A VG journalist has been hired. New York-marathon as one of the few journalists selected to be part of the media program. The race is constantly sold out, and it feels almost impossible to get a seat.
The preparations for the 42.195-kilometer distance are creating both jubilation and a touch of panic for VG’s US correspondent based in New York, who will be running the world’s largest and one of the world’s most popular marathons.
Advice from experienced trotters and the organizer
Before the start, the journalist consulted with the runners in the running group, who have an apartment full of start numbers and have run “The Big Five”, which are the most prestigious marathons in the world: New York, Boston, Berlin, London and Chicago. Their clear advice is to run a lot, train so that you can keep pace for 42 kilometers, and focus on long runs and “time on feet”. They also recommend training focused with a fixed training program, preferably training with others, listening to your body, as well as remembering intervals, eating gels and training your stomach to handle energy gels and electrolyte drinks.
Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners, says that over 30 percent of this year’s runners are in the same situation and will be running their first marathon. His advice for first-time runners is simple: Train smart, run with purpose, and finish safely. There’s nothing like the energy in New York on race day – we say it’s the best day of the year in the best city in the world.
Facts about the New York Marathon
The race stretches 26.1 miles (42.195 km) through all five boroughs of New York City, from Staten Island to the finish line in Central Park. Over 50,000 runners participate, and around two million spectators usually line the streets. The course requires runners to cross five bridges, which provides some of the toughest hills late in the race.
The great Norwegian legend in the race is Grete Waitz, who won the New York Marathon nine times between 1978 and 1988, which is still a record. When she won the race the first time, she also set a world record. The first New York Marathon in 1970 had only 127 starters, of which 55 finished. Among recent records is the men’s course record set by Ethiopian Tamirat Tola in 2023 with a time of 2:04:58, while the women’s course record was set by Kenyan Hellen Obiri in 2025 with a time of 2:19:51, which corresponds to approximately 2.58 min/km.
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