NYC Marathon's 50th Running: Blue Line Painted, Unprecedented Security Deployed

With the 50th annual TCS New York City Marathon set for Sunday November 1, 2026, final preparations were underway on October 29. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch joined New York Road Runners in a ceremonial painting of the blue line that follows the 26.2-mile course through all five boroughs. The NYPD confirmed there are no known credible threats to this year's race but is deploying thousands of officers from across all specialised units — including the bomb squad, Emergency Service Unit, mounted police, K-9s, harbour and aviation units — along with helicopters, drones, and hundreds of blocker vehicles. More than 10,000 metal barricades will line the route. The race is expected to draw more than 60,000 runners and over 2 million spectators. Bridge closures begin Saturday evening, with the upper level of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge closing at 11 p.m. The race starts at 8 a.m. from Staten Island and finishes in Central Park.