2026 NEW YORK CITY MARATHON PREVIEW

More than 50,000 runners will take on the five boroughs on Sunday, Nov. 1, and the professional races are shaping up to be fascinating.

In this episode, we discuss:

- Defending champion Benson Kipruto looks to become the first man to win back-to-back NYC titles since Geoffrey Mutai.

- Andreas Almgren makes his marathon debut after winning the World Half Marathon Championships in a European record of 58:06.

- American record holder Conner Mantz returns to the marathon after a year disrupted by two sacral stress fractures.

- Zouhair Talbi arrives with a 2:03:45 personal best from Boston and unfinished business in New York.

- Hellen Obiri looks to capture her third NYC Marathon title, with 2024 champion Sheila Chepkirui among her biggest challengers.

- Jess McClain, Annie Frisbie and debutant Weini Kelati lead a deep American women’s field.

+ More

We’ve broken down the defending champions, top contenders, American storylines, and everything you need to know before race day.

Watch live on ESPN2 beginning at 8 a.m. ET.

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