Fort Smith Marathon

Event overview

The Fort Smith Marathon, Half Marathon and 5-Leg Marathon Relay are scheduled for March 29, 2026 in Fort Smith, Arkansas (postal code 72901). The start and finish for the half and full marathon are at the pavilion on 100 N B Street in Fort Smith. The race program includes a full marathon, a half marathon and a five-leg relay that follows the marathon course in segments.

Course, aid stations and logistics

The marathon course passes through historic downtown Fort Smith, residential neighborhoods and paved trails. The route features rolling terrain with several climbs and descents. The half marathon follows the marathon route until about mile 7.5, then rejoins the marathon around mile 9.

Relay leg distances and approximate elevation gains:

• Leg 1: 5.4 miles, ~260 ft elevation gain
• Leg 2: 4.8 miles, ~114 ft elevation gain
• Leg 3: 4.5 miles, ~262 ft elevation gain
• Leg 4: 6.3 miles, ~237 ft elevation gain
• Leg 5: 5.5 miles, ~237 ft elevation gain

Aid stations on the marathon course provide water, Gatorade and basic first-aid; portable toilets are at some stations. Nutrition is available at aid stations 5 through 11 and includes items such as GU packets, pretzels, gummy bears, Oreos and pickles. Relay exchange locations are listed at roughly miles 5.3, 10, 15 and 20.5.

The event uses a rolling course closure with hard cutoffs at checkpoints; runners who exceed checkpoint cutoff times will be removed from the course and transported back to the start. Packet pickup is held in advance at True Grit Running Co on the days before the race. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.

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