NYC Marathon 2026 race week
New York, USA · Nov 1, 2026
Race week has four jobs: get your bib, keep your legs fresh, run one short shakeout, and start rested. Below is the day-by-day plan for the NYC Marathon, plus the heart-shaped 3-5K to run through New York the morning before the start.
Your race-week plan
- Thursday Oct 29 — Travel & expo. Land, collect your bib, and stay off your feet once the expo is done. Walking New York for six hours is the classic race-week mistake.
- Friday Oct 30 — Easy legs. A short 20-30 minute jog or nothing at all. Eat normally, hydrate, and get your kit laid out early.
- Saturday Oct 31 — Shakeout heart. The one run that matters this week: 3-5K easy through New York, shaped like a heart. Loose legs, calm head, and something to post the night before.
- Sunday Nov 1 — Race day. Everything is already done. Run the race you trained for.
Shakeout runs in New York
Brands, stores, and run clubs announce free race-week shakeouts a few weeks out, and verified meeting points appear on this page when they do. You can also build your own heart-shaped route through New York, export the GPX for Garmin, Coros, or Apple Watch, and invite whoever else is racing.
Race-week questions
When should I do my shakeout run before the NYC Marathon?
The day before the race, Saturday Oct 31, morning if you can. Keep it to 3-5K at conversational pace, then stay off your feet.
What should I run the day before the NYC Marathon?
A short easy loop through New York. CityHeart builds a heart-shaped 3-5K on real streets, exports it as GPX for Garmin, Coros, or Apple Watch, and it shows up as GPS art on Strava after your run.