Philadelphia Marathon

Course & Elevation

The Philadelphia Marathon is a road marathon in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, held on a Sunday in late November as the last day of a three-day Marathon Weekend that also includes a half marathon and an 8K; the 2026 weekend runs from 20 to 22 November. The organisers date the current weekend to a first race in 1994, and press describes the event as having existed in some form since 1954. The marathon starts at 22nd Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, beside the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The course runs through Center City and the historic district, Fairmount Park, University City, along the Schuylkill River path and out to Manayunk, then back to finish near the steps of the Art Museum. Course checkpoints are at 5K, 10K, 15K, 20K, the half way point, 25K, 30K and 40K. The race is USATF certified, holds World Athletics Label Road Race status and is a Boston Marathon qualifier. The course records are 2:13:28 by Michael Chesire of Kenya and 2:28:34 by Leslie Sexton of Canada, both from 2021.