On Sunday, 50,000 runners from the Big Apple and around the world will race through the five boroughs during the New York City Marathon — a course that winds its way from the Verrazano Bridge up to the melting pot of Bay Ridge, through the heart of brownstone Brooklyn and industrial Long Island City, all the way up First Avenue to the pulsating center of the South Bronx and, finally, down Museum Mile and Central Park before crossing the finish line by Tavern on the Green.
If just reading that tires you out, catch the world’s largest marathon from the sidelines.
Some 1 million spectators are expected to line the course, turning the city into a 26.2-mile-long block party — complete with marching bands tooting the “Rocky” theme, revelers sipping mimosas on their stoops and businesses doling out doughnuts and beer to fuel the runners through their journey.
And while there’s no limit to all that rooting along the route, we’ve found nine spots that are tops for marathon watching. Spectators, take your pick!
Hey New Yorkers — it’s time to cheer on marathon runners for Sunday’s race!Photo: Paul Martinka
Mile 3
Fourth Avenue at 86th Street, Bay Ridge
Quench your thirst with a selection of craft beers at Lock Yard, a former locksmith shop, in Bay Ridge.Photo: Christian Johnston
“I love Bay Ridge, with its history and ‘Saturday Night Fever’ connection,” says Gail Kislevitz, who’s been coaching the New York Road Runners Team for Kids since 2002 and has run 25 marathons.
“The runners are still energetic, they’re smiling, they’re high-fiving everyone . . . they are just getting a feel for the cheers of the crowd and how amazing they are.”
Indeed, the diverse neighborhood — once an Italian-American stronghold and now home to a robust Middle Eastern population — is the first true sense runners get of the 1 million-plus spectators lining the marathon course, where kids and adults alike cheer on the runners for the next 23 miles.
Some even try to join in on the fun: “One kid tried to come out and run with me,” recalls Terry Alexander, a 32-year-old Hoboken project manager who’s running his second marathon on Sunday.
To refuel, head around the corner to Lock Yard (9221 Fifth Ave., Bay Ridge, 718-333-5282), a new beer bar and garden housed inside an old locksmith’s shop that offers American craft beer flights and sausages.
Mile 8
Lafayette Avenue, Fort Greene
One of the more idyllic sections of the course, this tree-lined stretch is emblematic of brownstone Brooklyn — complete with enthusiastic locals cheering from the stoops of their townhouses and throwing spirited brunch bashes with friends.
“All of Brooklyn is like a big party,” says Meg Braun, a 41-year-old event planner who’s running her third New York City Marathon on Sunday.
The area is also well known for its entertainment: For 35 years, the Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School band has performed the “Rocky” theme at Clermont Avenue, where former Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s been known to drop by and take in the festivities.
The band sets up camp less than a block away from the Mediterranean taverna Olea (171 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene, 718-643-7003), where the Turkish breakfast ($11) — one of the restaurant’s most popular brunch dishes, composed of scrambled eggs with fattoush, eggplant salad, herbed yogurt and grilled pita bread — is a filling meal fit for a marathoner.
Mile 10
Bedford Avenue and South Ninth Street, South Williamsburg
The runners can’t eat this stuff, but you sure can! Feast on Pies ’n’ Thighs treats like chicken and waffles or sour cherry pear crumble.Photo: Christian Johnston
One of the more interesting sections of the marathon course traverses a traditionally Hasidic neighborhood.
It tends to be a bit quieter — residents don’t typically come out to cheer, though they are walking around because Sunday is considered a workday.
“The little kids can’t help themselves — they are staring at the runners, like, ‘Who are these people?’ with bright-eyed curiosity,” says Kislevitz. “It’s a world within itself . . . that both runners and spectators always enjoy.”
Still, plenty of others come out to root on the runners, so you certainly wouldn’t be alone.
Stroll just a few blocks north and you’ll find yourself in the heart of hipster Williamsburg and its many restaurants, including the comfort-food haven Pies ’n’ Thighs (166 S. Fourth St., Williamsburg, 347-529-6090). Tuck into its signature chicken biscuit ($7.25), chicken and waffles ($13) or any of their pies, like their sour cherry pear crumble ($5).
Mile 13
48th Avenue and Vernon Boulevard, Long Island City
At mile 13, grab some huevos rancheros or a Cuban sandwich — and wash it down with a mimosa — at Blend.Photo: Christian Johnston
The marathon only briefly rips through Queens, but the two miles are symbolic, signifying the halfway point of the race.
And what this commercial stretch of Long Island City lacks in distance it more than makes up for in enthusiasm, with spectators ringing the orange cowbells given out by NYRR at the official cheering zone.
“It’s so significant to the runners, and a great place for the spectators,” says Kislevitz.
Stop by Blend (47-04 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City, 718-729-2800), a nearby Latin fusion restaurant, for a mimosa (left) or, if you’re hungry, a hearty weekend brunch: Entrees include huevos rancheros ($9.95) or a Cuban sandwich ($8.95).
Mile 14
Queens Plaza South at Crescent Street, Long Island City
This is your last chance to root for the runners before they climb the long, quiet hill of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge.
It’s also an official NYRR entertainment area with bands — in the past, rock groups have performed Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” and other marathon-appropriate songs.
While you’re in the neighborhood, stop by MoMA PS1 (22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City, 718-784-2084) to check out the newly opened Teatro Romano exhibit (above), a collection of five ancient busts that have been painted in their original Roman style.
Mile 17
First Avenue and 77th Street, Upper East Side
Pony up to the bar at Upper East Side watering hole the Pony Bar for some carb-loading with beer.Photo: Christian Johnston
Runners often refer to a “roar” or a “wall of sound” they hear as they race off the Queensboro Bridge and turn onto First Avenue, and it’s no exaggeration: The Upper East Side is by far the most popular stretch of the marathon — and the most congested.
Crowds are often six-deep, and spectators often break out into impromptu dance. It all adds up to an experience that just about every runner finds exhilarating.
“The spectators make you feel like a rock star,” Kislevitz says.
Seeking refreshment? Just two blocks south is popular craft beer watering hole The Pony Bar (1444 First Ave., 212-288-0090), with a rotating menu consisting solely of American craft beers (all $6) — hey, beer’s chock-full of carbs, so you can just say you’re drinking for all those runners.
Mile 20
138th Street and Alexander Avenue, The Bronx
The Church of St. Jerome is baroque in The Bronx.Photo: Christian Johnston
Your runner will love you if you make the trek to The Bronx.
One of the least-crowded sections of the course — though it’s becoming more popular — also happens to be the point of the race when most marathoners need a boost to break through the dreaded so-called “wall,” when they become tired and depleted of energy.
“Come out later in the day,” Braun says. “Those are the people who need it the most — they’ve been up the longest.” At this same corner, the Church of Saint Jerome, with its baroque revival architecture, is one of the last remnants of the neighborhood’s 19th-century construction.
The colorful retail, theater and restaurant heart of the South Bronx, the Hub, is also nearby, with family-owned Mexican restaurants, the old Bronx Opera House — which has since been converted into a boutique hotel — bright, large murals and more.
Mile 21
Marcus Garvey Park and 124th Street, Harlem
If you’re keen on catching a glimpse of elite runners just before they reach the finish line, this is one of the best spots to do so before the more crowded areas of Manhattan farther south.
There’s also an entertainment zone at Marcus Garvey Park West where, in keeping with the Harlem spirit, gospel singers provide uplifting music while churchgoers spill out of Mass in their Sunday best.
Keep that good feeling going by slipping over to Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave., 212-792-9001) for its popular weekly gospel brunch.
Mile 24
79th Street and East Drive in Central Park, Upper East Side
Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya holds the national flag after winning the Men’s Division of the 2013 New York City Marathon.Photo: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images
The runners enter the park at 90th Street — another popular viewing spot — before winding down East Drive, passing the Met, Cleopatra’s Needle and other landmarks.
It’s a stretch when the spectators lining both sides of the roadway scream, “Almost there!” — and they finally really mean it. “Crowds tell you to dig deep, and you know to dig deep at that point,” Kislevitz says. “You are soaking up their energy.”
It’s crowded enough that the area is brimming with energy and excitement — spectators often chat with fellow strangers while waiting for their loved ones — because the finish line is just two short miles away, but it’s not so jam-packed that your runner won’t be able to spot you.
If you get chilly waiting out in the crisp November air, dip over to J.Crew (1035 Madison Ave., 212-249-3869) and pick up a sweater — a midmarket respite among more high-end Madison Avenue boutiques.
Viewing tips
“The marathon is not for sissies,” says NYRR coach Gail Kislevitz — and she doesn’t just mean the runners.
Keeping track of runner pals or loved ones in the race is a sport in its own right.
Here, three tips to keep your viewing on track:
1. How to stand out in the crowd. “It’s really important for spectators to know they’re the ones who need to spot their runners,” says Kislevitz. “So have a sign or a balloon . . . and tell [their runners] to look for that sign.” Runners, meanwhile, should tell their spectators what they’re wearing so they can be on the lookout.
2. Get app-y. Download the TCS New York City Marathon app, which allows you to track up to 10 runners at the start line, every 5K, half (13.1 miles) and finish line.
3. Pick a spot to meet after the race. “Anywhere around the finish is a ‘cellular phone saturation’ area,” says Kislevitz — meaning cell service could be spotty or nonexistent.
Planning to meet your runner at the finish line? Pick a designated meeting area — whether it’s in the marathon’s official reunion area (Central Park West between 60th and 66th streets) or at a nearby bar or restaurant to celebrate.
