NYC Marathon 2018: How To Watch, Race Route, Traffic Closures

NEW YORK, NY — The TCS New York City marathon is one of the greatest days of the year for city dwellers and tourists alike. This year's marathon will mark the forty-eighth running of the race, which used to occur solely in Central Park but now spans all five city boroughs.

Whether you're running the 26.2 miles on Sunday, watching from home, trying to find a great vantage spot or trying to avoid the race course, here's everything you need to know about the New York City Marathon in 2018.

Race course:

When the New York City marathon was first run in 1970, the course was contained entirely in Central Park and only 55 of 127 runners — all men — finished the race. These days, the marathon looks entirely different.

The race spans all five New York City boroughs, beginning in Staten Island and continuing to Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. Runners then double back into Manhattan and cross the finish line in Central Park.

Here's the official course map as provided by New York Road Runners, the group that organizes the marathon:

Start times:

Race day officially begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday with the start of the professional wheelchair division, according to New York Road Runners, the group that organizes the marathon and several other road races in the city. Between 8:30 and 11 a.m. waves of runners will begin their 26.2 mile journey, leaving the starting gate with runners of similar skill levels.

Here's a detailed schedule of the race times:

• Professional wheelchair — 8:30 a.m.
• Handcycle — 8:52 a.m.
• Foot Locker Five-Borough Challenge — 8:55 a.m.
• Professional women — 9:20 a.m.
• Wave 1 (including professional men) — 9:50 a.m.
• Wave 2 — 10:15 a.m.
• Wave 3 — 10:40 a.m
• Wave 4 — 11 a.m.

Where to watch:

Be prepared to wake up at the crack of dawn if you want to get a good spot to watch the runners in person. Some of the best stretches include along Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn and First and Fifth Avenues in Manhattan.

The course runs along these three avenues for many blocks, the crowd is a bit thinner and it's easier to see the runners. If you're really determined to get a great spot, try getting to Central Park early. You may have to wait several hours from when the race starts until runners start crossing the finish line, but views at the finish are some of the most exciting and emotional.

Watching from home:

Most people tuning into the marathon this year will be watching from home. The race will be broadcast in the New York City area on ABC 7 and will be broadcast nationwide on ESPN2, according to the New York Road Runners.

The broadcast will begin at 9 a.m. and continue through 12:30 p.m., with extended coverage until 2 p.m. on ABC 7 in the New York City area, New York Road Runners announced. The 48th marathon can also be live streamed by using the ABC app in New York and the ESPN App nationally from 9 a.m.–2 p.m., according to the New York Road Runners.

Traffic closures:

The New York City Marathon is a massive undertaking, and the NYPD will be shutting down a huge number of streets for security reasons.

Here's a full list of roads closed for the marathon:

Manhattan Portion

• Queensboro Bridge (Vehicle Entrance Ramp Eastbound)
• 59th Street between 2nd Avenue and 1st Avenue
• 60th Street between 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue
• 1st Avenue between 59th Street and Willis Avenue Bridge
• Madison Avenue Bridge (Westbound)
• 142nd Street between Lenox Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 5th Avenue between 142nd Street and 138th Street
• Madison Avenue (FDR Service Road) between 135th Street and 142nd Street
• 5th Avenue between 138th Street and 124th Street
• 124th Street between 5th Avenue and Mount Morris Park West
• Mount Morris Park West between 124th Street and 120th Street
• 120th Street between Mount Morris Park West and 5th Avenue
• 5th Avenue between 120th Street and 90th Street
• 90th Street between 5th Avenue and East Drive
• East Drive between 90th Street and Grand Army Plaza
• Grand Army Plaza between East Drive and 59th Street
• 59th Street between 5th Avenue and Columbus Circle/8th Avenue/Central Park West
• Columbus Circle between 59th Street and Central Park Driveway
• Central Park Driveway/8th Avenue Approach to West Drive
• West Drive between 8th Avenue Approach and 85th Street Approach to West Drive
• 85th Street Approach to West Drive
• 8 1st Street Approach to West Drive
• 77th Street Approach to West Drive
• 67th Street Approach to West Drive

Brooklyn Portion

• Dahlgren Place between Verrazano Bridge and 92nd Street (Northbound)
• 92nd Street between Dahlgren Place and 4th Avenue
• Brooklyn Queens Expressway (Southbound) between Verrazano Bridge and 79th Street
• Gatling Place/79th Street BQE Entrance Ramp between 83rd Street and 79th Street
• 7th Avenue (Southbound) between 79th Street and 74th Street
• 74th Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue
• 6th Avenue between 74th Street and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway
• 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway between 7th Avenue and 4th Avenue
• Fort Hamilton Parkway between 92nd Street and 94th Street
• 94th Street between Fort Hamilton Parkway and 4th Avenue
• 4th Avenue between 94th Street and Flatbush Avenue
• Flatbush Avenue between 4th Avenue and Lafayette Avenue
• Lafayette Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and Bedford Avenue
• Bedford Avenue between Lafayette Avenue and Nassau Avenue
• Nassau Avenue between Bedford Avenue/Lorimer Street and Manhattan Avenue
• Manhattan Avenue between Nassau Avenue and Greenpoint Avenue
• Greenpoint Avenue between Manhattan Avenue and McGuinness Boulevard
• McGuinness Boulevard (Southbound) between Greenpoint Avenue and Pulaski Bridge
• Pulaski Bridge (Southbound)

Queens Portion

• 11th Street between Pulaski Bridge and 48th Avenue
• 48th Avenue between 11th Street and Vernon Boulevard
• Vernon Boulevard between 48th Avenue and 10th Street
• 10th Street between Vernon Boulevard and 44th Drive
• 44th Drive between 10th Street and Hunter Street
• Hunter Street between 44th Drive and Crescent Street
• Crescent Street between Hunter Street and Queens Plaza South
• Queens Plaza South between Crescent Street and 23rd Street
• Queens Plaza North between Crescent Street and 23rd Street
• 23rd Street between Queens Plaza South and Queens Plaza North
• Queensboro Bridge (Eastbound)
• Queensboro Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Path

Bronx Portion

• Willis Avenue Bridge
• East 135th Street between Willis Avenue and Alexander Avenue
• Alexander Avenue between East 135th Street and East 138th Street
• East 138th Street between Alexander Avenue and 3rd Avenue
• 3rd Avenue between East 138th Street and East 139th Street
• Morris Avenue between East 139th Street and East 140th Street
• East 140th Street between 3rd Avenue and Rider Avenue
• Rider Avenue between East 140th Street and East 138th Street
• East 138th Street between Rider Avenue and Madison Avenue Bridge

Staten Island Portion

• Richmond Terrace between Jersey Street and Bay Street
• Jersey Street between Richmond Terrace and Victory Boulevard
• Victory Boulevard between Jersey Street and Bay Street
• Bay Street between Richmond Terrace and School Road
• Fingerboard Road between Bay Street and Tompkins Avenue
• Tompkins Avenue between Fingerboard Road and School Road
• School Road between Bay Street and Staten Island Expressway
• Lily Pond Avenue between Staten Island Expressway and Father Capodanno Boulevard
• McClean Avenue between Lily Pond Avenue and New York Avenue
• Front Street between Wave Street and Edgewater Street
• Hylan Boulevard between Bay Street and Olga Place
• Steuben Street between Olga Place and West Fingerboard Road
• West Fingerboard Road between Steuben Street and Hylan Boulevard
• Sand Lane between Hylan Boulevard and Father Capodanno Boulevard
• Father Capodanno Boulevard between Sand Lane and Lily Pond Avenue
• Verrazano Bridge

Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images