So there’s a marathon this weekend…
An estimated 16,000 people (including representatives from 47 states and 16 countries) will be hightailing it all around Richmond on Saturday, and we’ve got all the info you need, all in one place (whether you’re partaking in the fun or not).
An estimated 16,000 people (including representatives from 47 states and 16 countries) will be hightailing it all around Richmond on Saturday, and we’ve got all the info you need, all in one place (whether you’re partaking in the fun or not).
Weather
The forecast currently shows lows in the upper-30s and highs in the mid- to upper-60s with LOTS of sunshine. I have no idea if this is ideal running weather or not, but it looks as if it’s going to be pretty pleasant.
Schedule & routes
There are actually three races happening this weekend: the HCA VA 8k, the McDonald’s Half Marathon, and the SunTrust Richmond Marathon. They all finish on Cary, east of 9th Street, but start times and location vary.
8k
Starts at 7am between 8th and 9th Streets on Broad Street, on the east side of the library.
Written course description | Printable course map
Half marathon
Starts at 7:30am just east of 7th Street on Broad Street.
Written course description | Printable course map
Marathon
Starts at 8am just east of 7th Street on Broad Street heading west in the westbound lanes. There is a seven hour limit on the race and the course will close at 3pm.
Written course description | Printable course map
Road closures
This is the big one for all Richmonders whether you’re running the race, cheering for the runners, or trying to avoid all of the hullabaloo completely.
Different roads are closed at different times throughout the event, and it can be quite confusing. If you’re planning on heading out of the house you can 1) plan for it to take longer than expected or 2) don’t schedule anything until after 5pm when everything will be back open again (we hope — with all of the work that’s been going on with city roads, it’s kind of a toss-up).
So here’s where you can’t drive and when on Saturday. Prepare yourself because it’s quite extensive:
- Cary Street will be closed between 3rd and 12th Streets from 4am to 5pm. The recommended detour is southbound 3rd Street to Byrd Street. Byrd Street will bear left and intersect Canal Street. Follow Canal east to 14th Street.
- Broad Street (both eastbound and westbound) between 5th and 11th Streets will be closed to traffic from 4am to 9am. Westbound traffic will be detoured north onto 11th Street and west on Leigh Street to the Boulevard.
- Broad Street (both eastbound and westbound) between 5th Street and N. Boulevard will be closed from 6am to 9am. Eastbound traffic will be detoured north on Sheppard Street, east on Marshall Street, north on the Boulevard, east on Leigh Street, south on 10th Street, east on Marshall Street, south on 12th Street back to Broad Street.
- Grace Street from Allen Avenue to 3rd Street will be closed from 6am to 3pm.
- 3rd Street from Broad Street to Cary Street will be closed from 6am to 3pm.
- Mulberry Street between Broad Street and Monument Avenue will be closed from 6am to 9am for the 8K.
- Grace Street will be closed between Boulevard and Allen Avenue from 6am to 9am for the 8K.
- Lombardy Street between Brook Road and Monument Ave will be closed from 7am to 3pm.
- North Boulevard northbound from Broad Street to Hermitage Road will be closed from 7am to 10am for the McDonald’s Half Marathon.
- Hermitage Road northbound from Boulevard to Pope Avenue will be closed from 7am to 10am for the McDonald’s Half Marathon.
- Brookland Parkway eastbound from Hermitage Road to Lamont Street will be closed from 7am to 10am for the McDonald’s Half Marathon.
- Bellvue Avenue from Hermitage Road to Bryan Park entrance will be closed from 7am to 10am for the McDonald’s Half Marathon.
- Monument Avenue westbound between Mulberry and Westmoreland will be closed from 7:30 to 9:30am.
- Grove Avenue westbound between Commonwealth and Maple will be closed from 7:30 to 10am.
- Maple Avenue from Grove to Cary Street will be closed from 7:30am to 10am.
- Riverside Drive will be closed from the Huguenot Bridge to Scottview Drive from 6am to Noon.
- Forest Hill Avenue westbound from Roanoke Street to W. 47th Street will be closed from 8am to 11:30am.
- Belvidere Street northbound at Grace Street will be closed from 7am to 3pm. The recommended detour will be east on Byrd Street to the Downtown Expressway eastbound to I-95 northbound.
- Belvidere Street southbound between Broad and Grace Streets will be closed from 7am to 3pm. The recommended detour for southbound Belvidere Street will be onto I-95 southbound just north of Leigh Street.
- The Huguenot Bridge will be closed to northbound traffic from 8am to approximately 11am. Northbound traffic on Huguenot Road will be detoured north from Huguenot Road onto Chippenham Parkway to the Willey Bridge.
- The southbound exit ramp from the Powhite Parkway to Forest Hill Avenue and the northbound entrance ramp from westbound Forest Hill Avenue onto the Powhite Parkway will be closed to traffic from 8am until approximately 11am.
There will also be numerous and frequent lane closures along the Marathon, Half Marathon, and 8k routes, including closures on: Broad Street, North Boulevard, Monument Avenue, Grove Avenue, Maple Avenue, Cary Street Road, River Road, Scottview Drive, Forest Hill Avenue, Semmes Avenue, the Lee Bridge, Belvidere Street, West Main Street, Hermitage Road, Fauqier Avenue, Brook Road. So if you happen to driving in those areas, please watch out for runners.
Parking
You could try parking on the street, but that might be more trouble than it’s worth will all of those closures. If a more organization parking situation is more of your race day jam, try these lots and decks, as suggested by Sports Backers.
Near the start
- 3rd & Marshall
- 5th & Marshall
- 7th & Marshall
- 8th & Marshall (surface lot)
- 5th & Broad (surface lot)
Near the finish
- Federal Reserve (5th & Byrd)
- James Center (10th & Canal)
- Crowne Plaza (5th & Canal)
- 3rd & Main (surface lot)
- 4th & Cary (surface lot)
Party zones
For those of you not running but still want to be part of the fun, there will be “party zones” set up all along where those watching the race can get in on the fun, with the help of some of Richmond’s favorite bands.
Finish Line Festival
- 10th and Cary Streets
- Featuring Glennroy & Company, Susan Greenbaum, and Funk Brothers
SunTrust/NBC 12 Party Zone #1
- Starbucks at River Road Shopping Center (corner of Huguenot and River Roads)
- Featuring 3rd Wave
SunTrust/NBC 12 Party Zone #2
- CVS Pharmacy at corner of Forest Hill and Westover Hills
- Featuring Tin foil Militia
SunTrust/NBC 12 Party Zone #3
- CVS Pharmacy at corner of Broad Street & Boulevard
- Featuring The Dirty Truth
SunTrust/NBC 12 HALF Marathon Party Zone
- Picnic Shelter #1 in Bryan Park (off of Hermitage, near the I-95 exit)
- Featuring MuddGoose
Additional performers
There will also be several bands set up along the marathon course to give the runners a little background music.
- U of R Taiko Ensemble: W. Broad & Belvidere
- 2G: W. Broad & Bowe Streets
- Deep Fried Mojo: Monument & Boulevard (west median)
- Jangling Reinharts: Monument Avenue & Westmoreland Avenue
- Johnny Lee Long & Company: 5804 Grove Ave (in front of Paper Plus)
- Nine Mile Island: Riverside Drive (bottom of on-ramp)
- No Limit: Riverside Drive at the Pony Pasture Overlook
- In With the Old: 6228 Forest Hill Ave. (Willow Oaks Country Club Entrance — )
- Yoke Fellows: Forest Fill Avenue & Leicester Road
- Ingrid’s Dance Theater: Forest Hill Park (Forest Hill Avenue and W. 41st Street)
- DJ EZ-HUTCH: Crossroads (Forest Hill Avenue & Semmes Avenue)
- DJ Derek Brown: Semmes Avenue & 30th Street
- 3:16 Athletics: South End of the Lee Bridge
- Funk Brothers: Monroe Park (at Belvidere & Main Streets)
- Groove Juice: Home Team Grill (Main & Vine Streets)
- Lifeline: Main Street & Shields Avenue
- Richmond Rock Exchange: Star-Lite (Main & Robinson Streets)
- Offering: Monument Avenue & Boulevard
- Bad Fun: Holiday Inn (N. Boulevard and I-95)
- DJ Lil Lou: Brook Road & Laburnum Street
- Gospel Stage: Brook Road & Lombardy Street
Best of luck to everyone who’s running this weekend! We’ll have a photographer out taking pictures, so make sure to smile pretty for the camera. Or, you know, do whatever you want because you just ran lots of miles for no other reason than BECAUSE YOU COULD.
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Valerie Catrow
Valerie Catrow is editor of RVAFamily, mother to a mop-topped first grader, and always really excited to go to bed.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
For me, it’s not just what streets I can’t drive on, but it’s where and when I can cross a major race thoroughfare like Boulevard. Can someone clue me in on that? If I’m in the Fan, am I just stuck?
I would assume stuckness even if you’re not. It’s just easier.
Last year I forgot about the marathon entirely and was coming from north of town and got absolutely locked up on Broad. Tried turning around after half an hour of creeping forward only to be stymied every time I wanted to turn south and get back into the Fan.
We ended up downtown and just stayed there a few hours until things cleared up a bit, and even then we had to take a roundabout route within the Fan to get to our destination. Annoying.
Geez, it looks like I’m headed to Short Pump to avoid the traffic.
i had the same issue last year on my way to work…i was an hour late even though i left half an hour early and mapped out my route.
Crisis averted! Parked in the Museum District overnight and walked to my car in the morning. Making a mental note for next year…