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The San Antonio Marathon will have its inaugural race this Sunday. Runners will traverse a course of 26.5 miles through city landmarks, such as the Alamo, Brackenridge Park, the Botanical Gardens, The Pearl and Hemisfair.
City officials gathered at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center on Monday to host a “Know Before You Go” gathering to share information about the races this weekend.
The half marathon and marathon both begin at 7:15 a.m. Sunday starting at Main Plaza and ending at Hemisfair.
Several major roads will be closed in downtown, near the Pearl, Olmos Park and other areas. Broadway, Losoya Street, and some exits off of 281 will be shut down or restricted.
Access on Commerce and Market Streets between Bowie and Alamo will also be limited. The I-37 Commerce Street northbound and southbound exits will close at 4 a.m. Sunday.
VIA Metropolitan Transits buses will be on detour along scheduled routes.
See a full list of impacted streets at sanantoniomarathon.com.
San Antonio Sports CEO Jenny Carnes said SA Sports has been dreaming of hosting a signature running event since they first hosted the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in 2008.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome the runners from all across the city, from all 50 states and from over 25 countries to experience the best of San Antonio,” Carnes said.
More than 18,000 runners are expected to participate in San Antonio’s first signature marathon.
Course maps for SATX 5K and Half Marathon can be found here.
Medical stations will be located at the start and finish line. There will also be water, electrolytes and restroom stations throughout the courses. Gel stations will only be available for the half and full marathons.
According to the National Weather Service, Sunday’s weather will greet runners with morning lows in the 40s and reach highs in the 70s, with clear skies for a bright finish.
City Manager Erik Walsh recommended residents and visitors visit sanantoniomarathon.com ahead of time to plan ahead of road closures and detours. The website offers available parking options and rideshare drop-off locations.
San Antonio Police Department Chief William McManus said the city will be offering complimentary parking at Lots B and C of the Alamodome starting at 5 a.m. the day of the marathon only.
“We want runners of all backgrounds and experience levels to know that you are inspiring more people than you realize,” said Downtown Run Group founder, Santino Corrales. “And if you’re not running, please come cheer on everyone that has put in the hard work to be out there. Cheer on your running buddies, cheer on your spouse, your family members. We need all the support. We've got to make this an amazing experience for years to come.”
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the half marathon will take place on Sunday.
