Let’s face it: this wasn’t your year. Maybe you had plans to get up every morning and train, only to wake up at noon with a hangover. Maybe the thought of running to catch a train, let alone completing a 26.2-mile race, makes you nervous and dehydrated. Or maybe your plans to live-draw your way through a grueling race fell through due to a last-minute carpal tunnel outbreak. Whatever the reason/excuse, there are tons of places to watch your 47,000 fellow New Yorkers compete in this year’s marathon. Almost half the race is in Brooklyn, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to cheer along without leaving the borough.
Here’s the rundown on places to watch the event from the Verrazano to Greenpoint
Mile 2: Bay Ridge
Spectators get their first glimpse of runners is the pack comes off the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge. Crowds are relatively sparse here, and the view is spectacular!
Miles 3–8: Fourth Avenue
This five-mile stretch of the race has more than 30 official entertainment spots. Position yourself near one of the bands for double the fun.
Miles 8–9: Fort Greene to Clinton Hill
An official cheering station and the merging of three lanes make the eight-mile mark at the Brooklyn Academy of Music a hot spot for watching the race. Enthusiasm continues up Lafayette Avenue, where crowds can be less dense.
Miles 10–12: Williamsburg
As the race makes a sharp left onto Bedford Avenue, the route crosses South Williamsburg—traditionally a Hassidic Jewish neighborhood—before crossing into the hipster haven of Williamsburg. McCarren Park is a popular vantage point.
Miles 12–13: Greenpoint
Further off the beaten path than Williamsburg, the miles through Greenpoint on both sides of the Pulaski Bridge (which is closed to spectators) are populated by loyal Brooklynites.
Check out the Spectator Guide for the best spots to watch throughout the whole city.
(All of the descriptions are taken from last year’s Brokelyn guide by Jonathan Berk).
The ING New York City Marathon: Sunday, Nov. 6, 9:40 AM. Wheelchair race at 8:30 AM.
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