NYC Marathon 2019 Guide: Course Map, Start Time, Tracking Runners

NEW YORK, NY — The 49th-annual New York City Marathon will bring tens of thousands of runners and many more spectators to the streets of all five boroughs on Sunday, Nov. 3. The race is a highlight of the year for both New York City locals and tourists — a rare accomplishment.

Whether you're running 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 2019.

Race course:

The first New York City Marathon in 1970 looked nothing like today's event. The race was run entirely within Central Park and only 127 runners — all men — participated. Now, the course spans all five boroughs and the field is much more inclusive.

The marathon kicks off on the Staten Island side of the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge and proceeds into Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. Runners then double back into Manhattan and cross the finish line in Central Park.

Some particularly long stretches of the race include Brooklyn's Fourth Avenue and Manhattan's First and Fifth avenues. Only a few miles of course actually occur within Queens or the Bronx.

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

Where to watch:

New Yorkers and tourists will be out in full force early Sunday morning to claim a prime spot to watch the runners. If you want to see all the runners with an unobstructed view, prepare to wake up early in order to claim a good spot.

The course's main stretches on Brooklyn's Fourth Avenue and Manhattan's First and Fifth avenues are always popular among spectators, but the crowds can be spread more thin because the course runs along the avenues for dozens of blocks.

Notable locations that can get packed include the Manhattan side of the Queensboro Bridge, were runners entering the borough from Queens begin the 16th mile of the race, and near the finish line in Central Park.

Watching from home:

The New York City Marathon is an internationally-renowned event, and most people tuning into this year's race will be watching from home. In the New York City area, ABC7 will broadcast the race from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Live streaming will also be offered on the ABC app.

ESPN 2 will host the nationwide broadcast, also from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the New York Road Runners. Again, viewers have the option of watching the broadcast using their phones or tablets and the ESPN App.

Both broadcasts will likely focus on the professional runners and fast finishers. Facebook will take over with a finish line stream from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and a "final finishers" celebration from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Tracking runners:

If you know someone running the marathon, the TV broadcasts could be over before they cross the finish line. The TCS New York City Marathon App allows users to track individual runners and follow their progress through the race course.

The app is free to download and offered on both the Apple and Google stores.

Street closures:

The New York City marathon brings joy to just about everyone in the city, except for drivers. The 26.2-mile racecourse is entirely mapped out on city streets that would otherwise be reserved for motor vehicles, which means the NYPD closes a ton of streets on marathon day.

Police officials haven't released a full list of street closures, but the entire race course will be shut down to cars as well as a number of nearby roads.