Sometimes life sends you a small piece of magic — and that's exactly what happened when Katharina and I got the chance to go with to here at the beginning of November. In the video below, you can relive the race through our eyes, and in this article, we explore why this marathon feels less like a run... and more like the world's largest celebration of runners.
Video
Play
The most comfortable New Balance shoes
A start you'll never forget
The New York City Marathon is known for two things: The race winds through the city's five boroughs, and it has more elevation than you might think. The 246 meters make it the third toughest race among the World Marathon Majors, only surpassed by Boston (248 meters) and Sydney (317 meters). But don't be deterred. The route is pure bliss from start to finish, which is precisely one of the reasons why you must try to run it at least once in your lifetime.
Race day starts early. Very early. You hop on a bus or ferry long before sunrise and end up at the starting area next to Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge on Staten Island. Fun fact: Most runners actually spend more time waiting on Staten Island than they do in any of the other four boroughs — so pack some warm, old layers you're ready to donate as the start approaches.
Crossing the Verrazzano Bridge is the perfect way to kick off: no spectators yet, just the sound of thousands of footsteps, Manhattan's skyline far in the distance, and an instant runner's high hits you as you already conquer a significant portion of the race's total elevation in the initial kilometers.
As you run down from the bridge, the route winds towards Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn — and here the magic happens: The sight of an endless river of runners ahead of you is utterly overwhelming. Thousands of people, all with the same goal, all caught in the same electric atmosphere. It's impossible not to smile.
The crowd – the city's greatest superpower
On Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn, you get a first taste of how 2.5 million spectators can become the wind in your sails. The noise is constant (except for the brief silence in Williamsburg), and the energy is absolutely insane. I've never had so much fun in a street race as I did here.
And the crowd just keeps going. The descent from Queensboro Bridge can feel brutal — with 25 km in your legs and a tough climb over the bridgethe steep concrete descent is a direct reminder that yes... you still have knees. But as you hit Manhattan, the roar hits you like a wall. It's so overwhelming and uplifting that all pain disappears instantly, replaced by pure, fresh energy.
And then comes the finale: Central Park. It genuinely feels like the entire city has shown up here to cheer you home. Even though you're so tired that your legs are all you can feel, the crowd forces a smile as you chase the last stretch and the finish line.
An ending that sticks
The last five kilometers felt like an emotional roller coaster at full speed — pure euphoria mixed with total mental exhaustion. It's wild how you can be completely drained and yet so uplifted, devoid of energy but still buzzing from the spectators' cheers right to the finish line. Not even the notorious last hill into Central Park stops you at that point.
And I certainly wasn't the only one who felt that way — all 59,226 finishers probably felt the same beautiful struggle that once again made the TCS New York City Marathon the world's biggest marathon.
New York is an epic backdrop for a marathon — skyline, bridges, chaos, and character — but the truth is, it's the people who make it unforgettable. The audience is the race's soul.
After the race, I was completely spent: I was freezing and exhausted, a hollow shell of a person wrapped in an orange poncho. But even in the subway home, New Yorkers made me feel like the coolest. Everyone congratulated me. Someone gave me their seat. A little girl ran up to ask questions — all because of the solid medal around my neck.
The city — and the food
I actually considered skipping this section, because everyone knows New York City is amazing. But if you've been living under a rock and never heard of the city, let me be clear: the city alone is reason enough to sign up for its marathon.
The people, skyscrapers, bridges, Central Park, avenues, the flashing ads. There's something new, tall, noisy, or delicious around every corner.
And when we talk about delicious, New York, for me, is all about FOOD. You can get anything here — not just any version, but the best version.
Especially pizza, which is my love language.
We were busy with the New Balance program, but if I come back next year, I will set serious time aside just to eat. The world's best bagels, top-class pizza, pasta that could make Italians shed a tear, and wild inventions like the cronut (yes, we tried it — yes, it tasted like pure happiness and possibly a bit elevated cholesterol, just watch the video).
The conclusion is: With just a bit of research, you can find world-class food from virtually every cuisine on the planet. For example, Katharina and I were at L’Industrie in West Village, and their burrata pizza was the best pizza I've ever had. Period.
A selection of fast New Balance shoes
Run it yourself!
While you're sitting at home on the couch, scrolling through the article, maybe with slightly trembling legs from excitement, you're likely thinking: “How do I actually sign up for this amazing run?” And the answer is: it's far from certain to get a ticket. But one thing is sure — if you don't enter your name in the lottery, you've already lost. It's been my mantra for years, which is why I've dragged my wife both to Nice in France and San Francisco to do some "wild run"..
Even though nearly 60,000 finish, the TCS New York City Marathon is not easy to get into. In 2025, a total of 200,000 people applied, giving you about a 30% chance to secure a spot. Want to join next time? You need to enter the lottery in early spring. For 2026, that means between February 4 and 25. You can find all details on the New York Road Runners' website.
So come on: sign up, cross your fingers, toes, and maybe even your shoelaces, and hope that New York says: “See you in November!”
No matter which run you enter, shoes offer the best experience.
