Spectator Information

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

SunTrust/NBC12 Party Locations Cater to Spectators
Friends or relatives wanting to spectate along the course will want to visit one of our special SunTrust/NBC12 Party Zones. Each location will feature music, refreshments 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 Ellwoood Thompson's Local Market Finish Line Festival. For a list of bands scheduled to play, click here.

Ellwood Thompson'S Local MARKET POST-RACE CELEBRATION
The Ellwood Thompson's Local Market 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
NOTE: The directions listed below take into account street closures on Race Day.

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)	Spaces
5th & Marshall	800
7th & Marshall	300
Parking Near the Finish	Spaces
James Center (10th & Canal)	700
12th & Canal	400
100 Virginia Street	300
Crowne Plaza (5th & Canal)	200

5TH & MARSHALL DECK (Located approximately 3-4 blocks from all race starts at the northeast corner of 5th and Marshall Streets. Entrances are located on 5th and on Marshall.)

From the North & West: Take I-95 South/I-64 East to the 3rd Street exit (Exit 75). Follow 3rd Street South to Marshall Street. Make a left on Marshall Street. The entrance to the deck is located on the left side of Marshall Street, immediately after crossing 5th Street.
From the East: Take I-64 West and use the 5th Street exit (Exit 190). Follow 5th Street and make a right onto Jackson Street. Make a left onto 3rd Street. Follow 3rd Street South to Marshall Street. Make a left on Marshall Street. The entrance to the deck is located on the left side of Marshall Street, immediately after crossing 5th Street.

7TH & MARSHALL DECK (Located approximately 1-3 blocks from all race starts at the southwest corner of 7th and Marshall Streets)

From the North & West: Take I-95 South/I-64 East to the 3rd Street exit (Exit 75). Follow 3rd Street South to Marshall Street. Make a left on Marshall Street. Go East on Marshall Street and make a right on 7th Street (this is normally One Way in the opposite direction, but a police officer will be there to direct cars onto 7th Street. The entrance to the deck will be immediately on your right.
From the East: Take I-64 West and use the 5th Street exit (Exit 190). Follow 5th Street and make a right onto Jackson Street. Make a left onto 3rd Street. Follow 3rd Street South to Marshall Street. Make a left on Marshall Street. Go East on Marshall Street and make a right on 7th Street (this is normally One Way in the opposite direction, but a police officer will be there to direct cars onto 7th Street. The entrance to the deck will be immediately on your right.

JAMES CENTER DECK (Located adjacent to the Finish Line on the north side of Canal Street between 10th & 12th. On Race Day, there are available entrances on 10th, 12th and Canal Streets.)

From the East or West: I-64 to I-95 South. Follow the directions below.
From the North or South: I-95 from the north or south to Exit 74A (Downtown Expressway). Take Canal St. Exit and turn right onto 10th Street. Entrance to deck is on your right.

12TH & CANAL DECK (Located 2 blocks from the Finish Line on the northeast corner of 12th and Canal Streets)

From the East and West: I-64 to I-95 South. Follow directions below.
From the North: I-95 South to Exit 74B (Franklin Street). Turn right onto E. Franklin St. Turn left at light onto 14th Street. Turn right at third light onto Canal St. Go two blocks and Turn right onto 12th Street. Parking deck entrance is on your right.
From the South: I-95 from the north or south to Exit 74A (Downtown Expressway). Take Canal St. Exit. Make first left onto 10th Street heading South. Make first left on to Byrd Street heading east. Follow Byrd Street as it curves back under Expressway and then stay straight across Canal Street to 12th Street. Parking deck entrance is on your right.

100 VIRGINIA STREET DECK (Located 4 blocks from the Finish Line on the northwest corner of Canal and Virginia Streets)

From the East and West: I-64 to I-95. Follow directions below.
From the North: I-95 South to Exit 74B (Franklin Street). Turn right onto E. Franklin St. Turn left at light onto 14th Street. Turn right at third light onto Canal St. Go one block and Turn right onto 14th Street. The entrance to the deck is on your left.
From the South: I-95 from the north or south to Exit 74A (Downtown Expressway). Take Canal St. Exit. Make first left onto 10th Street heading South. Make first left on to Byrd Street heading east. Follow Byrd Street as it curves back under Expressway and then stay straight across Canal Street to 12th Street. Make a right on to Cary Street heading east. Go two blocks and make a right on to Virginia Street. Parking deck entrance is on your right.

CROWNE PLAZA DECK (Located 6 blocks from the Finish Line on the southeast corner of Canal and 5th Streets.)

From the all directions: I-95 from the north or south to Exit 74A (Downtown Expressway). Take Canal St. Exit and go five blocks to 5th Street. Make a left on to 5th Street. The entrance to the deck is on your left.

To print out a list of parking decks and rates, courtesy of RideFinders.com, click here.

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.

---

SunTrust/ NBC12 Party Zones
Recommended Directions

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 east. Take Chippenham Parkway east 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 west. 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 (50 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.