Course Preview

The NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE offers a thrilling and diverse course through the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Inspired by the ING New York City Marathon—the world’s original big-city 26.2-mile road race—the NYC Half gives runners from around the world with another unforgettable opportunity to run through New York City’s streets as they pass by landmark sights and enjoy a quintessential urban running experience.

The performances of the top finishers at the inaugural running in 2006 showed the NYC Half course to be conducive to running fast times. That’s not to say, though, that the route offers speedway-style running throughout its 13.1 miles—after all, the first seven-odd miles run through Central Park, known for its hills. The course is best described as fair—yes, there are hills, but both the inclines and descents are manageable, and once the route exits the park, it flattens out considerably, meaning that a runner who has run patiently in the early miles can cruise through the race’s final stages to the finish.

The description below breaks down the NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE course mile by mile. Read it carefully, and click here to view the course map and here to view the elevation map.

Start

Please note that all runners must be in the start corrals by 6:15 a.m.

The race starts on Central Park’s East Drive at approximately 85th Street. This is one of the park’s flattest sections, allowing for a smooth, clean start for the race’s 10,000 participants. The start is just north of mile 24 of the ING New York City Marathon course.

Mile 1

The course almost immediately passes the world-renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art (look left), and the outdoor sculpture Cleopatra’s Needle (look right) with the Great Lawn visible through the trees beyond. The road then dips down “Cat” Hill, named for the sculpture of a crouching mountain lion nestled in the rocks along the right side of the road. This hill is a frequent workout site for NYC runners (you’ll find groups of them huffing and puffing up the incline during workouts). The course passes the popular Central Park Boathouse restaurant, located next to the Lake, where rowboats are available for rental.

Mile 2

The course continues on park drives over gently rolling hills toward the southern end of Central Park. (The ING New York City Marathon route veers left and out of the park toward the Plaza Hotel and Central Park South.) The buildings of Midtown loom in front, but you’ll complete a full loop of running in Central Park before exiting and running south toward Times Square. Rounding the bottom of the park, the massive Time Warner Building at Columbus Circle is visible near the park’s southwest corner. A few hundred yards before the two-mile mark, the route makes a gradual ascent and passes Tavern on the Green restaurant and the world-famous ING New York City Marathon finish line. This is also the site of the NYC Half’s first fluid station (on the west side of road).

Mile 3

Through these early miles, use the gently rolling hills to help you control your speed. Like the marathon, the half-marathon is a race that requires careful attention to pace. Run too fast early on, and you may struggle to maintain even a slow jog later. The course passes a well-known statue of the orator Daniel Webster at approximately mile two. The route then begins a gradual climb through the West Side Hills and reaches its highest point on the course on West Drive at approximately 86th Street. This is the site of the NYC Half’s second fluid station (again on the west side of road).

Mile 4

The course continues northward and makes a significant ascent from about 102nd Street to 110th Street—the infamous Harlem Hills. The top of this first big hill comes almost exactly at the four-mile mark. Again, many local runners and teams come here to build speed and strength with speed workouts.

Mile 5

Down, flat, and up goes the terrain through this challenging mile, which also includes the race’s third fluid station (on the north side of the road) . The hills are manageable and can serve the smart runner well by bridling any temptation to push the pace with at least an hour of hard running still to come. The course passes the scenic Harlem Meer as well as Lasker Pool in this mile, both visible on the left.

Mile 6

The course is relatively flat for the next mile as it passes the park’s East Meadow (look left) and the North Meadow ballfields (look right) before ascending gradually, then flattening out as it passes the fourth fluid station (on the east side of the road), then the race’s start line at 85th Street.

Mile 7

With one complete loop done, the next mile is over familiar territory as it repeats the first mile of the race. Despite the repetition, there is excitement in this mile: with its completion, the 13.1-mile distance is more than half covered.

Mile 8

With the completion of mile seven, the Manhattan skyscrapers once again surge into view. This time, the route veers left at the bottom of Central Park and proceeds down Seventh Avenue straight into the heart of it all. (You’ll pass a fluid station on both sides of the road just as you leave the park.) Whether you’re a jaded New Yorker or you’ve traveled halfway around the world to run here, you can’t help but feel a thrill at this point on your journey. NIKE Cheering Zone 1, at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, will feature music, coffee, and spectator kits. The route passes Carnegie Hall at 57th Street (look left) and the Carnegie Deli at 55th Street (look right). This part of Seventh Avenue is slightly downhill, but try to avoid the temptation to run too quickly, as you have plenty of ground still to cover.

Beginning on Seventh Avenue, runners and spectators will be treated to live entertainment along the course of the NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE! Click here for a description of bands and other course and finish-area entertainment.

Mile 9

After passing the eight-mile near at 49th Street, the course enters Times Square, known around the world for its billboards, ticker signs, and vaulting highrises. When running by, be sure to look up as you might just see the WABC-TV telecast of the race displayed on the NASDAQ and Good Morning America giant video screens and check out race messages on the Reuters message board.  NIKE Cheering Zone 2, at 44th Street and Seventh Avenue, will feature music, coffee, and spectator kits. You’ll then take a right onto 42nd Street, past theater marquees, more landmarks including Madame Tussauds New York, and Dave & Busters, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Along this stretch, look for a fluid and carbohydrate-replacement station featuring CarbBoom! energy gel (on the north side of the road). From here the route is flat all the way to the finish. Assuming you’ve trained well and paced your race carefully so far, you should be able to enjoy the ride.

Mile 10

You’re not quite in the home stretch, but making the left-hand turn onto the West Side Highway not long after the nine-mile mark should give you a sense of accomplishment. You have just over 5K to go, and it’s straight and flat, with the expansive Hudson River on your right and the buildings of Downtown Manhattan ahead. Get inspiration from the Toyota Hybrid Turn to the Finish at 42nd Street and the West Side Highway, featuring several new Toyotas and a cheering section with Toyota branded cheer sticks. Toyota is the official lead car of the NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE. You’ll pass a fluid station on the east side of the road at approximately 34th Street.

Mile 11

Just after the 10-mile mark, look right to see the Chelsea Piers sports complex, where you can enjoy sports from ice hockey to bowling year round. More likely at this point, you’ll be thinking about the finish line, now just a couple of miles away. NIKE Cheering Zone 3, between 16th and 17th Streets and the West Side Highway, will feature DJ entertainment, spectator kits, a JumboTron, and more. You’ll pass a fluid station on the east side of the road at approximately 14th Street.

Mile 12

Course marshals will direct you to run to your right, on the West Side Highway’s southbound lanes, as the northbound lanes will be open to traffic. This part of the route is exposed to the sun, so you’ll want to wear a hat with a brim and apply sunscreen before your race so you’ll be protected at this point. You’ll pass the course’s final fluid station on the east side of the road just before mile 12, at approximately Canal Street.

Mile 13 and Finish

In the final mile, look right to see the World Financial Center and Battery Park City commercial and residential area, and left for a view of the World Trade Center site. The finish is at the northern end of Battery Park, at Rector Street. Smile and raise your arms as you cross the finish line—you did it!