RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon Returns After COVID-Pause: What To Know

BROOKLYN, NY — Tens of thousands of runners will take to the streets of Brooklyn for the first RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon in three years.

The race, which was canceled amid the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, will begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, with about 22,000 participants.

Here's everything you need to know about the RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon, including information on the course, details on which neighborhood roads will be closed and official guidance on how to handle the "hazardous" heat forecast.

Race Course

The race begins on Washington Avenue near the Brooklyn Museum, taking runners up Flatbush Avenue and around Grand Army Plaza before entering Prospect Park for a full lap of Brooklyn's backyard.

At mile seven, runners exit the park at the southwest corner near the parade grounds, and head all the way down Ocean Parkway to the finish line at the Coney Island Boardwalk (see the full map here).

Road Closures

Brooklynites have a front row seat for watching the race, but that also some road closures, mostly in-and-around Prospect Park and on Ocean Parkway — all the way from Prospect Park to Brighton Beach, according to the Department of Transportation.

The entirety of the Grand Army Plaza oval will also be closed, the DOT said.

Here's a full list of the road closures that the department said neighbors should expect in Brooklyn:

• Eastern Parkway between Grand Army Plaza and Bedford Avenue
• Washington Avenue between Eastern Parkway and Empire Boulevard
• Empire Boulevard between Washington Avenue and Flatbush Avenue
• Flatbush Avenue between Empire Boulevard and Grand Army Plaza
• Grand Army Plaza (Entire Circle)
• Ocean Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and Parkside Avenue
• Parkside Avenue between Ocean Avenue and Park Circle
• West Lake Drive between East Drive and South Lake Drive
• South Lake Drive between West Lake Drive and East Lake Drive
• East Lake Drive between South Lake Drive and East Drive
• West Drive between East Drive and West Lake Drive
• Park Circle between South Lake Drive and Ocean Parkway Entrance Ramp
• Ocean Parkway between Ocean Parkway Entrance Ramp and Surf Avenue
• Surf Avenue between Ocean Parkway and West 10th Street
• West 10th Street between Surf Avenue and Boardwalk
• Surf Avenue between West 10th Street and West 20th Street
• Stillwell Avenue between Surf Avenue and Boardwalk
• West 12th Street between Surf Avenue and Boardwalk
• West 15th Street between Surf Avenue and Boardwalk

Heat Safety Guidelines

The forecast for race day includes "hazardous" high temperatures possibly up to 95 degrees, forecasters warned.

Luckily, the race starts at 7 a.m. (with a second 7:45 start time for some slower runners), and the temperature should increase gradually throughout the day, forecasters said. There will even be a light breeze in the afternoon, records show.

Still, running in the heat can be challenging at best and dangerous at worst, warned New York Road Runners.

"We’re continuing to monitor the weather conditions for Saturday, but expect high temperatures," the race organizers said, linking to official guidance for how to stay safe while running in the heat.

In short, runners should wear sun protection and moisture-wicking synthetic clothing, plan to drink a balanced amount of water and protein-slash-carb-filled food ahead of the race and respect their physical limitations, the guidance says.

Cooling down along the race course with a drink or splash of water from a hydration station is recommended, according to NYRR, but forecasters warn that running straight into the ocean afterwards isn't actually a good idea — the water remains so cold that hypothermia could happen in 10 minutes.