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2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay race photo

2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USNov 7, 202642.195km · 21.1km · 10km +1 more events
Zeete · CC BY-SA 4.0
Race date in 23 days
Nov 7, 2026 Sat
City · Distance
Lexington · 42.195km · 21.1km · 10km +1 more events
Entry fee
$89Varies by event and entry period
Status
OpenSat, August 1, 2026 ~ Fri, November 6, 2026See how to enter ↗
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 15, 2026
2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay race photo
Zeete · CC BY-SA 4.0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

This is the 11th edition of the race, held on November 7, 2026.

The events are full marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, and a marathon relay.

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.

2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

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

Race reports: 2
RAstrong12Ran in 2024
“I felt so accomplished to just finish, be done with it, but also to give it my all!”

At the Chessie Trail half marathon, the runner followed gravel paths beside the river and pastures. They slowed late on and lacked water, but finished without walking and celebrated with family.

Read the original on Reddit r/running
annecreatesRan in 2022
“My running partner, Becky, carried me mentally through most of this race.”

At the Chessie Trail Marathon, knee pain and an out-and-back course repeated four times made the race tough, but a running partner helped the runner finish. With 15 minutes left before the course closed, the runner was last across the finish.

Read the original on Anne the Vegan

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.

Finisher vlog

Blake Ulmer · Finisher vlog

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 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay — 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 $89

until Nov 6, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

5K

Entry cost $42

until Nov 6, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay course map and elevation

Your 42.195km

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

Runners start · local timeFrom 08:00
EventStart
Marathon42.195km08:00
Half21.0975km08:00
10K10km08:15
5K5km08:25
26.2 Relay42.195km08:00
START

Chessie Trail-McKethan Park, Lexington, VA

Start · Google Maps
FINISH

McKethan Park

Finish · Google Maps
Show more

The event is divided into 9 categories, including Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K.

The start takes place at 8:00 AM local time at Chessie Trail-McKethan Park, Lexington, VA.

Course is an out-and-back course that retraces the same route.

Typical race-season temperature: around 9°C (48°F)
Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Where and when to collect your 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

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

From the 2025 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

For the Chessie Trail Marathon in Lexington, packet pickup details have not been published.

McKethan Park, 79 McKethan Park

Google MapsDirections

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startNo public transit available.

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

No public transit available. Start/finish at Jordan's Point Park / McKethan Park (79 McKethan Park, Lexington, VA), on the Chessie Trail near the I-81 overpass, outside downtown Lexington.

This is a rural trailhead reached by car only. Small rural race; foreign runners should plan on renting a car or taking a taxi/rideshare from Lexington or Roanoke.

McKethan Park parking opens at 06:30 (free).

Getting to the finish

Same location as start (out-and-back/loop course). Parking opens 6:30am at McKethan Park, signed from Old Buena Vista Road.

Start shuttle

No organizer shuttle; private car/parking only. Lexington, VA has no metro/subway and no relevant local bus route to this trailhead.

Source · checked Aug 22, 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 course for course, the Chessie Nature Trail,

is a former railroad and canal corridor about 7 miles long connecting Lexington and Buena Vista at the southern end of the Shenandoah Valley.

It follows part of the old Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad line and the James River and Kanawha Canal towpath, and the surface —

packed gravel and grass — is flat and fast.

This trail has twice been ranked among the top 3 recreational trails in the country.

The Marathon and half marathon start at the midpoint of the trail,

splitting into out-and-back sections toward Buena Vista and Lexington, and both start at 8:00 AM.

Wildlife such as deer, turkeys, otters, and ospreys can be seen along course.

Times are local to Lexington. 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.

Lexington Car Rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Hotels near the 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay start line in Lexington

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

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

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Trip.comClosest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

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

Lexington Car Rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

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

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Lexington.

Total cost and budget for 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

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

Runner stories and questions about 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Lexington runners' room

Frequently asked questions about 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay

FAQ
When does 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay take place?

It takes place on Sat, November 7, 2026 in Lexington, VA, United States.

How much is the 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay entry fee?

The main event costs $89.

What distances does 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay offer?

Marathon · Half · 10K · 5K.

What time does 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay start?

The race starts at 08:00.

Where does 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay start?

Chessie Trail-McKethan Park, Lexington, VA.

What is the 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay course like?

The event is divided into 9 categories, including Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K.

The start takes place at 8:00 AM local time at Chessie Trail-McKethan Park, Lexington, VA.

When does registration for 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay open?

Registration runs from Sat, August 1, 2026 to Fri, November 6, 2026.

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