Timing is everything in New York. If you show up to the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge at 9:00 a.m. thinking you’re just in time to see the start, you’ve already missed the most intense part of the professional competition. Conversely, if you’re a runner in Wave 5 and you get to Staten Island at dawn, you’re going to be sitting on the pavement for five hours getting cold and cranky.
So, what time is New York City Marathon really? It’s not one single time. It’s a rolling, massive logistical ballet that spans nearly four hours of starts. For the 2025 race—and looking ahead to the 2026 iteration—the schedule follows a very specific rhythm. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and that applies to the morning timeline, too.
The Professional and Wave Start Breakdown
The race doesn’t just "go." It leaks out in stages. If you want to catch the elite athletes, you need to be tuned in or on the curb early. The very first starters are the Men’s Professional Wheelchair division at 8:00 a.m. sharp. The women follow just two minutes later.
By the time the sun is fully up and the "main" race begins, the staggered waves look like this:
At 8:22 a.m., the Handcycle Category and select athletes with disabilities take off. Then, the elite women start at 8:35 a.m. This is a critical tactical gap; it allows the professional women to have their own clean race and broadcast coverage without being swallowed by the mass of elite men. Speaking of which, the professional men’s open division and the first wave of general runners don't actually move until 9:05 a.m. and 9:10 a.m. respectively.
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Understanding the Wave System
If you’re running, your "start time" is whatever is printed on your bib. Period. New York uses five distinct waves to prevent the Verrazzano from literally collapsing under the weight of 55,000+ people (okay, maybe not collapsing, but it would be a dangerous bottleneck).
Wave 2 goes at 9:45 a.m.
Wave 3 follows at 10:20 a.m.
Wave 4 is at 10:55 a.m.
Finally, Wave 5—the "party wave" with many of the charity runners and back-of-the-pack legends—starts at 11:30 a.m.
Wait, you might notice those gaps aren't perfectly uniform. They aren't supposed to be. The race directors at New York Road Runners (NYRR) adjust these based on how the crowds clear the bridge.
Why the 11:30 a.m. Start Matters
Honestly, starting at 11:30 a.m. is a mental game. You’ve likely been awake since 5:00 a.m. to catch a ferry or a bus. You’ve been sitting in the "Start Village" at Fort Wadsworth eating bagels and trying to stay warm. By the time you actually cross the start line, the elite winners are already finishing their post-race interviews in Central Park. It’s a weird feeling, but that’s the reality of the world’s largest marathon.
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What Time is New York City Marathon for Spectators?
If you’re watching, "what time" the race starts depends entirely on where you are standing. The race is 26.2 miles long. It takes hours for the "bubble" of runners to pass through the five boroughs.
If you are in Brooklyn (Miles 2–12), you’ll see runners from about 9:30 a.m. until well into the afternoon. If you’re waiting on First Avenue in Manhattan (Mile 16), the energy doesn’t really peak until 11:00 a.m. or noon.
One thing people always forget: the bridges. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge closes to vehicles as early as 11:00 p.m. the night before the race. By 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, it’s completely shut down. If you’re trying to move between boroughs on race morning, you basically can’t. The city belongs to the runners.
When Does the NYC Marathon Actually End?
The race doesn’t end when the elites cross the line. Not even close. Official timing stays open until 10:00 p.m.
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There is a legendary "sweep" bus that follows the tail end of the race, but even after that, people finish. NYRR has a "Final Finisher" program where volunteers wait at the finish line in Central Park for the very last person to come in, often in the pitch black of night. These runners are out there for 8, 9, or 10 hours. It’s arguably more impressive than the sub-two-hour guys.
Practical Advice for Your Race Day
- Check your color. Your wave is also divided by color: Blue, Orange, and Pink. This determines whether you start on the top or bottom of the bridge. It also determines your start time.
- The "Library Bus" vs. the Ferry. If you're taking the bus from the New York Public Library, your departure time is usually between 5:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. If you miss it, you're in trouble.
- The App is King. Download the TCS NYC Marathon App. You can track runners in real-time. It will tell you exactly when your friend crosses the start mat, so you aren't standing in the cold for three hours waiting for them to hit Mile 20.
- Daylight Savings. Always, always double-check the clock. The marathon usually falls on the morning we "fall back." You get an extra hour of sleep. If you forget to change your manual clocks, you’ll show up to the start line an hour early.
Knowing what time is New York City Marathon is mostly about knowing your time. Whether you’re an elite aiming for 9:05 a.m. or a Wave 5 warrior waiting for 11:30 a.m., the schedule is the law.
To stay on track, confirm your specific wave assignment through the NYRR dashboard at least a week before the race. Make sure your transportation is booked for at least three hours before your scheduled wave start to account for the heavy security screenings at Fort Wadsworth.