The Soho House guide to the New York Marathon

New York arguably has one of the most vibrant running scenes in the world. It’s also home to the largest marathon, attracting more than 50,000 runners from across the globe. This year, on Sunday 6 November, city natives and visitors alike will gather on Staten Island to take their marks on the route’s official starting line. 

Kimiko Ninomiya, Soho House’s Global Head of Digital Communications – and somewhat of a marathon pro (she already has four under her belt) – will be joining the many participants and raising her tally to an impressive five.

‘I’ve run my entire life,’ says Ninomiya. ‘When I was younger it was through sports and track and field, but I started endurance running about 10 years ago.’ In 2019, she joined Black Roses NYC – a running collective that has been promoting and contributing to running culture through group training for the past decade in New York – and has since launched her own female-only collective in London, Hot Boys.

Primed with valuable tips and recommendations – including stop-offs at three Soho Houses (New York, Ludlow and DUMBO) – read on for Ninomiya’s personal guide to running (or visiting) the New York marathon.

My shake-out run route
‘There will be a handful of organised shake-out runs on the Saturday before the marathon. It’s a chance for the running community to come together and celebrate the hard work of getting to the starting line. My teammate and fellow Soho House member, Erica Stanley-Dottin, is the New York community manager for the running brand Tracksmith, and she’ll be leading a shake-out run that all of our crew from Black Roses NYC will join.’

Where to carb-load
‘It’s a common misconception that carb-loading happens only the night before the marathon – it’s actually a few days leading up to the race, which is great news when you’re in a city like New York with so many incredible food options. I’m planning to head to Cecconi’s DUMBO before the race to enjoy a big bowl of the plant-based fusilli with kale pesto, plus some veggie sides, and the whole cauliflower with salmoriglio and lemon aioli.

‘My other top recommendation is noodle dishes like pho (Bia gets the job done) and udon (my absolute favourite is Hanon). Or you can go the traditional Italian route, because there’s no shortage in New York. You have your classic West Village spots like Don Angie and Via Carota, or Carbone if you’re living large. Alternatively, head across the East River to Brooklyn for favourites such as Lilia and Misi, Frankies 457, or Bamonte’s if you want the true red sauce experience.’
 
Pre-race sleep tips 
‘Get an early dinner and hydrate. Some gentle foam rolling also goes a long way to work through any niggles. If you’re lucky enough to be staying at Soho House New York, enjoy a nice soak in the bathtub, sneak some cookies from the treats tin, and sink into those cosy cloud-like pillows in a fluffy Soho House robe.’

Songs that will be on my marathon playlist
‘I don’t listen to music while I’m running, but pre-race I’ll be dancing to Rina Sawayama’s latest album Hold The Girl to shake off any nerves and keep my brain occupied when I’m up early fuelling for the race.’

Favourite part of the marathon course
‘The ride over to the start on the Staten Island Ferry is an iconic experience. The sun is rising and you’re on this journey across the Hudson, passing the Statue of Liberty, with runners from around the world. It’s very cool. My favourite part of the race is running across Lafayette Avenue through Clinton Hill, where the whole neighbourhood turns out on the stoops of the Brooklyn brownstones to cheer on the runners – it feels like a big street party. Mile 21 is another spot to look out for, where lots of the running crews will come out to show their support at a very tough part of the race.’

Where to celebrate afterwards
‘Since I don’t live in New York anymore, I’m planning on soaking up every moment with my teammates from Black Roses. And New York has such an incredible running crew scene that there will be no shortage of afterparties to partake in – so I’ll see where the night takes me. Maybe we’ll end up at Soho House.’

Best way to recover post marathon
‘It’s always a good idea to try to get your legs moving the day after a marathon, and New York is a great city to shuffle around with post-race legs. Pick a museum to wander through (I’d love to check out Edward Hopper’s New York at the Whitney), walk the length of Brooklyn Bridge Park and take in the views of Downtown Manhattan, or go on a food tour through Chinatown (the organisation Welcome to Chinatown has curated some great spots). If walking around just isn’t happening for you, pop over to DUMBO House for an early morning swim to get those legs moving or relax with a spa treatment in Soho House New York.’

The Cowshed spa at Soho House New York will be offering 25% off all treatments to marathon runners from Tuesday 1 to Sunday 13 November. Simply present your race registration to qualify. Please note that the offer cannot be combined with any other offers such as our Under 27 special rate.

Bedrooms can be booked anytime by Soho House and Soho Friends members. Non-members can get access to stay in Soho House bedrooms around the world by adding Soho Friends membership when booking. Book your stay here.