Tips for the New York Marathon: Advice, Course Description, and More

This, the final installment in my marathon blog trifecta, may be less interesting to the casual reader than to the NYC marathon hopefuls. The marathon is daunting, and not just because of the distance. There are a lot of unknowns that can make things stressful. Learning as much as possible about what to expect will help runners have a calmer, happier race day. Runners, scroll through to find information about:

• Getting to the Starting Area
• Race Attire
• The Course
• The Finish Area

For spectators, skip down a bit for information about:

• Tracking Your Runner
• Watching the Race
• Post-Race: Finding Your Runner 

Getting to the Starting Area

The Staten Island Ferry terminal

For those without their own transportation, there are two good options for getting to the start on Staten Island: shuttle buses and the ferry. You'll sign up for these well in advance of race day. I recommend the ferry for several reasons. One is that waiting inside the warm terminal building is infinitely preferable to waiting on a chilly pre-dawn sidewalk for your bus. Another is that the ferry provides great views of Manhattan, and of the Verrazano Bridge you'll be conquering in a few short hours. Note that even if you have access to your own car, I don't recommend trying to drive it to the start - much too congested, and you've got enough to worry about without adding traffic to the mix.

Contrary to popular belief, trains in NYC are timely, at least first thing in the morning. If you need to take a train to either the ferry (the South Ferry station on the 1 train will get you there) or to one of the shuttle buses, find out what time you need to catch your train the night before by visiting the MTA's Trip Planner website. The fare is $2.50 for one trip. I recommend buying your card in advance. The train car will be crowded with other runners, so don't expect to find a seat. I barely managed to find standing room on mine. Wait near the end of the platform by the front of the train (the back cars don't have access to South Ferry) - the very first car or two will have a little bit more space.

If you take the ferry, you will have to wait in line once you get to Staten Island for a bus to get you to the starting area. It's a ten-minute drive. Don't be tempted to linger in the Staten Island ferry terminal for too long. It's warm in there, but you don't want to get stuck in a long line for the buses.

What to Bring to the Starting Area
I highly recommend not checking a bag; it will save you at least half an hour at the finish line, where you're going to be exhausted and not in the mood to wait around for your stuff. Another benefit is getting to keep your warm clothes on until the last minute before the race starts (read on for details about that). If you check your warm clothes, you'll have to be without them for at least half an hour before the race starts. (If you want to ignore me and decide to check a bag anyway, you'll drop it off in the starting area and it will be transported to the finish for you.) Not checking? Great! This means that all the warm clothes and other things you'll need for before the race should be disposable. Don't worry about the waste: NYRR will donate all your discarded clothes and blankets to charity. Pack everything in a clear plastic bag (do this the night before the race) to avoid being help up by security.

You will want to have:

• A metro card with $2.50 on it
• Warm clothes - Bring more than you think you will need. Nothing will wreck your mood and physical state before the race like shivering for an hour before the start. Know that it will almost certainly be windier and damper on Staten Island than it is inland in the other boroughs. I highly recommend both long sleeves and pants, preferable in several layers.
• Something for your hands and head - A hoodie with pockets will do the trick. If you don't have one, bring a hat and gloves. You can even take a page from my dad's book and put extra socks over your hands.
• A windproof layer - An old reflective blanket from another race, a rain poncho, or even a large garbage bag will work.
• Something waterproof - If it threatens, even a bit, to drizzle, add this to your line-up. (See above - lots of windproof items will also be waterproof.)
• A blanket or towel to sit on - This will really help keep you warm. I saw runners sitting on old newspapers; this will work in a pinch. You can wrap your blanket/towel around you, too.
• Toilet paper - 'Nuff said. If you bring some extra, you will earn the undying gratitude of others in line behind you when you share it.
• Nutrition/Hydration - I won't presume to try to advise you on what to bring, but know that it will take you around two hours to get from home to the start, so you'll probably want to top off those calories before you begin your race. Food, beverages, and hot water (good for oatmeal) are available at the start, but I recommend having your own food on hand so you don't have to worry about finding what you need. Sip your beverage and don't drink too much or you'll have to use on-course port-a-potties. Trust me that this is best avoided.
• A few dollars - This will give you peace of mind when you leave the house, as you can pick up something you've forgotten while waiting for the bus or in the ferry terminal.

Other Tips for the Starting Area

The starting area is well marked

• Allow yourself about half an hour to get through the bathroom line. It's going to be gross when you do finally get there. Sorry.
• Relax. You'll be anxious, but try to sit still. Don't walk it out. You want to start the race with fresh legs.
• If there's a tent set up somewhere, find space in it so you'll stay warm. There was definitely one in my wave area; I imagine there is probably one for each wave.
• Get into your corral during the designated window - they will close it and you'll have to join a later wave if you're late.
• If you're chilly leave your warm clothes on until the last minute. You can actually wear them into the corral - there are donation boxes in each one - and you can even toss your warm clothes after you leave the corral as you walk toward the start line. 

Race Attire
I hate being too hot while running, so I opted to go for shorts and a singlet on a mostly sunny, breezy day in the 40s. I had arm warmers on in the beginning, but I tucked them into my fuel belt after the first few miles and was quite comfortable during the race. If you're not planning on a very strenuous pace, you may want to dress more warmly, however. Planning to wear a long layer? Find something with a zipper so you can modulate your temperature easily. I recommend gloves (they can be tucked into a waistband if you take them off) if you don't have sleeves; my hands were the only part of me that felt chilly.

Getting a blister mid-race is terrible, so think prevention. Your old hot spots may have healed over during your taper, so try to remember were they are and practice prophylactic bandaging. I've read that coating the outside of your band-aid with Body Glide helps, though I haven't tried it.

The Course
Be familiar with it. Here's the map from the 2013 race.

First, know that there are aid stations every mile, and port-a-potties every few miles. The aid stations are really long, so don't be afraid to pass the first six or so tables if the area is congested to find more elbow room farther down. The first half of the tables will have Gatorade, and the second half has water. Energy gels are available at Mile 17 (I think). One station was also handing out bananas - be extra careful in this area. As you've learned from cartoons, those peels dropped all over the course are slippery.

Here is how I drink water on the course without stopping: 1) Grab the cup near the top and pinch it closed so it doesn't splash out. Yell "thank you." 2) Run for a few steps until you have a clear area ahead and can focus on drinking, not dodging. 3) Hold your breath as you tilt the cup upwards to prevent yourself aspirating the water. 4) When your mouth is full of water, swallow. 5) Take a few breaths, then repeat. It will take you a while to get through the cup. That's OK. Hold onto the cup as long as you need.

Start of the Verrazano Bridge

Take it easy on the hills. You'll encounter your first one just about the second the cannon goes off. The first mile of the Verrazano Bridge is a long, gentle climb. It won't feel too bad because your legs will be fresh. You'll also be full of adrenaline and probably be tempted to blast through it. Don't. Hold yourself back. On a related note, don't weave around people; this will add distance to your race. You want to be slower than your goal pace here. You'll have another mile to make up some of that time on the second half of the bridge, and then another 25 miles after the bridge to continue to gain lost time, so relax and start slowly. A mantra might help. I used, "Bank for the bonk" (i.e. save energy for the part of the race where you're going to run out of juice). You can go faster than your goal pace on the downhill half of the bridge, but don't be a bat out of hell here.

Brooklyn will probably be your favorite part of the race. You'll be feeling great - well warmed up and in your groove by now. Resist the urge to share that joy with the adorable children on the sides of the course holding their hands out for high fives. A small deviation in your course here and there will add a lot of distance to your overall mileage by the time the race is over. ("Bank for the bonk.") Run in a straight line - I used the line painted on the road to make sure I stayed straight - and watch your pace. The course is generally pretty straight here, but there are a few turns. Look ahead and know when they're coming. Stay on the inside and cut them close to save distance.

The Queensboro Bridge (shudder)

For me, the Queensboro bridge, just after Mile 15, was the toughest part of the race. It's not a particularly steep hill, but it goes on and on, unlike the shorter rollers of Brooklyn and Queens. To boot, there are no spectators allowed on the bridge, so you can't get your motivation from your adoring fans. The sudden quiet is almost eerie. Be mentally ready for this stretch. It'll help to know that Manhattan is on the other side. Back off your pace here; you'll have a long downhill after you reach the "summit."

Getting to Manhattan feels great, but stay focused and be extra vigilant of your pace as you proceed up First Avenue. It's easy to get so jazzed up by the crowds, particularly after the terrible lull of the bridge, that you blast out a very fast mile or two that you'll pay for later. You still have ten miles to go, so keep it contained. ("Bank for the bonk. Om.") You'll notice, by sighting ahead of you, that First undulates a bit. I didn't really feel this and haven't heard a lot of complaint about it, so don't panic but know that you'll encounter a few very gentle rises.  

The Bronx has lots of twists and turns, so be sure you're cutting your corners as closely as you can. When you're finally on Fifth Avenue again and can see the Empire State Building in the distance, it will feel like the home stretch. This can be a good place to pick up the pace (right around Mile 21 or so; it's a bit too hilly before this point), but be aware that the second half of Fifth Avenue is one long uphill. It will suck. You should be able to stick with your original target pace here, but if you've kicked it up, you might want to kick it back until...

The park! You'll enter Engineer's Gate at 90th Street and be surrounded on both sides by cheering spectators as you head downhill. Know that the path in the park, though mostly downhill, will include some slopes you'll have to run up. Resist the urge to punch everyone who yells that "you're almost there." You'll have 2.2 miles to go, and they will be tough, but the end is in sight. No more banking for the bonk. Push. Hold it around the curves of the running path in the park, hold it along the straight section along 59th Street, and then floor it as you turn north and barrel toward the finish line.

The Finish Area

Part of the LONG walk after crossing the finish line

Good news: The race is over! (You'll have access to finish photos, so be sure to look up and smile for the camera as you cross the finish line if having a good shot of your sweaty mug is important to you.) Bad news: You've still got a long way to go. You'll collect a medal, a reflective blanket, and a bag of goodies as you walk, and walk, and walk, ushered along by friendly but firm volunteers. Dip into that goodie bag ASAP, even if you don't feel hungry or thirsty. You need calories, so at least sip a bit of Gatorade. You'll walk through the park for about half a mile, then, if you haven't checked a bag, make a left turn and walk along the outside of the park until 73rd Street. You'll get stylish poncho once you leave the park if you did not check a bag. This whole slog is lined with volunteers and metal fencing, so there's really no way to get out of it. It's long and you'll be exhausted, but knowing what to expect will help. It took me about half an hour to get from the finish line through the end of the mandatory walk-out.

73rd is blocked off to cars and all pedestrians but runners between Central Park West and Columbus. There's a line of port-a-potties here, just in case. You can arrange to  meet your family at 73rd and Columbus if you want to, but I don't recommend it. The area will be congested with all the other people who had the same idea, and there's nowhere to sit. I suggest meeting outside the 72nd Street 1 subway station. It's a little farther away, but there are benches where you can rest your very (very, very, very) weary legs if it takes your crew a little longer than planned to show up. You can also go inside the station if it's freezing out - be sure to let your family know you might be inside so they can find you if they don't see you on the benches. Go home, replenish those calories, and glow.

Congratulations!

FOR SPECTATORS

Track Your Runner
Download the free app and keep an eye on it, otherwise it will be next to impossible to find who you're looking for. You can track more than one runner at a time. The app will give you updates for every 5K your runner completes. Find the app at the NYRR website. You don't need your runner's number, just his/her name.

Watching the Race
As much as you can, communicate in advance exactly where you'll be standing so your runner can find you. This is somewhat subject to race-day conditions, of course; you may find that your plan to wait on a particular corner is foiled by a group of 20 who got there first. Be sure they know at least what side of the street you'll be on at the very least, and give them a street or a range of streets (e.g. on the west side of First Avenue, between 80th and 83rd Streets). Be distinctive if you can; my family wore matching orange shirts, and I don't think I'd have been able to spot them otherwise. A helium balloon would be a great idea; a single, red balloon floating a few feet above the crowd will all but ensure that your runner is able to see you.

Lots of people have asked me whether they can watch the finish. Unless you buy bleacher seats, the answer is no. Sadly, it's tough to get anywhere near the finish for most people, so I don't recommend trying. Pick a few points on the course instead - your runner is going to need your support along there more than they will at the finish, anyway. My family saw me three times: once in Brooklyn and twice in Manhattan. They had just enough time to get from place to place, then to walk to the 72nd Street 1 station (see above) to meet me. This seemed to work well, so here's how to do it if you want to repeat their route:

Brooklyn - Around Mile 8 is a great place to watch. It will be crowded, but it's very easy to get to because there are tons of subway lines that converge here. Take the 2, 3, 4 or Q trains to Atlantic Avenue, the G to Fulton, the C to Lafayette, or the N, R, or M to Pacific Street and pick a good spot along Fourth, Atlantic, or Lafayette.

Manhattan - It's easy to go between First and Fifth Avenues to see your runner twice here. From Brooklyn, take the 4 train toward Manhattan and get off at 86th Street. From here, you'll need to walk east three blocks. You'll cross Third and Second Avenues. The race course proceeds up First Avenue. Once you see your runner pass by, turn around and go back the way you came from. Walking west, cross Second, Third, Lexington, Park, and Madison Avenues. You'll run into Fifth Avenue next, where you'll find yourself along the course again. Find a place to watch above 90th Street (i.e. on Fifth Avenue and any street with a number that's bigger than 90), ideally around 93rd through 95th. The course goes into the park at 90th, so you'll need to be staked out on Fifth to see them before this happens.

Post-Race: Finding Your Runner
There is a designated family meet-up area, but thanks to the jerks who bombed Boston last year, security is high and it will likely take your family a while to get sniffed, searched, and patted down before they're able to get into it. Plus, it will be really crowded, and you'll be able to be on your way faster if you pick a spot outside the park to meet. See the second paragraph under The Finish Area (above) for a specific suggestion.

No matter where you decide to meet up, you'll need to keep walking west in order to get on the right side of the park. It's just about impossible to get across Fifth Avenue during the race, and spectators can't cross Park Drive (the road in the park that the runners follow after they leave Fifth Avenue). This is a problem, because you need to cross the park to meet your runner on the west side. Here's your best bet: Walk south along Fifth until you get to 89th. The marathon course will go into the park at 90th Street, so you can cross Fifth at 89th or 88th. Do it, and walk down the west side of Fifth until you get to the Greywacke Arch at 80th Street. This is an underpass you can use to go under Park Drive (i.e. under the course). Keep walking west to your pre-determined meet-up spot. FYI, other underpasses you can use to cross the park by going under the course are Trefoil Arch at 73rd Street, Willowdell Arch at 67th Street, and Inscope Arch at 62nd Street.

Be sure you know exactly where you're going to find your runner. If he/she took my advice, they won't have checked a bag and so won't have a cell phone handy. This means you won't be able to contact them, though they may call you with a borrowed cell phone, so have yours on hand and answer it even if the call is from a number you don't recognize. Another thing they won't have if they haven't checked a bag are warm clothes. They'll be wrapped in a cozy poncho by the time you find them, but even so it might be nice to bring them long pants, a sweatshirt or coat, and a hat. A change of footwear is often appreciated by a weary runner, too. And a small carton of chocolate milk makes for an unbeatable post-race beverage.

I hope this information is helpful to runners and spectators alike! Post any questions you may have in the Comments section and I'll try to address them. Have a wonderful marathon!