Richmond Marathon

Course & Elevation

The Allianz Richmond Marathon is a road marathon through Virginia's capital, held on a Saturday in mid-November and produced by the non-profit Sports Backers, which brands it 'America's Friendliest Marathon'. It was first run in 1978, and the 2026 race is the 49th running. The marathon is capped at 7,200 runners, and the race weekend, which also has a half marathon and an 8K, drew 21,000 participants. The marathon starts at 7:00 am on Broad Street downtown, and from 2026 it finishes at a new finish line at Byrd and 5th Streets next to Brown's Island on the James River, after what the organisers call a downhill finish. The route winds through the Virginia Commonwealth University campus, down Monument Avenue and through the historic Fan district, then along Riverside Drive beside the James and on through Forest Hill before returning through VCU and the Fan, with minor changes in 2026 to fit the new finish. Aid stations offer water and electrolyte drink, and the organisers also provide junk food stops, wet washcloths and pickle juice. The course is open for seven hours. The organisers describe the race as one of the most frequently used for qualifying for the Boston Marathon. The men's course record is 2:13:45 by Kennedy Kemei of Kenya in 2011, and the women's record is 2:31:25 by Irina Suvorova of Russia in 2000.