Spectator Information

Follow A PARTICIPANT'S Progress Online
RaceIt is proud to offer live splits/results and text/email alerts for all marathon, half marathon and 8k participants. Follow this link to sign up for text/email alerts.

PARTY ZONES CATER TO SPECTATORS
Friends or relatives wanting to spectate along the course will want to visit our special SunTrust/NBC12 Party Zones at miles 7, 13 and 19 on the marathon course and mile 7 on the half marathon course. Each location will feature music, refreshments, giveaways, and an on-air personality. These Party Zones will serve as a hub for spectators to show their support and enthusiasm. For a complete list of locations and directions, click here.

Music Along the Course
Live musical acts will be playing along the course to help inspire and motivate participants. Check back as race day approaches to see who will be playing at the Finish Line Festival and for a full list of bands scheduled to play.

POST-RACE CELEBRATION
The Post-Race Celebration will take place from the finish line at 9th Street all the way to 12th Street. Along with Post Race food for the participants, bands and street performers, children’s activities will take place. Be sure to bring your friends and family to celebrate the runners' accomplishments!

Race Day Parking
With over 90 parking decks and lots in the downtown area, there is plenty of parking available on Race Day. Remember that the Start & Finish lines are located only 6 blocks apart. It is recommended that 8k runners park near the start to allow for more parking near the finish for marathoners. Here is a partial listing of the parking decks open on Race Day:

Parking Near the Start (recommended for 8k entrants)

3rd & Marshall

5th & Marshall

7th & Marshall

8th & Marshall (surface lot)

5th & Broad (surface lot)

8th & Grace/Franklin

Parking Near the Finish

Federal Reserve (5th & Byrd)

James Center (10th & Canal)

Crowne Plaza (5th & Canal)

3rd & Main (surface lot)

4th & Cary (surface lot)

To print out a corresponding map of downtown, courtesy of RideFinders.com, click here.

For a helpful downtown map from the Richmond Convention & Visitors Bureau, click here.

Race Day ROAD CLOSINGS/Traffic Pattern Changes
To view a list of road closings and traffic pattern changes for Race Day, click here.

RUNNER ARRIVAL SCHEDULE
Want to know when to expect runners at a certain point along the marathon course?  Print out our Pace Chart that shows you when participants with the most common predicted times will be arriving at each mile mark.

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SunTrust/NBC12 Party Zones
Recommended Directions

For directions to the Party Zone on the Half Marathon course, click here

For friends and family of marathon competitors we have put together a spectator tour of the course. The tour includes the start and finish of the marathon as well as three different spots on the marathon course. Because of road closings, the preferred routes are sometimes different than you would normally travel.

Start (Broad Street and 7th Street)
It is recommended that you park north of Broad Street for the start of the race. There is a large surface parking lot just off 9th street north of Marshall. This is a good lot for spectators. After watching the start of the race you will want to go to the first party spot at River Road Shopping Center

Starbuck’s River Road Shopping Center (Mile 7)
Take 7th street north to Interstate 95 North. Once on 95 North take 64 West. Get off at the Glenside Drive Exit (heading south). Make a right turn on Forest Avenue. Follow Forest for several miles and it will cross Patterson Avenue. Continue on Forest and it will eventually turn into Ridge. Stay straight on Ridge until River Road. Go left on River Road for ½ mile. River Road Shopping Center is on your right. Park in the shopping center lot and the party spot will be across Huguenot Road in front of Starbucks. Do not park on the Starbucks side of the road. You will get trapped by the runners.

CVS on Forest Hill Avenue (Mile 12.9)
From River Road Shopping Center proceed south on Cary Street across the Huguenot Bridge. Continue on the Huguenot Bridge until Chippenham Park way (Route 150) and take the second exit heading south. Take Chippenham Parkway south until Jahnke Road. Make a right turn onto Jahnke Road and go back under Chippenham Parkway. Make a right turn onto Forest Hill Avenue. Park on the right hand side of the road by Blockbuster and cross the street by foot to the party in the CVS lot.

CVS on the Boulevard (Mile 19)
Return the way you came on Jahnke Road and get on Chippenham Parkway heading north. Take the first exit onto the Powhite Parkway heading north. Have 70 cents ready for the toll booth. Stay on Powhite Parkway across the river. Stay in the left Lane and continue on 195 North. In two miles you will see an exit onto 95 south. Take 95 South and at the first exit after ¼ mile get off on the Boulevard. At the bottom of the exit ramp take a right hand turn. Stay in the right lane and you will cross over an overpass over the railroad tracks. The party spot is on your left prior to the intersection with Broad Street. Park on the right hand side of the road. (Do not drive across the runners’ path or you will get trapped by the runners).

Finish Line Festival (Mile 26.2)
Take the Boulevard to the north and get onto I-95 North. Once on 95 stay right and exit right away onto 64 west and 195 south. Get into the left lane on the exit ramp and take 195 south. After 2 miles exit onto the Downtown Expressway (70 cent toll). Get off at the 7th and 9th Street exit off of the Downtown Expressway. Stay right on the exit ramp and this puts you onto Byrd Street. Go left at 10th Street and park on the street or in parking lots in this area. The finish line is at 10th and Cary.

 

McDonald’s Half Marathon Party Zone
Recommended Directions

For friends and family of McDonald’s Half Marathon competitors we have put together a spectator tour of the course. The tour includes the start and finish of the half marathon as well as a party zone on the course. Because of road closings, the preferred routes are sometimes different than you would normally travel.

Start (Broad Street and 7th Street)
It is recommended that you park north of Broad Street for the start of the race. There is a large surface parking lot just off 9th street north of Marshall. This is a good lot for spectators. After watching the start of the race you will want to go to the party zone at Bryan Park.

Bryan Park Party Zone (Mile 7)
Take 7th street north to Interstate 95 North. Once on 95 North take the Hermitage Road exit.  At the end of the exit ramp stay to the right onto Westbrook Avenue.  Make a right turn at the light onto Hermitage Road.   Go past the entrance to Bryan Park and make a left turn at the bottom of the hill on Bryan Park Avenue.  Park on Bryan Park Avenue or in the surrounding neighborhood.  Walk across the 2nd bridge across the lake to the Bryan Park Party Zone.

Finish Line Festival—(9th and Cary Street) (Mile 13.1)
Take Bryan Park Drive back to Hermitage Road and make a right.  Get onto Interstate 95 heading south.   After 5 miles exit onto the Downtown Expressway which is exit 74a.  Stay in the right lane and get off at the first exit onto Canal Street.  You will need to pay a $.30 toll.    The exit ramp puts you on Canal Street at 10th Street.   You are one block from the finish line.  There is on street parking as well as parking garages in this area.