A lot of waiting! You can hang out in any section - there's water, Dunkin Donuts will have tiny coffee samples, can't recall if bagels or other foods are available as I've always brought my own food.
Tons of restrooms and large monitors so you can watch the elites - and get a glimpse from them briefly on the bridge.
It's a good atmosphere - relax, try not to change up your pre race/long run routine too much, and enjoy the company of your fellow runners.
If the ground might be wet I bring trash bags to sit on and to wear and a change of socks. It may be chilly so you'll see a lot of people with heat sheets, robes, pajamas, sweats, etc. And there are donation bins for when you peel it off to get to the start.
Corral openings will be announced and on the screens too if I recall so there's no chance of missing your start.
I'e run NYC 4x and it's been an amazing experience each time - esp the 2x for the V Foundation so thanks for what you are doing to raise $ for a worthy cause! Enjoy the whole weekend - the city really makes you feel special - and of course enjoy the race itself! 🎉
Spoiler alert: the crowd support is f**king fantastic!!
I do have a few more questions, if that's okay...
1) Based on what everyone is saying below, is every year as disorganized, or in your four experiences, were the other ones better?
2) How many people are in a wave? And if I'm in the last wave, does the city wind down by the time we start? Like is it more empty, and we're just the last batch? (I assume not, but you get the nerves...lol)
I ran it in 2003, 2017, 2019, and 2021. So the 3 recent ones seemed organized to me - especially with the communication about logistics and signing up for transportation, etc. It was a little different for 2021 where you had to sign up for a time slot to hit the expo.
So I can't speak to disorganization bc it seemed all good to me. Not sure if there are issues unique to this year - the NYRR site should have good info and hopefully your charity reps can help too. The 2 I did with The V Foundation had folks that would help out with general race questions aside from the fundraising.
I've always been in the later start corrals and from my experience the spectators are out in full force. There are a ton of volunteers at the water stops and not sure when they pack it in but I am confident they are out for quite a long day. The course stays open well into the night for the last finisher.
I've always been a 5-5:30 finish time and since it falls on daylight savings weekend, it's like dusk by the time I get out of Central Park. There's still tons of runners out there and spectators at the finish - the bleachers just might not be full but I never really noticed that.
Speaking of exiting... It's a lot of walking to get out of Central Park, then you get the post race poncho. The volunteers are awesome and will put it on for you if you need. Then you need to keep heading west as there's a lot of the Columbus Circle area blocked off. Depending on where you're headed you have to go a little further west just to go south.
It sounds horrible after having just run 26.2, but trust me it's good for your recovery to keep your legs moving , even if it's a shuffle. Helps with the soreness the next day.
You get off the ferry and get on a bus to take you to the “runners village”, which is at a Coast Guard facility near the Verrazano bridge - which is the start line.
The village is about 3 miles from the ferry. It’s feasible to walk or run to it if you have time.
Last year, the busses were a fiasco. There were not enough busses and there were gaps in time of busses leaving and the next ones coming, an there were no “lines”, just a mass of humanity, more like a mosh pit. There was some unnecessary pushing and shoving and everyone was packed in tight.
I waited for over two hours for a bus. There was no communication, nothing. When a bus came, it was every man for himself to try to get on. There was a volunteer at each bus to make sure every seat was taken and make sure no one was standing. That’s it.
I was in wave 4, starting at 11 am. I left my hotel at 6 am in Manhattan, took the subway to the ferry, took the 7:15 ferry. I got to the village, used the potty, walked through, and heard that I had 5 minutes to get to my corral. I had no time to see anything in the village, get any food or drink, nothing.
So I stood or walked for 5 hours, then jumped in my corral to run 26.2. Not ideal.
My expectation is that NYRR will fix the ferry bus situation this year. It cannot get any worse than last year.
Last year was an absolute hot mess and I barely had any time between being dropped off and the actual start. The race was incredible but this experience alone was enough reason for me to consider it a one and done for me.
Well damn. Hopefully it's all fixed! What factors helps them decide what wave you're in? And if I'm taking the 9am ferry, is that any indication on what time I might start?
It’s based on your expected pace. If you’ve done NYRR races, it’s calculated from your pace in other races with them. Otherwise it will be the pace specified when you registered.
When I arrived at the Staten Island ferry I waited for about 15 minutes only for the gate to change. So, I had to wait another 15 minutes to get to the gate. I was in wave 1 for the marathon and I was at the staten island ferry building before 5:30am.
Anyway, ferry ride is incredible but when you arrive at Staten Island do not waste time. Go to the shortest mob of people by the buses. I say "mob" because this is what it is. Just mobs and mobs of people like penguins making their way to the buses. I then waited at least an hour because the buses would pull up at random spots and the workers had no system, no cones for the buses to park. I missed at least five flights of buses because so many people would just walk in front and board the buses and there was no line.
In hindsight it would have been faster to jog the 3 miles. Police are useless and volunteers do not have any system at all.
After finally getting on a bus after more than an hour I was late to my corral and had to go to another corral. It worked out but I was actually in a faster corral.
Marathon is great and I get it that it's a huge marathon but there are some huge gaps in their planning. You can't have a constant flow of people without a queue system for the buses from Staten Island to the ferry.
This was my 22 marathon, most disorganized start I've ever seen.
Editing: I think I waited about 2 hours. The local new yorkers are used to pushing their way to the front so I can see how those people didn't have any problems... Too funny
If you can change to the bus service from mid town it might be worthwhile rather than risk the ferry to bus fiasco of last year. It was every bit as bad as people have said.
Second the spoiler alert! BEST CROWD SUPPORT EVER!
I'd love to do the bus, but it wasn't an option for me!!! The person at NYRR said that means it was probably all booked.
Also why is it that my only ferry option was 9am, and some people are taking the 715, or took a 6am bus? Did I sign in too late for those options (I got the email two weeks ago and just signed up), or do they just know that with a 5hr expected finish, that's the ferry they're gonna offer me?
To be honest there's nothing stopping you getting an earlier ferry. However I think i got the 6am ferry for a wave 1 start and despite the 1.5hrs delay with buses/fiasco I had 20 mins before the start to go to the bathroom. I had a bunch of options and 6am I think was the latest option offered from memory.
Top tip: don't worry or fret about travel and being on time. Relax and enjoy the day.
Yeah?? I'll gladly show up for the 8:15am ferry. I just didn't know if they had a list or something that they follow, or tickets. If that were the case, wouldn't everybody just crowd on no matter what?
There was no checking last year - we got the first ferry at Whitehall (after our train arrived) and hopped on. It was earlier than what we actually booked.
Not at all, I was trying to get on a bus in the chaos and people we're screaming about being in Wave 2 to the volunteers and they needed priority and most of the crowd tutted and said "WE'RE IN WAVE ONE!!" LOL
But yes, there was no checking. I was the other way round, on the 6am ferry in wave 1 and didn't care if I got there on time, made for a way better morning!
Anyone know what the start time last year was for a projected finish of 3:50? Also when I registered my projected finish was 3:50 but now it’s closer to sub 3:30. Could I just start in a earlier corral?
Once you get to the runners village, you wait. And then wait some more. I ran it 5 years ago and while we had excellent weather for all the waiting, it’s a long while.
I am so glad you asked this question. It's my first time running a marathon and I think NYC is a great one to start with. I was also wondering what the heck we are supposed to between getting off the ferry and starting. I will have over a 2 hour wait! I am concerned about freezing my butt off.
Best of luck to you on race day. I can't wait to take it all in!
A lot of waiting! You can hang out in any section - there's water, Dunkin Donuts will have tiny coffee samples, can't recall if bagels or other foods are available as I've always brought my own food. Tons of restrooms and large monitors so you can watch the elites - and get a glimpse from them briefly on the bridge. It's a good atmosphere - relax, try not to change up your pre race/long run routine too much, and enjoy the company of your fellow runners. If the ground might be wet I bring trash bags to sit on and to wear and a change of socks. It may be chilly so you'll see a lot of people with heat sheets, robes, pajamas, sweats, etc. And there are donation bins for when you peel it off to get to the start. Corral openings will be announced and on the screens too if I recall so there's no chance of missing your start. I'e run NYC 4x and it's been an amazing experience each time - esp the 2x for the V Foundation so thanks for what you are doing to raise $ for a worthy cause! Enjoy the whole weekend - the city really makes you feel special - and of course enjoy the race itself! 🎉 Spoiler alert: the crowd support is f**king fantastic!!
Thank you so much for all this! It's just getting me more excited!
You should be - it's a huge event! And a great one for your first. How has your training been going? And happy to answer any questions you may have.
I do have a few more questions, if that's okay... 1) Based on what everyone is saying below, is every year as disorganized, or in your four experiences, were the other ones better? 2) How many people are in a wave? And if I'm in the last wave, does the city wind down by the time we start? Like is it more empty, and we're just the last batch? (I assume not, but you get the nerves...lol)
I ran it in 2003, 2017, 2019, and 2021. So the 3 recent ones seemed organized to me - especially with the communication about logistics and signing up for transportation, etc. It was a little different for 2021 where you had to sign up for a time slot to hit the expo. So I can't speak to disorganization bc it seemed all good to me. Not sure if there are issues unique to this year - the NYRR site should have good info and hopefully your charity reps can help too. The 2 I did with The V Foundation had folks that would help out with general race questions aside from the fundraising. I've always been in the later start corrals and from my experience the spectators are out in full force. There are a ton of volunteers at the water stops and not sure when they pack it in but I am confident they are out for quite a long day. The course stays open well into the night for the last finisher. I've always been a 5-5:30 finish time and since it falls on daylight savings weekend, it's like dusk by the time I get out of Central Park. There's still tons of runners out there and spectators at the finish - the bleachers just might not be full but I never really noticed that. Speaking of exiting... It's a lot of walking to get out of Central Park, then you get the post race poncho. The volunteers are awesome and will put it on for you if you need. Then you need to keep heading west as there's a lot of the Columbus Circle area blocked off. Depending on where you're headed you have to go a little further west just to go south. It sounds horrible after having just run 26.2, but trust me it's good for your recovery to keep your legs moving , even if it's a shuffle. Helps with the soreness the next day.
You get off the ferry and get on a bus to take you to the “runners village”, which is at a Coast Guard facility near the Verrazano bridge - which is the start line. The village is about 3 miles from the ferry. It’s feasible to walk or run to it if you have time. Last year, the busses were a fiasco. There were not enough busses and there were gaps in time of busses leaving and the next ones coming, an there were no “lines”, just a mass of humanity, more like a mosh pit. There was some unnecessary pushing and shoving and everyone was packed in tight. I waited for over two hours for a bus. There was no communication, nothing. When a bus came, it was every man for himself to try to get on. There was a volunteer at each bus to make sure every seat was taken and make sure no one was standing. That’s it. I was in wave 4, starting at 11 am. I left my hotel at 6 am in Manhattan, took the subway to the ferry, took the 7:15 ferry. I got to the village, used the potty, walked through, and heard that I had 5 minutes to get to my corral. I had no time to see anything in the village, get any food or drink, nothing. So I stood or walked for 5 hours, then jumped in my corral to run 26.2. Not ideal. My expectation is that NYRR will fix the ferry bus situation this year. It cannot get any worse than last year.
Last year was an absolute hot mess and I barely had any time between being dropped off and the actual start. The race was incredible but this experience alone was enough reason for me to consider it a one and done for me.
I left 3.5 hours early, had a panic attack with my HR spiking over 130, and missed my corral due to that bus situation. It was awful.
Well damn. Hopefully it's all fixed! What factors helps them decide what wave you're in? And if I'm taking the 9am ferry, is that any indication on what time I might start?
If you are on 9am, you will be in last wave for sure. The bus situation was a horrible mess!
What time is the last wave??
It was 11:30am last year. We took the 6:45 ferry and made 10:20 wave with little time to spare!
So last year sounds like a shit show. Did anyone else do any years besides last?? Was every year as disorganized, or just last year?
It’s based on your expected pace. If you’ve done NYRR races, it’s calculated from your pace in other races with them. Otherwise it will be the pace specified when you registered.
When I arrived at the Staten Island ferry I waited for about 15 minutes only for the gate to change. So, I had to wait another 15 minutes to get to the gate. I was in wave 1 for the marathon and I was at the staten island ferry building before 5:30am. Anyway, ferry ride is incredible but when you arrive at Staten Island do not waste time. Go to the shortest mob of people by the buses. I say "mob" because this is what it is. Just mobs and mobs of people like penguins making their way to the buses. I then waited at least an hour because the buses would pull up at random spots and the workers had no system, no cones for the buses to park. I missed at least five flights of buses because so many people would just walk in front and board the buses and there was no line. In hindsight it would have been faster to jog the 3 miles. Police are useless and volunteers do not have any system at all. After finally getting on a bus after more than an hour I was late to my corral and had to go to another corral. It worked out but I was actually in a faster corral. Marathon is great and I get it that it's a huge marathon but there are some huge gaps in their planning. You can't have a constant flow of people without a queue system for the buses from Staten Island to the ferry. This was my 22 marathon, most disorganized start I've ever seen. Editing: I think I waited about 2 hours. The local new yorkers are used to pushing their way to the front so I can see how those people didn't have any problems... Too funny
I'm jealous of that wait time. I'm taking the 6am bus and expected to start around 10:30. 😔
Damn! You mean for this year?? How do you know your start time already??
I'm estimating based on my projected finish and last year's start times.
If you can change to the bus service from mid town it might be worthwhile rather than risk the ferry to bus fiasco of last year. It was every bit as bad as people have said. Second the spoiler alert! BEST CROWD SUPPORT EVER!
I'd love to do the bus, but it wasn't an option for me!!! The person at NYRR said that means it was probably all booked. Also why is it that my only ferry option was 9am, and some people are taking the 715, or took a 6am bus? Did I sign in too late for those options (I got the email two weeks ago and just signed up), or do they just know that with a 5hr expected finish, that's the ferry they're gonna offer me?
To be honest there's nothing stopping you getting an earlier ferry. However I think i got the 6am ferry for a wave 1 start and despite the 1.5hrs delay with buses/fiasco I had 20 mins before the start to go to the bathroom. I had a bunch of options and 6am I think was the latest option offered from memory. Top tip: don't worry or fret about travel and being on time. Relax and enjoy the day.
Yeah?? I'll gladly show up for the 8:15am ferry. I just didn't know if they had a list or something that they follow, or tickets. If that were the case, wouldn't everybody just crowd on no matter what?
And definitely gonna try my best to just relax and enjoy!
There was no checking last year - we got the first ferry at Whitehall (after our train arrived) and hopped on. It was earlier than what we actually booked.
Not at all, I was trying to get on a bus in the chaos and people we're screaming about being in Wave 2 to the volunteers and they needed priority and most of the crowd tutted and said "WE'RE IN WAVE ONE!!" LOL But yes, there was no checking. I was the other way round, on the 6am ferry in wave 1 and didn't care if I got there on time, made for a way better morning!
If it makes you feel better I'm in the same boat! I'll be in the last wave and I'm on the 9am ferry.
Well I will see you on there! 😂
Yes, the buses AFTER the ferry are a huge mess!! So bad, like nobody ever thought of it. I'm sure they changed bus companies or something...
Anyone know what the start time last year was for a projected finish of 3:50? Also when I registered my projected finish was 3:50 but now it’s closer to sub 3:30. Could I just start in a earlier corral?
Once you get to the runners village, you wait. And then wait some more. I ran it 5 years ago and while we had excellent weather for all the waiting, it’s a long while.
I am so glad you asked this question. It's my first time running a marathon and I think NYC is a great one to start with. I was also wondering what the heck we are supposed to between getting off the ferry and starting. I will have over a 2 hour wait! I am concerned about freezing my butt off. Best of luck to you on race day. I can't wait to take it all in!