Course change at New York City Marathon?

While reading this season’s issue of New York Runner (Fall 2009), the periodic publication of New York Road Runners, came across an interesting tidbit in an article about the upcoming New York City Marathon:

“This year, a few adjustments – including a new placement of the start on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and an expanded loop in the Bronx – will make the route faster and more exciting than ever.”

Not sure exactly what the change is, and how it would make the race ‘faster’, but the race could certainly benefit from having the start line higher up the bridge, so more of the participants can get up on the roadway before the horn sounds.  It would also make for a slightly shorter trip up the bridge.  I honestly can’t see them moving the start too far up the bridge, so that would only allow for a slightly longer course in the Bronx.

This must be a late breaking change, since the map published in the handbook is identical to the map published last year.   Over Willis Ave Bridge, left on 135th, right on Alexander Ave, left on 138th, directly to Madison Ave Bridge.  The marathon website doesn’t get down to street level details in the map.  Personally, I would rather see them straighten out the Queens portion of the race, which is quite a bit circuitous, to expand the Bronx portion, but, we’ll just have to wait and see for the specifics.

UPDATE: Some details have emerged.

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