Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival
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Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival : April 25–26, 2026
The festival in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, features multiple road and rail-trail races that run through Lehigh Gorge State Park and along the Lehigh River. The course uses wide, smooth, hard-packed earth and gravel rail-trails. The full marathon is a point-to-point Boston-qualifying course with a reported net drop of about 700 feet and a steady 0.5 to 1 percent downgrade for much of the route.
Race options include:
- Half Marathon - 13.1 miles
- Full Marathon (train start option) - 26.2 miles
- 7-Miler with scenic train to the start - 7 miles
- Full Super Two-Fer (half and full) - 39.3 miles
- Full Marathon (return shuttle option) - 26.2 miles
On-course support includes water and UCAN hydration roughly every two miles for the half, and multiple stations for the full marathon (miles 2, 4, 6.5, 9, 11.75, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24). First aid kits are available at each station. Train riders can leave a small bag on the train for return to the finish; organizers advise against leaving valuables.
Logistics notes: premium parking near the finish is available by pre-purchase, free off-site parking with shuttle service is provided, and a limited number of spectator train tickets are available. No day-of packet pickup is offered; bib pickup is scheduled in advance. Awards and finisher items are provided, and volunteer roles include a race T-shirt and charitable donations per volunteer. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
