New York City Marathon 2025: Race Report
My second start in New York City, finished in 3:08:14, is a testament to a better understanding of the course and an effective use of weeks of preparation. Proper acclimatization and a dedicated nutrition plan were key to achieving a better result than in the previous year. Below is a report from the final days before the race and an analysis of the strategic decisions made on the course.
Preparation and Acclimatization
I flew to NYC on Tuesday to allow ample time for acclimatization. My pre-marathon meals relied on proven carbohydrates: pizza and pasta in Little Italy, and bagels with jam and optionally peanut butter.
EXPO – Crowds and New Balance
I attended the EXPO on Thursday. As always, there were huge crowds and long queues right from the entrance to the packet pickup area. Despite the efficient organization of the bib collection, the logistic flaw was designating only one mandatory pathway through the hall. This meant everyone wishing to see other vendor booths had to first pass through the giant, congested New Balance store. The queues for fitting rooms and cash registers there were nightmarish, effectively discouraging any purchases. I quickly collected my package and focused on minimizing the time spent in the crowd.
On Saturday, I participated in the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K, running at a pace of 4:32/km. I felt very good, and this progressive “shakeout run” came out faster and looser than anticipated. The rest of the day was dedicated to rest after a short walk in Central Park and final carb loading.
Journey to the Start Line and Runners’ Village
My way to the start line of the NYC Marathon 2025: I woke up at 4:00 AM to be on my way by 5:00 AM. I was staying in Manhattan, so I first took the subway to the Staten Island Ferry, catching the 5:45 AM ferry across the river. Once I arrived on Staten Island, I took a school bus (after waiting about 15 minutes in line) to Fort Wadsworth. After passing through security, I walked to the blue runners’ village I got there around 7:20 AM. I grabbed a Dunkin’ hot chocolate and took their beanie. My corral closed at 8:45 AM and I got there about 5 minutes earlier. Just like last year, I decided to do my warm-up after leaving the corral and during the first kilometer going up the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
Race Analysis and Result
The finishing time of 3:08:14 is better than last year. I had an excellent segment between the 11th and 12th kilometers—both were run at a pace of 4:08/km and 4:09/km. Although I could maintain a 3:55/km pace at one point, I decided to slow down. After the race, I wondered if this was the right decision, but the final kilometers provided the answer.
Key Tactic: The strategic slowing down on the bridges (Verrazzano-Narrows, Queensboro) by about 30 seconds per kilometer, and accelerating on the downhills, but without being too aggressive, paid off. This was key to a strong finish.
The final kilometers felt very good. I was comfortably hitting a pace of 4:02–4:07/km, overtaking many runners. After my second marathon in NYC, I know how to run this course.
Race Summary
The achieved time of 3:08:14 confirmed the effectiveness of the conservative strategy adopted for the first half of the race. Controlling the pace on the challenging bridges (Verrazzano-Narrows and Queensboro) allowed me to conserve enough energy to operate comfortably on Manhattan. The experience gained in this second attempt is invaluable; the course holds no more secrets for me. The goal for the next marathon is clear: to fight for an even better result.
