The Start

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• Your race bib indicates your start wave, color, and corral. There are five start waves, three start colors (blue, orange, and pink), and six corrals per wave. Wave and corral assignments cannot be changed.
• Participants are responsible for starting in the wave and corral assigned to them on their Official Race Bibs. Participants may move to a later (slower) wave or corral but may not move to an earlier or faster wave or corral. Any participant who is found to have started in an earlier than designated wave or corral may be disqualified and risks suspension from future NYRR races. Runners assigned to different corrals and waves but wish to start together may do so by going to the later (slower) corral and wave corresponding to the higher corral letter and number.
• Please follow the multilingual announcements for each wave instructing runners to line up in the corrals.
• Your finish time is your net time from when you cross the start line.

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Start times are subject to change.

TCS New York City Marathon runners are assigned to corrals and waves based on the estimated finish time they submitted with their registration.

Runners will receive confirmation of their wave/corral placement in mid-October, prior to picking up their bib at the Expo.

Participants are responsible for starting in the wave and corral assigned to them on their Official Race Bibs. Participants may move to a later (slower) wave or corral but may not move to an earlier or faster wave or corral. Any participant who is found to have started in an earlier than designated wave or corral may be disqualified and risks suspension from future NYRR races. Runners assigned to different corrals and waves but wish to start together may do so by going to the later (slower) corral and wave corresponding to the higher corral letter and number.

Runners who wish to submit a faster race result, which could qualify them for an assignment to an earlier start wave, must do so by September 12, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET, following these guidelines:

• Submit request to: https://help.nyrr.org/s/contactsupport
• Runners must provide the official race link (URL) from an in-person, certified marathon completed between January 1, 2025 and September 11, 2025. Race results from indoor marathons, virtual marathons, and triathlons will not be considered.
• Please note: Corral changes within a wave will not be considered.
• Runners will NOT be able to request a wave change at the TCS New York City Marathon Expo Presented by New Balance.
• The New Balance Bronx 10 Mile on September 14 is the final NYRR race that updates pace.

• Only registered entrants and guides are allowed in Fort Wadsworth and the start area.
• Have your number visible to enter.  The color of your race number indicates your start village.
• The only bag allowed into Fort Wadsworth is the clear official start village bag you received at the Expo. You may not check a bag at the start for transport to the finish. All bags are subject to inspection. Please review our prohibited items list.
• There are 1,700 toilets in the start villages and corrals.
• Medical staff is available in each village. If you feel ill, alert the medical staff.
• Runner amenities are available while supplies last, on behalf of our sponsors, including Gatorade® Endurance Formula, Dunkin’® coffee, tea, hot cocoa, Chiquita bananas, and bagels.
• We advise that you wear extra layers to keep warm. You may discard these items in labelled clothing bins that will be donated to All of Us.

For the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon, there will be dedicated lactation spaces that provide pumping accommodations and amenities at the start village. Manual and electric Medela breast pumps will also be available, giving participants easy options for pumping. Personal breast pumps will be transported from the start to the finish lactation tents. No expressed milk will be transported at this time.

A dedicated retreat for runners seeking calm before the race. This space, designed for all participants—including those with sensory sensitivities—provides a serene, low-stimulation environment to relax, recharge, and refocus amidst the race-day excitement, offering a moment of tranquility before taking on 26.2 miles.

Waste diversion stations – Please utilize the 6 waste diversion stations to help divert your waste from the landfill.

E-Waste – Please dispose of any e-waste, including portable chargers, in these designated bins at the waste diversion stations rather than in general trash bins.

Clothing donation bins – Please place your leftover clothing in the clothing donation bins throughout the village. Donations go to All of Us Clothing.

Electric Generators – NYRR owns multiple solar electric generators that power various areas of the start village.

The NYRR Pace Team members are some of the most experienced runners in New York City and the most knowledgeable runners on the course. They have an average success rate of 94% of hitting their target finish time. Pacers will be on hand to guide participants toward specific goal times over the 26.2 miles. Pace Team members will lead groups at various paces between 6:40 per mile and 14:18 per mile (between a 2:55 finish and a 6:15 finish).

Find Your Pacer

If you choose to run with a pace group, you can look for the NYRR Pace Team members in the start corrals wearing their blue-and-white-striped NYRR Pace Team singlets. You can also come to the Running Lab at the TCS New York City Marathon Expo to meet your pacer. Each pacer will carry signs that correspond with their respective finish times and paces. There is no fee to run with the pace team or sign-up process.

Find which start corrals our Pace Team members will be in on race day using the table below.

Scroll to the left on mobile to see full chart.

Scroll to the left on mobile to see full chart.

Scroll to the left on mobile to see full chart.

Scroll to the left on mobile to see full chart.

Scroll to the left on mobile to see full chart.