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New York Marathon 2026: Spectators and Runners Unite for 50th Anniversary
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In Short: The 2026 New York City Marathon was a testament to the enduring spirit of the event, celebrating its 50th anniversary with a strong field of runners and enthusiastic spectators.
The 2026 New York City Marathon, marking its 50th anniversary, kicked off on a sunny day with temperatures around 50°F, ideal for distance running.
The marathon, which has been a citywide event for nearly six decades, saw nearly 60,000 runners take on the 26.2-mile course through all five boroughs of New York City.
Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won the women's race for the second time, while Andreas Almgren of Sweden claimed the men's title in his debut marathon.
Almgren, 29, had previously established himself as a successful half-marathon runner and continued his remarkable year by winning the New York Marathon.
Almgren, who was competing in his first marathon, said, “This is my first marathon. I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel.”
The marathon has open registration, allowing anyone to sign up, including celebrities. Rumors suggest that Harry Styles might participate in the future.
For those interested in watching the marathon online, services offer a five-day free trial before pricing starts at $88.99 a month.
Kenyan athlete Peres Jepchirchir, who had won major marathons in New York (2021), Boston (2022), London (2024), and Sydney (2026), was provisionally suspended after testing positive for EPO.
Jepchirchir’s agent, Gianni Demadonna, confirmed that the positive test came from a sample collected on July 17, 2026, six weeks before she won the Sydney Marathon.
The New York Marathon has a rich history, starting in 1970 with the first six years run entirely within Central Park.
The race has become a unifying event, bringing together strangers as both spectators and runners in the pursuit of 26.2 miles.
The 2026 New York City Marathon was a testament to the enduring spirit of the event, celebrating its 50th anniversary with a strong field of runners and enthusiastic spectators.
What this adds
The marathon's broadcast on ABC7NY and ESPN ensures that the race can be watched by those unable to attend in person.
What's confirmed
- On Sunday, November 1, nearly 60,000 runners taking on the New York City Marathon will get the rare privilege of having city traffic stop for them as they cover 26.2 miles through the five boroughs.
- Here’s everything you need to know about the race this weekend: The New York City Marathon 2026 is on Sunday 1 November with the 26.2-mile route starts in Staten Island and works its way up to Brooklyn, Queens and then over to Manhatten, with a dash north to The Bronx before heading back south and entering Central Park.
- Almgren was making his debut at 26.2 miles after a successful career running half-marathons.
- Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won the women's race of the New York City Marathon on Sunday for the second time.
- The New York City Marathon began in 1970, and the first six years it was run entirely inside Central Park, with runners doing loops.
- "The last mile was really tricky," Chepkirui told the ESPN broadcast.
- “This is my first marathon. I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel,” said Almgren.
What's still developing
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- The New York Marathon is known for celebrity sightings with a number of famous actors, actresses and recording artists participating in the race.
- The world half marathon champion has been running more than 135 miles a week to prepare for New York and told Runner's World that he's feeling confident about the work he's put in.
- There is British interest in the shape of Patrick Dever, who secured a brilliant third to climb onto the podium last year, and Puma teammate Jack Rowe, fresh from a breakthrough at London Marathon this year (2:07:47) will also hope to box off the Olympic standard on the road to LA28.
- New York, Sep 9: Ben Shelton produced a sensational performance to defeat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a marathon five-set thriller and reach the semi-finals of the US Open in the latest-finishing match in the tournament's history.
- Olympic and World Championships marathon gold medallist Peres Jepchirchir has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after an out-of-competition sample tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO).
- Jepchirchir's career highlights include winning the women's marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and securing the gold medal at the World Championships in the same city in September 2025.
- Usually, at the end of these marathons, it is Alcaraz who has his hands up, gesturing to the crowd and celebrating with his team.
- Jepchirchir is the latest in a string of high-profile Kenyan marathoners to have been suspended in recent years, following in the footsteps of Rita Jeptoo (3-time Boston, 2-time Chicago Marathon champ), Jemima Sumgong (2016 London/Olympic champion), and Ruth Chepngetich (3-time Chicago champion, current world record holder).
- She first made a name for herself by winning the 2016 World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff, then broke the world record for that distance by running 65:06 at the Ras Al Khaimah Half in 2017.
- In 2019, she moved up to the marathon and has been one of the best in the world in that event ever since, earning wins in Valencia (2020), the Olympics (2021), New York (2021), Boston (2022), London (2024, women’s-only world record), and the World Championships (2025).