NYC Half 2027: a 10-week half marathon plan, ready on your Garmin

Your training, timed for March 21

The plan lasts 10 weeks, starting on Mon, January 11.

1. Weeks 1–3

   Base

   Jan 11 → Jan 31

   Settle volume and threshold

2. Weeks 4–6

   Development

   Feb 1 → Feb 21

   Threshold gets longer, half-marathon pace comes in

3. Weeks 7–9

   Specific

   Feb 22 → Mar 14

   Long runs finishing at half-marathon pace

4. Week 10

   Taper

   Mar 15 → Mar 21

   Less volume, pace stays, the race

Brooklyn to Central Park, via the Brooklyn Bridge and Times Square

The race starts in Brooklyn, crosses into Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge, heads up the FDR Drive along the East River, runs through a car-free Times Square and finishes in Central Park: that's the 2027 course as described by New York Road Runners (NYRR), the organizer.

On this route in 2026, runners reached the Brooklyn Bridge at mile 4.1, joined the FDR Drive at mile 5.4 and left it at the 42nd Street exit at mile 9.4. So the bridge climb comes early, and 4 miles of the race are on the FDR Drive.

Cutoff times are set each year from the last runner's start; in 2026, the finish closed at 1:30 p.m., about 4 hours 30 minutes after the final participant crossed the start line.

Three workouts for the bridge and the FDR Drive

Two moments matter: the bridge climb early on, which you shouldn't attack too hard, and the long FDR Drive stretch, where you want an even pace. Ask your assistant to create these three workouts and send them to your watch; it sets them from your MAS.

• — Short hills: 20 min easy, 8 × 1 min uphill at a strong effort (about 90% of MAS), jog back down, 10 min cool-down; a bridge ramp works well.
• — Half-marathon-pace blocks: 15 min easy, 3 × 2 miles at half marathon pace (82 to 85% of MAS), 2 min recovery, 10 min cool-down.
• — Long run with a fast finish: 1 h 40 min, the last 15 minutes at half marathon pace, to finish strong into Central Park.

Ten weeks through the heart of winter

The 10-week plan starts on Monday, January 11, 2027, and runs through winter: the half-marathon-pace work is concentrated from late February to mid-March, and the taper is the week of March 15. If you're flying in from abroad, arrive a few days early for the time change and bib pickup.

A snow day or a packed week at work: your assistant reads your activities on Garmin Connect, reviews the week and adjusts the rest of the plan without making up for it; it can also adapt the planned workout and send the new version to your watch.

Entry: drawing on November 18, 2026

Applications for the non-guaranteed drawing are open from October 21 to November 11, 2026, and the drawing takes place on Wednesday, November 18; if you're selected, your card is charged right away. The race is open to runners 16 and up. Guaranteed entry is also available, including through charity partners, Team for Kids and official international tour operators.

Frequently asked questions