New York Marathon 2017: Increased Security, Street Closures And More

Despite the deadly attack Tuesday in New York City, residents of the city are fearlessly gearing up to run their hearts out (or rather legs out!) on Nov. 5, in their famous annual marathon.

New York will be hosting the 47th edition of the marathon Sunday, where more than 50,000 people will run for an array of reasons — while some have taken part just to try and lose the extra pound, others want to be a part of the historic tradition of their city. There will also be celebrity athletes such as Olympian Meb Keflezighi, who will run his last marathon, and Olympian Shalane Flanagan, who will run her first marathon since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Participants are required to complete a 26.2-mile course that spans from Staten Island to Central Park. And given the magnitude of the event, amid the recent threat to the city, New York Police department is not taking any chances when it comes to ensuring the safety of the participants as well as the crowd of people expected to turn up to cheer them on.

This is why, there will be more uniformed and plain-clothed law enforcement officials lining the race track than ever before.

“It will be the most ever deployed at this event," NYPD Chief of Department Carlos Gomez said during a morning news conference at police headquarters. "We've more than doubled our rooftop observance teams as well as our counter sniper teams."

New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio also encouraged the people of the city to be vigilant during the upcoming event.

“We do ask everyone to be vigilant," Blasio said, local news outlet PIX 11 reported. "Be a part of the solution. Share what you know with the police. Don't think twice."

Meanwhile, according to Metro US, if you are not looking to cheer the marathon participants or volunteering to hand out refreshments, you might want to avoid the following areas of the city:

Staten Island: Richmond Terrace, Jersey Street, Victory Boulevard, Bay Street, Fingerboard Road, Tompkins Avenue, School Road, Lily Pond Avenue McClean Avenue.

Brooklyn: Dahlgren Place, 92nd Street, 4th Avenue, Flatbush Avenue, Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn Queens Expressway (Southbound), 7th Avenues (between 79th Street and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway; and between 74th Street and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway) 74th Street, 6th Avenue, Bay Ridge Parkway, Fort Hamilton Parkway, 94th Street, Bedford Avenue, Nassau Avenue, Manhattan Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue, McGuiness Boulevard, Pulaski Bridge (Southbound).

Queens: 48th Avenue, Vernon Boulevard, 10th Street, 44th Drive, Hunter Street, Crescent Street, Queens Plaza South, Queens Plaza North, 23rd Street, Queensboro Bridge (Eastbound) 2.

Manhattan: East 59th Street, 1st Avenue, 60th Street, Madison Avenue Bridge, 5th Avenues (between 138th Street and 124th Street; between 120th Street and 90th Street), 124th Street, Mount Morris Park West, 120th Street, 90th Street (Central Park Southbound), East Drive, Grand Army Plaza, 59th Street, Central Park Driveway/8th Avenue Approach to West Drive, West Drive, 96th Street Approach to West Drive, 67th Street Approach to West Drive.

Bronx: Willis Avenue Bridge, East 135th Street, Alexander Avenue, East 138th Streets (between Alexander Avenue and Morris Avenue; between Rider Avenue and Madison Avenue Bridge) Morris Avenue, East 140th Street, Rider Avenue.