You start on the Clinch Avenue Bridge at 7:30 on a Sunday morning, with the Sunsphere rising over you and downtown Knoxville just waking up. The course is a loop with rolling hills, most of them stacked in the first half, and roughly 1,250 feet of total climb; the organizers put it plainly, there are not many miles that are just flat. The reprieve comes along the river, where the course levels out for a while and you can settle into a rhythm. If you remember this race for its finish on the 50-yard line of Neyland Stadium, note that ended in 2018; since 2019 you finish at World's Fair Park instead. The field is modest, about 850 marathon finishers in 2026, and the course stays open at a 16-minute-per-mile pace, so there is room for a careful, steady day.
Rolling-hills loop starting on the Clinch Avenue Bridge and finishing at World's Fair Park, with most hills in the first half and flatter stretches along the river; organizers say 'there are not very many miles that are just flat.' Course map ↗
Open as of 2026-10-13. Registration open via RunSignUp. Current prices: Marathon $112.14 incl. fee, Half $96.42, 4-Person Relay $70.22, 5K $44.40, Kids Run $27. Next price increase after November 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Register ↗
- The inaugural event was held March 20, 2005; it was the first road race to finish on Neyland Stadium's 50-yard line (2005-2018) before moving the finish to World's Fair Park in 2019 due to stadium renovations. ↗
- All events start on the Clinch Avenue Bridge and finish at World's Fair Park; the marathon, half and relay start at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. ↗
- Police and volunteers roll up the course at a 16 min/mile pace; the course 'has some hills, particularly in the first half of the marathon.' ↗
- findmymarathon.com lists 1,248 feet of elevation gain and 844 marathon finishers in 2026, up from 710 in 2025 and 615 in 2024. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.