Racing 5 min
How hilly is the New York City Marathon course
The New York City Marathon is rolling rather than mountainous. GPS records put its total climbing at roughly 250–300 metres (about 800–1,000 feet), depending on the device and source. Almost all of it comes from the five bridges that link the boroughs and a long, gradual rise up Fifth Avenue at around mile 23 — which is why the course feels harder in the second half than the numbers suggest.
Overall elevation profile
NYC is generally rated a tougher course than London or Berlin, which are flatter, but its total climbing is modest. What makes it hard is where the climbs fall: the steepest rise is the first mile, the long bridges come after halfway, and the Fifth Avenue drag arrives at around mile 23, when your legs have the least left. Check the official course map from New York Road Runners for the exact profile of your year's race.
The start: Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
The race starts on Staten Island and goes straight up the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge — the biggest single climb of the day, spread over the first mile, followed by a long descent into Brooklyn. Adrenaline makes it easy to push here. Don't: run the climb by effort, accept a slow first mile, and let the descent give the time back.
Brooklyn: the long, gentle middle
Miles 2 to 13 through Brooklyn are the flattest part of the course — long straight avenues with a few gentle rises and big crowds. This is where you settle into goal pace. The Pulaski Bridge at about halfway takes you into Queens with a short, sharp climb.
Queensboro Bridge and First Avenue
The Queensboro Bridge, around miles 15 to 16, is the climb many runners remember: long, steady and unusually quiet, because there are no spectators on the bridge. You come off it onto First Avenue in Manhattan, where a wall of noise tempts you to surge. First Avenue runs north for several miles with gentle undulations — hold your pace rather than banking time.
The Bronx and the Fifth Avenue rise
The Willis Avenue Bridge at about mile 20 takes you into the Bronx for roughly a mile, and the Madison Avenue Bridge at about mile 21 brings you back to Manhattan. Both are short. The harder section follows: Fifth Avenue climbs gradually for around a mile from about mile 23 before you enter Central Park. It isn't steep, but at that stage of the race it is where most runners slow.
Central Park to the finish
The last 2–3 miles run through Central Park and along Central Park South, with rolling terrain on the park drives and a final rise to the finish line near Tavern on the Green. None of it is steep, but nothing is flat either.
Key elevation markers to plan your race
- Mile 1: Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge — the biggest climb; run it by effort and expect a slow first mile
- Miles 2–13: Brooklyn — mostly flat to gently rolling; settle into goal pace
- Mile 13: Pulaski Bridge into Queens — short and sharp
- Miles 15–16: Queensboro Bridge — long, steady and quiet; don't chase pace
- Miles 16–19: First Avenue — gentle undulations and big crowds; resist the surge
- Miles 20–21: Willis Avenue and Madison Avenue bridges — short climbs in and out of the Bronx
- Miles 23–24: Fifth Avenue — a long, gradual rise into Central Park
- Miles 24–26.2: Central Park — rolling, with a slight rise to the finish
Training for the NYC Marathon's specific hills
You don't need mountain training for New York, but you do need legs that can climb late. Include rolling routes in your long runs, and put a few gentle climbs into the final third of them so your body learns to hold effort uphill when tired. Short hill repeats build strength, and controlled downhill running on moderate gradients prepares your quads for the bridge descents. If you train on flat ground, a treadmill set to 1–3% for sections of a long run is a reasonable substitute.
Using data to tailor your NYC Marathon strategy
Running apps let you see how your pace and heart rate respond to climbs across training runs. Use that to decide how much time you're willing to give away on each bridge, and pace the course by effort rather than by identical splits. Most runners who run New York well accept slower miles on the climbs and don't try to win the time back all at once on the descents.
FAQ
- Is the NYC Marathon harder than London or Berlin?
- Generally, yes. London and Berlin are flatter, while New York's bridges and the late rise up Fifth Avenue make it a slower course for most runners. Its total climbing is still modest — roughly 250–300 metres by most GPS records — so it rewards good pacing more than hill strength.
- Which part of the NYC Marathon course is the hardest?
- For most runners it's the Queensboro Bridge around miles 15–16 and the long, gradual climb up Fifth Avenue from about mile 23. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge at the start is the biggest climb, but it comes when your legs are fresh.
- How should I pace the bridges?
- Run them by effort, not pace. Keep your effort steady uphill and accept losing some seconds on each climb, then let the descent return some of that time without sprinting. Trying to hold goal pace up every bridge costs far more energy than it saves.
Train smarter
RunV turns this thinking into your plan — adaptive coaching that rebuilds after every run.
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