How to Track a Runner in the NYC Marathon

The official New York Road Runners (NYRR) app is the main way to follow a runner during the TCS New York City Marathon. It offers runner tracking and race-day updates while the event is underway. The 2026 marathon took place Sunday, November 1, in New York City; its live tracking window has ended. NYRR directs spectators to its results site for official times after the finish. The steps below explain how to follow a runner at a future edition and how to interpret the updates.

Before race day, get the runner’s details

Ask the runner for their full name, bib number, and assigned start wave. A bib number can help you distinguish people with similar names, and the start wave helps you know when tracking should begin. Confirm the event year as well, since the NYRR app covers many races and runner records can appear under more than one event.

• Install the current NYRR app on your phone.
• Save the runner’s full name and bib number.
• Ask which division or wave they are assigned to.
• Agree on a backup way and place to meet after the finish.

How to track a runner in the NYRR app

1. Download the official app. Use the App Store and Google Play links on NYRR’s marathon app page. Check that the publisher is New York Road Runners before installing an app with a similar name.
2. Choose the correct race. Open the TCS New York City Marathon page for the right year. Confirm the event title before searching, since the app also covers other NYRR events.
3. Find the right runner. Open the runner-tracking feature and use the search or selection controls shown in the current version of the app. Have the person’s name and bib number ready. If several entries look similar, compare the details displayed before adding one.
4. Add or follow the runner. Confirm that the correct runner appears in your tracked list. NYRR’s current app and tracking page describes a Follow feature that can carry a runner tracked at an upcoming event into future events. App labels and screens can change, so use the current event page if the steps differ.
5. Check progress during the race. Use the runner updates, course information, and leaderboard to follow progress. NYRR says the app provides updates at key moments; it may not show a new update every second. Treat the latest status as a progress checkpoint rather than a guarantee of the runner’s exact position at that instant.

Check the runner’s start wave and the local time

The marathon does not start every participant at once. Wheelchair divisions, professional fields, and general-entry waves have separate start times. For the 2026 race, NYRR’s official schedule listed the first start at 8:00 a.m. and the general waves from 9:10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. A runner in a later wave will not have the same race progress as someone who started earlier.

These are 2026 times, not a schedule for another year. New York City was on Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC−05:00) during the race. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology confirms that daylight saving time ended at 2:00 a.m. local time on November 1, 2026, before the marathon starts. That makes the first 8:00 a.m. start 13:00 UTC. For another edition, check its official schedule and convert using the time zone and date shown there.

What the live tracker can tell you

NYRR describes its in-event runner tracking and results as live but unofficial. Its app page lists runner progress, updates at key moments, leaderboards, live coverage, course maps, and race-day information. Those tools can help you estimate when to move to a viewing point, but a display update is not the same as a verified final time. Runners may also move faster or slower than a spectator’s estimate, so avoid treating a projected arrival as exact.

NYRR’s 2026 event page says live tracking is available during the race and that official results are posted after the event. The 2026 live window has closed; use NYRR’s official results site to check completed times. For a future race, the event page will identify the tracking options available for that edition.

If an update pauses or the app is slow

• Check the runner’s start wave and expected start time before assuming tracking should already be active.
• Confirm you selected the correct runner and the correct year’s marathon.
• Check the current NYRR event page for race notices, then revisit the tracker after a short interval.
• Do not infer that a runner has stopped or is in trouble from one delayed update alone.

NYRR warns that cellular congestion may prevent phone use in and around the post-finish area. Make a meeting plan before race day, including a place outside the runners-only area and a backup if calls or messages fail. If you plan to watch from the course, pick viewing locations ahead of time and check NYRR’s current spectator guidance and local transit information. Tracking helps you follow race progress; it does not replace a travel or reunion plan.

After the finish, switch to official results

When the event is over, use the NYRR results site rather than waiting for live tracking to behave like a final record. Confirm the event year and runner identity before sharing a time. NYRR says official results are posted after the conclusion of the race; live app results during the event are labeled unofficial. If a final record is not visible immediately, check again later instead of treating a missing update as a result.

In brief: Download the official NYRR app, choose the correct marathon, find and follow the runner, and use their assigned wave to interpret when updates should appear. For the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, held November 1 in New York City, live tracking has ended; NYRR’s official results site is the place to check final times.