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Asheville Marathon and Half race photo

Asheville Marathon and Half

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USMar 20, 202742.195km · 21.1km
Michael Tracey · CC0
Race date in 166 days
Mar 20, 2027 Sat
City · Distance
Asheville · 42.195km · 21.1km
Entry fee
$131Varies by event and entry period
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 5, 2026
Asheville Marathon and Half race photo
Michael Tracey · CC0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Asheville Marathon and Half — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

This is the Asheville Marathon, marking its 15th anniversary.

The course passes through historic neighborhoods and downtown streets and the River Arts District, following the French Broad River.

The events are full marathon and half marathon.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Asheville Marathon and Half runner reviews and race reports

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

2 race reports
DarleneRan in 2026
“It was so fun to be out there and soaking up the racing atmosphere.”

At the 2026 Asheville half marathon, Darlene ran or walked the relentless hills while coping with heat and thirst. Rather than focus on the clock, they enjoyed river and mountain views, the arts district, and time with friends, finishing first in their age group.

Read the original on My First 5K and More…
Tanner AmrhienRan in 2026 · Finish time 03:24:04
“I am appreciative of their incredible planning to make events like the AVL Marathon and Half work.”

Tanner Amrhein felt the strain of the early hills at the 2026 Asheville Marathon but ran fast downhill, enjoyed the crowd support, and finished in 3 hours, 24 minutes, 4 seconds. They improved on the previous year's result at this race and fondly recalled the Blue Ridge Mountain views and warm local support.

Read the original on Team RunRun

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Marathon Course at Asheville Marathon

tricraft running

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter Asheville Marathon and Half — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

Marathon

Entry cost $131

Marathon (Downtown AVL) · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Half

Entry cost $114.88

Half Marathon (Downtown AVL) · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Registration platform Race Roster

Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Asheville Marathon and Half course map and elevation

The 42.195km I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:30
Time limit2:00 PM course time limit
City center · not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet. The map shows the host city.

START

Pack Square Park, Court Plaza, Asheville, NC 28801

FINISH

Pack Square Park, Court Plaza, Asheville, NC, USA

Finish · Google Maps

The events are Marathon (Downtown AVL) and Half Marathon (Downtown AVL).

The start is in Asheville, NC, at 7:30 a.m. local time.

Typical race-season temperature: around 7°C (45°F)
Long sleeves + a throwaway layer for the start

Participant benefits

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Bag drop

Where and when to collect your Asheville Marathon and Half race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

Bib pickup

3/19 (Fri) 11:00~19:00 Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown, 3/20 (Sat) 06:00~07:00 Emergency bib only

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

ART (Asheville Rides Transit) Transit Station, 49 Coxe Avenue, roughly a 10-15 min walk from Pack Square Park; routes WE2, S2, and Route 1 (South Slope) serve stops near Pack Square/City Hall

Race starts at Pack Square Park, Court Plaza, downtown Asheville, NC.

Downtown start is walkable/bus-accessible via ART;

details sourced from the 2025 edition's parking/shuttle page since the 2027 edition's equivalent subpage wasn't separately checked —

pattern recurs annually per the organizer.

Getting to the finish

Finish is at New Belgium Brewing, a few miles from downtown along the river — less directly transit-accessible than the start

Organizer-run hotel shuttles (see shuttle field) are the practical way to get between the finish/start areas without a car.

Road closures

Finish→Free shuttle to departure location (value $20)

More details

Complimentary shuttle for runners staying at DoubleTree Biltmore Village or Hampton Inn & Suites Biltmore Village: departs 5:45-7:00am from the rear of the DoubleTree (near Vanderbilt Ave) to the start line;

return shuttles run continuously 8:00am-2:30pm from the start/finish area back to hotels.

Bib required to board;

spectators can buy a $20 shuttle ticket.

Stations & transport near the venue

Asheville has a small municipal bus system (ART) but it has no widely used dedicated fare card and is not geared toward race-day logistics;

most visitors arrive by car or rideshare.

Standard car/parking access applies for this marathon.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

The Asheville Marathon & half marathon has traditionally offered packet pickup and Expo from the afternoon through the evening on the day before the race at the DoubleTree by Hilton Asheville-Biltmore Village near downtown (based on the previous year).

An additional early-morning emergency pickup window is available at the Hilton Garden Inn Asheville Downtown on race day for runners who need to collect only bib again.

Bib includes the timing chip, so participants are generally required to collect it in person;

a T-shirt and goody bag are also provided.

For runners unable to attend in person, an option was available to pay an additional $20 and receive bib and the T-shirt by mail 1–2 weeks before the race.

Even in this case, runners are instructed to visit the pickup site before or after the race to exchange bib.

Times are local to Asheville. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels near the Asheville Marathon and Half start line in

Hotels that make race morning easy

7 places

Distances are straight-line from the start.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

The Views Over Pack Square | Arras Vacation Rental

Accommodation · 120m

9.6/10(13)
View on Booking.com

Arras Altitude Adjustment | Arras Vacation Rentals

Accommodation · 120m

9.6/10(10)
View on Booking.com

Impressive 2 bed 2 and a half bath City Center Condo with EV Charger

Accommodation · 124m

9.5/10(8)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

23 experiences

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

Asheville｜Private Airport Pickup/Drop-off Service at Asheville Airport

$157

View on Klook

Asheville Car Rental (Qeeq)

Compare budget-friendly rental cars with a free-cancellation option (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Qeeq

Asheville Airport Pickup (Welcome)

Local driver pick-up, flight delay monitoring included (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Book after checking price

View on Welcome Pickups
Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on mapSeeing Asheville with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Distances and ratings for food and sights come from the place provider, and experiences are travel products in Asheville.

Total cost and budget for Asheville Marathon and Half

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · YesimFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Asheville Marathon and Half

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Asheville runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Asheville Marathon and Half

FAQ
When does Asheville Marathon and Half 2027 take place?

It takes place on Sat, March 20, 2027 in Asheville, NC, United States.

How much is the Asheville Marathon and Half 2027 entry fee?

The main event costs $131.

What is the time limit for Asheville Marathon and Half 2027?

2:00 PM course time limit.

What distances does Asheville Marathon and Half 2027 offer?

Marathon · Half.

What time does Asheville Marathon and Half 2027 start?

The race starts at 07:30.

Where does Asheville Marathon and Half 2027 start?

Pack Square Park, Court Plaza, Asheville, NC 28801.

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