The TCS New York City Marathon will take place on Sunday, November 1, 2026, and this year's race carries extra weight for runners on both sides of the Hudson. New York Road Runners is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its five-borough course, according to Girls Inc. of New York City, one of the race's charity partners. The marathon covers 26.2 miles and is expected to feature over 50,000 participants.
Many of those runners train in Hudson County, on the waterfront paths, through Liberty State Park and along the streets around Journal Square. In the final weeks before a marathon, training volume is at or near its peak, and that is often when foot problems that were easy to ignore become harder to run through: blisters and black toenails from long runs, heel pain in the morning, swelling or soreness on top of the foot, and ankle pain after a misstep.
Essex Union Podiatry sees runners and other active patients at its Jersey City location on Newark Avenue, near Journal Square. The practice was founded in 1995 with a single location in Rahway and now treats patients at four New Jersey locations. The Jersey City team evaluates sports injuries such as ankle sprains, stress fractures, Achilles tendinitis and overuse injuries, and every location has on-site digital X-ray, so imaging can happen during the same visit as the exam.
The practice says the goal in the weeks before a race is not to stop runners from running, but to tell the difference between normal training soreness and pain that signals an injury. Pain that is sharp, that is located in one spot on a bone, that gets worse as a run goes on, or that is still there the next morning is worth having checked before race day rather than after it.
"Marathon training puts a lot of miles on the feet in a short time, and the last few weeks are when small problems tend to turn into bigger ones. Most of what we see at this stage can be managed without stopping training, as long as it is looked at early. Pain in one spot on a bone, or pain that keeps getting worse during a run, should be checked before race day, not after," said a spokesperson for Essex Union Podiatry.
Podiatrist Checklist
- Avoid new shoes, new insoles or new socks in the final weeks; race in gear that has already handled your long runs.
- Trim toenails straight across a few days before the race, not the night before.
- Treat blisters and hot spots early, and keep the skin clean and dry between runs.
- Take morning heel pain, swelling on top of the foot or pain in one spot on a bone seriously, and have it evaluated.
- After the race, give your feet and ankles time to recover before returning to full training.
Schedule an Appointment
Jersey City residents can learn more about seeing a podiatrist at Essex Union Podiatry, 550 Newark Ave Suite 102A, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, or call (332) 330-3629.
About Essex Union Podiatry
Essex Union Podiatry is a podiatry practice founded in 1995 with a single location in Rahway, New Jersey. It now treats patients at four New Jersey locations in Rahway, Caldwell, Springfield and Jersey City, where it sees Hudson County patients at 550 Newark Ave Suite 102A. Its board-certified podiatrists provide general podiatry, sports medicine, diabetic foot and wound care, pediatric podiatry, custom orthotics and foot and ankle surgery, including total ankle replacement and Lapiplasty bunion correction. Every location has on-site digital X-ray. More information is available at essexunionpodiatry.com.