The United Airlines NYC Half Marathon will bring roughly 25,000 runners to New York City this Sunday.
While it won’t conflict with the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which will be held on Saturday along Fifth Avenue from 44th to 79th streets, the 13.1-mile race will still shut down several streets to car traffic — including in Times Square — along its route from Prospect Park to Central Park.
Whether you want to watch, cheer or avoid the crowds altogether, here’s what you need to know.
Where does the race happen?
The route starts on the edge of Prospect Park near the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It shoots straight up Flatbush Avenue and over the Manhattan Bridge before heading uptown along the East River, cutting across 42nd Street to Times Square, and up Seventh Avenue to Central Park, where the race ends.
More than 20 streets will be closed. A full list is available near the bottom of the page under “More Race Information” here.
A detailed map of the route is available here.
When does it start?
The first wave hits the route at 7:20 a.m., with several more staggered starts until the final wave at 9:20 a.m. Competitors in the wheelchair divisions will start slightly earlier, around 7 a.m.
Who is this half marathon for?
Runners of all levels can participate.
“Preparing for a full marathon is basically a part-time job,” said Rob Simmelkjaer, the CEO of race organizer New York Road Runners. “You have to train for months, whereas [with] a half marathon, almost anyone can participate. We have plenty of runners who have never run more than 10 miles before doing this race.”
There are also two wheelchair divisions.
Times Square will be closed to traffic from roughly 42nd to 49th streets, allowing organizers to hold a couple of kids’ races — about a mile for the older kids and short sprints for the younger ones.
How do you watch it?
Besides showing up to the route to cheer on runners, you can watch the marathon on ABC7 or see it streamed on their website. You can also…
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