The TCS New York City Marathon reaches Queens on Sunday, Nov. 1, and every one of its Queens miles is in Long Island City. Runners come off the Pulaski Bridge from Greenpoint at the 13.1-mile mark, the halfway point of the 26.2-mile race, then work through the neighborhood for roughly two miles before climbing onto the Queensboro Bridge toward Manhattan around mile 15.

New York Road Runners, the nonprofit that organizes the race, lists the Queens side of the Pulaski Bridge among its recommended viewing spots. The bridge itself is closed to spectators, so the crowd forms where the runners come down into Long Island City.

Getting there

NYRR points spectators at this stretch to the 7, G and E trains. The race's official course map marks the stations along the Queens miles: Vernon Blvd-Jackson Av on the 7, 21 St on the G, Court Sq and Court Sq-23 St, Hunters Point Av, and Queens Plaza, Queensboro Plaza and 21 St-Queensbridge near the bridge approach. NYRR recommends checking mta.info before setting out, since service on race day can differ from a normal Sunday.

The halfway mark also makes Long Island City a good place to catch a runner twice. Spectators who see a friend come over the Pulaski Bridge can ride the 7 into Manhattan and transfer to reach First Avenue, NYRR's next recommended stop, for miles 16 to 18. NYRR lists the N, Q, R, 4, 5, 6 and F for First Avenue.

When the runners come through

New York Road Runners has published the start timeline for Sunday, Nov. 1. The men's professional wheelchair division goes first at 8 a.m., followed by the women's professional wheelchair division at 8:02 a.m., handcycles and select athletes with disabilities at 8:22 a.m., the professional women at 8:35 a.m. and the professional men at 9:05 a.m. The mass field then leaves Staten Island in five waves, at 9:10, 9:45, 10:20 and 10:55 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. NYRR notes that the times can change.

The professional wheelchair racers reach Queens first, followed by the pro women and men. The mass waves keep runners flowing through Long Island City for hours after that, since the last wave does not leave Staten Island until 11:30 a.m.

A 50th birthday for the five-borough route

This year's race marks the 50th anniversary of the five-borough course, which New York City's marathon first ran on Oct. 24, 1976. The 2026 route also brings the first course change in 15 years, a small adjustment in the Bronx after runners cross the Willis Avenue Bridge, where the course now turns onto East 141st Street before heading back toward the Madison Avenue Bridge. The Queens miles are unchanged.

What to know before you go

NYRR's spectator guidelines are short. Stay behind the blue tape or the barricades and keep the roadway clear for runners. Signs, flags and noise are welcome, but unofficial speakers are not allowed in New York City, and drones are banned anywhere on the course. Spectators are not allowed on any of the race's bridges. Don't block building entrances, and take your trash and signs with you. NYRR suggests reading the names and countries printed on shirts and bibs and cheering for runners by name. Its race emergency hotline for a runner in need of medical help is 866-705-6626.

NYRR also streams the back of the field. Its Final Finishers livestream, which follows the last runners in, airs from 8 to 10 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, on ABC7NY.com and NYRR's YouTube channel.

The plan for Sunday: take the 7, G or E to Long Island City, find a spot near the foot of the Pulaski Bridge, and check NYRR's course map and mta.info before you leave home.

Sources