This was my first time running NYC. After missing out on the lottery every year...including 2018...I won a bib to the 2018 race. It was a special race and a great experience. There’s so much energy in the City.
The pre race transportation is excellent. There were plenty of aid stations. Definitely get the poncho. My only complaint was that we had to take the subway back to the hotel and boy was it hard to make it down that many stairs!

I’ve run Chicago twice. And it’s a great race. It’s a fast, flat course. But the weather is all over. So be ready for anything!
The start area is crowded and they’ll close corrals on you, so make sure you get to the start with a little extra time cushion.
There were so many aid stations and the lines for on course portapotties were reasonable (I had to stop twice, no wait either time).