers you can discard at the start village donation bins. Hydration stations line every mile after Mile 3, with medical tents roughly every two miles. Pro tip for spectators: The elite races hit Brooklyn’s Fourth Avenue between 8:45 and 10:00 a.m., Central Park’s finish line fence line gets crowded by noon, and the roar in Manhattan’s First Avenue peaks as Wave 3 leaders arrive around 11:15 a.m. Whether you’re tuning in for the dramatic elite showdowns or tracking a friend’s bib, locking in the exact NYC Marathon start time ensures you don’t miss a stride of the world’s largest 26.2-mile block party.