LET’S.
GO.
If you just want to see the RACE STRATEGY scroll directly to the section in green below.
PRE RACE LOGISTICS
Make a race prep list of what you’ll need a week or two before and sort it all by stages, here is a Marathon Packing List to start with. Whether you’re traveling or not, get everything in the list ready as soon as 2 weeks out.
Plan your nutrition waaaay ahead. You can buy gels or salt tabs at the expo, if necessary, but get bagels/oatmeal/bananas and whatever you need for race day the day before as there will not be a lot of delis open at 4, 5, or 6 am. For race day prep, plan something like this, this is my marathon prep, but you get the idea.
If you need any last-minute things, you can buy most stuff at the expo/bib pickup (don’t forget to bring your photo ID, and your NYRR account QR code, or here is an organized list with all the running stores by area.
Prep some cheap or throwaway clothes for the start. Find a mylar blanket from your last half or marathon (and don’t throw away the one you’ll get at the finish here!). You will need them until the last minute in the corral (I wear one as pants with tape and one as a cape). I wear my throwaway cardigan or a sweater (cut in the front for easy peeling, kept it in place with a safety pin!) during the first mile too! Go to the dollar store and get knee-high socks, cut the foot part and you’ll have throwaway arm warmers! I keep half of it on until I warm up, it can be windy and cold at the start!
Gear/What to wear… the weather can be anything from 30s to 50s so prepare (aka, train in) a few options and decide the day before. Or that morning. Be smart, and make sure you can peel off layers comfortably. If you don’t want to carry your phone (that garmin+apple pay works on subways and buses!), at least carry a $20 bill, a metrocard, a credit card, and an ID with you, just in case. My rule is if it’s over 42 degrees, I do just singlet/bra and shorts. This is what the weather looked like the last few years:
- 2025: 50 degrees, 93 humidity, wind 8 mph.
- 2024: 51 degrees, 71 humidity, wind 6 mph.
- 2023: 30 DEGREES, 30% HUMIDITY, WIND 9 MPH (GUSTS OF UP TO 20 MPH). (what I wore)
- 2022: 54 DEGREES, 59% HUMIDITY, WIND 6 MPH. (what I wore)
- 2019: 34 DEGREES, 46% HUMIDITY, WIND 6 MPH. (what I wore)
- 2018: 28 DEGREES, 31% HUMIDITY, WIND 9 MPH NW
- 2017: 34 DEGREES, 70% HUMIDITY, WIND 18 MPH (what I wore)
- 2016: 34 DEGREES, 35% HUMIDITY, WIND 14 MPH (what I wore)
- 2015: 42 DEGREES, 60% HUMIDITY, WIND 10-18 MPH (what I wore)
- 2014: 31 DEGREES, 40% HUMIDITY, WIND 18 MPH (what I wore)
- 2013: 30 DEGREES, 64% HUMIDITY, WIND W 7 MPH (what I wore)
- 2012: 47 DEGREES, 90% HUMIDITY, WIND 3 MPH.
- 2011: 37 DEGREES, 41% HUMIDITY, SUNNY
- 2010: 53 DEGREES, 55% HUMIDITY, SUNNY
- the ones before that, 2006 to 2009 were in the summer, so weather was SO HOT.
The temperature has been preeeetty consistent… but, you should assume it’ll feel 10 degrees under that temperature (hey wind!). So, depending on the wind/humidity/lack of sleep/whatever, you can add a hat, arm sleeves, leg warmers, etc. Always add things you can get rid of easily and throw away. If you’re not sure about a layer, keep in mind that once you leave Prospect Park and get to the Brooklyn Bridge or the FDR, it can get a little windy there. Also, check the wind direction in the morning!
Headphones or not? If you are used to racing with headphones, bring them. I sometimes leave them on my ears (with the music off), and turn them on only when necessary. Make sure you can still hear everything around you, that is key. I just wear one on low and have the other ear ready for anything!
If you need a short run before the race, go to Central Park. You’ll see many of your race buddies and get to enjoy the best place in the world for runners.
Find a mantra, or two, you might really need them. I write them in my hand where I am sure I will see it.
RACE LOGISTICS
Memorize your Start Schedule (or write in your hand like I do). 2023 version as example, this will be updated on the website once available.
Getting to the start/Baggage Check. The easiest way to get there is to take the train.
Also, check the Start Map carefully (when available). Give yourself ample time (as this is a weekend schedule) and check MTA for weekend alerts, or try a subway app: make sure your train is running! Avoid a last-minute mad rush: NO RACE BEFORE THE RACE. Also, if you are not sure where to go, I am 100% confident that if you just head over to the closest train stop, you’ll see someone you could follow to the race start. I promise.
During the race, please please be careful, stay alert, and keep the music down or off. If you need to stop for a walk or move sideways for water, please please please signal with your arms (arm up if you’re going to stop, side arm for moving sideways), and look around behind you before you make any moves, DO NOT just stop or go sideways without signaling. Be considerate of your fellow runners who could trip! Take care of your fellow racers, and they are there to help you too: you’ll always have someone to run with, pace off, or follow when you’re tired. Pick them up when you feel strong, encourage them when they need it, and keep your eyes peeled for anyone who might need help.
There will be Hydration stops with water/electrolytes around every mile or so, so if you miss one, don’t stress. Don’t go for the first table as everyone will do that. There are many tables: wait til you can see the tables, or go to the last one. You’ll find the portapotties where the hydration is, so keep an eye out and signal before you dart sideways!
Think about joining an official pacer from the NYRR Pace Team, they’ll be wearing a blue and white striped singlet and will run even splits through all 13.1 miles of the United Airlines NYC Half. At the expo you can find information of what finish time pacers will be in each corral.
RACE STRATEGY
The easiest way to tackle this race is to divide it into three parts:
- start comfy and relaxed -the first 2 miles are a roller coaster of a warm-up.
- at mile 4.9 pick the shit up.
- at 9.5 (54th st) get tough, and go for it.
Because this is not your typical half, where you can actually pick it up and finish fast, you have to pick your battles and do the best you can. I would race part 1 at 70% effort (or heart rate), part 2 at 80%, and part 3 at 95% and up. Obviously, adjust as you please/are able.
Here is the 2025 course profile elevation, and we are assuming it’ll be the same for 2026, but tbd.
2025 course map too. Will add 2026 as soon as it’s official.
PART 1
Now we start on the side of Prospect Park: it will be SUPER crowded and downhill for the first hundred meters so please be careful.Also, at the start, ppl won’t be ready and still looking for GPS signal and discarding layers, a recipe for disaster, really look out, up and down.
Stay to the right and once you turn, HELLO SHORT CLIMB. Another quick right, and you’ll be on the tricky out-and-back on Flatbush.
It’s tricky because it is really crowded and up and down: relax and look at the runners on the other side. Those out-and-backs always get me super psyched.
Keep yourself in a hard check.
Hills in the first portion:
- 0.2 mile to 0.7 mile
- 1.5 miles to 1.9 miles (Battle Pass Hill)
At around 1.5 miles, after a transverse, you’ll feel Battle Pass Hill: it’s early in the race but at least you had a very short warm up. Don’t be scared, take it as part of the warm up if you can, DON’T BE A FOOL to try to race up the hill.
Then we have a nice run by Grand Army Plaza and there is the straightaway on Flatbush for a couple of miles towards the bridge. From 1.9m to about 4m you have the easiest/flatest stretch of the race. Downhill, spacious, and the best time to relax and enjoy the race.
Mile three will go SOOOO quickly with the excitement of the bridge coming towards you, that you won’t even notice the climb that starts at mile 4. It’s uphill for about a mile, 4 to 4.9, pretty long but so amazing and worth it.
I can’t even tell you how insanely scenic Mile four is. AH ❤
The top of the bridge actually happens at about 4.9, and you start dropping quickly. Into Manhattan. That’s when we come face-first into the second part of our plan.
PART 2
Let’s GOThis is when we pick things up. HARD.
Mile five, the downhill from the bridge is going to feel like SO amazing, ride it hard. There is going to be a few turns right turn off the bridge.
Mile 6, brace yourself, you’ll have amazing views, but FOCUS.
This is when you can bang out some really fast miles. Then you’re on the FDR, Miles 7 and 8 all the way to 9.6 are ~flat, use them up, you’re going to miss them later. I love this part, it can be windy and boring to some, I like to pick it up and fly.
If you are the type that gets bored in those sections, find someone 20 meters (yards?) ahead and chase them down.
Focus on the United Nations Building ahead, because that is where we turn left. There is there at 9.7 a ramp you’ll hate and this is when things will start getting very tough. Hold the pace. Stay right there, same effort.
Mile 10 at 42nd and Lex will start feeling hard, but enjoy the views and the crowds. It’s quite special.
Also, it might feel windy here, there can be a wind tunnel from the east river to the Hudson (remember I told you earlier to check the direction of the wind?) so tuck between people if you can and stay in your rhythm.
At 7th Avenue, we turn right onto… TIMES SQUARE. A few blocks over, it’s Mile 11, and now you’re just really really really close.
Yes, it’s all up and down now, but this is the last stretch and we’re going to get wild.
and what happens now…?
PART 3
At 54th St, we MOVE. Why 54th?
Well… it’s a combo of reasons, there’s a downhill and we are close enough to take into account the bumps along the road and the amount of time we have left.
This will obviously depend on how much gas you have left in you. But if you paced yourself properly, this is the moment you waited for, so go for it. In 2019 I had my friend Whitney waiting there to signal the start of the end, send your friends there, it helps!
It’s not like at 54th street, it’ll get easier… it’s just that from now on, it’s all short up and downs and we gotta maximize the last effort and set into that last kick.
We then turn onto right Central Park South for a couple of blocks before entering the park and there’s Mile 12.
A left onto the park, more rolling hills all the way to the 72nd transverse and IF YOU TRAIN IN CENTRAL PARK, I’D RECOMMEND YOU RUN THIS BIT ONCE OR TWICE BEFORE THE RACE. I promise it will make a huge difference to know exactly how it will feel (HARD, shocking, right?).
The transverse is also an uphill until the middle, it will be (also) hard and I want you to be mentally prepared for it.
UP then DOWN.
Also, if you feel lost in Central Park, check the poles for street numbers. This really helps me situate myself.
And then, right there on W 67th Street, is the finish line!
Yes, it’s uphill again.
WHO CARES.
Get your medal, obviously.
and walk. You have to walk to Columbus Circle to exit, that’s 59th St, so just keep moving. It’s like a half mile or so.
Check the website for a map of the finish area. Then brunch, shower, ice bath, rest, eat more, sleeeeeep, CELEBRATE, all the stuff, you know!
And in case you want to see photos to get situated and/or read my race reports, here is the 2019 race report, the 2019 race video, the 2017 race report, the 2016 race report, 2015 NYC Half report, here is 2014 NYC Half and 2013 NYC Half.
Questions?? Anything to add? Anything you want to go over? Lmk in the comments below!—-Comment happily: you won’t be asked to create an account!
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