AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of the reported event.
- calendar_today November 1, 2026
50th Anniversary of the Five-Borough Route
The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon is underway, hosting nearly 60,000 marathon runners as they traverse all five boroughs on Sunday. Marking the 50th anniversary of the five-borough course, this event has grown from a local race confined to Central Park in its early years to one of the world’s premier sporting spectacles. This year’s marathon is anticipated to have a record-breaking field, with millions of marathon spectators lining the streets from Staten Island to Central Park.
Elite Marathoners and Defending Champions
The professional field for the marathon 2026 event is strong, featuring 40 Olympians and Paralympians, 25 Olympic, Paralympic, and World Championship medalists, and 22 national record holders. Among the headline elite marathoners are defending champions Hellen Obiri, Benson Kipruto, and Marcel Hug. Obiri, who set the women’s course record last year at 2:19:51—surpassing Margaret Okayo’s 2003 mark by nearly three minutes—aims to defend her title.
Top Competitors in Every Division
The competition is fierce in all divisions this year. On the women’s side, Obiri faces challenges from 2024 champion Sheila Chepkirui and three-time Olympic champion Sifan Hassan. The American contingent is also robust, led by half-marathon record holder Weini Kelati making her marathon debut, alongside Jess McClain and Fiona O'Keeffe.
In the men’s race, Benson Kipruto looks to defend his title after winning by the narrowest margin in race history last year. He is joined by former champions Geoffrey Kamworor and Abdi Nageeye as well as top American runners Conner Mantz, Zouhair Talbi, and Joe Klecker.
Spotlight on the Wheelchair Division
The wheelchair division at the tcs nyc marathon features seven-time New York champion Marcel Hug, competing with former winners Daniel Romanchuk and David Weir. In the women’s race, Tatyana McFadden, Catherine Debrunner, and Madison de Rozario bring considerable championship experience. Susannah Scaroni is attempting a third consecutive title, less than three months after giving birth to her first child.
McFadden, herself a five-time New York champion, expressed admiration for Scaroni, highlighting the significance of mothers returning to competitive sport.
Celebrity Participation and Charitable Causes
The marathon also features the participation of celebrities and prominent community figures. Eyewitness News anchors Liz Cho and Mike Marza are running to support the Alzheimer's Association in honor of Bill Ritter, who stepped away from his anchor role in June after disclosing his Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis.
Broadcast and Spectator Information
Marathon Sunday coverage began at 7:00 a.m. ET, with live race coverage running from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on WABC-TV Channel 7. ABC7NY.com is also offering a live view of the finish line from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. ET. Detailed information on road closures and mass transit changes due to the marathon is available, ensuring marathon spectators can plan their day as they cheer on the marathon runners and celebrate half a century of NYC’s iconic event.
Source: abc7ny.com.
