Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival
Always double-check with the organizer's website! This page may contain affiliate links.
Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival
The Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival is a multi-distance event held in the mountain town of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. The festival features races on both Saturday and Sunday, primarily utilizing the Lehigh Gorge State Park rail-trail system. The courses consist of wide, smooth, hard-packed earth and gravel surfaces along former railroad beds.
The full marathon is a point-to-point course and a Boston Qualifier. It features a net downgrade of approximately 700 feet, with a steady 0.5% to 1% decline for nearly the entire duration. The half marathon is an out-and-back route that remains flat as it follows the rail-trail parallel to the Lehigh River.
Available distances include:
- Full Marathon (26.2 Miles)
- Half Marathon (13.1 Miles)
- 7-Miler
- The Full Super Two-Fer (39.3 Miles): A combination of the half marathon on Saturday and the full marathon on Sunday.
For the full marathon and the 7-miler, participants have the option to take a scenic train ride from the Jim Thorpe Station to the starting lines located in more remote areas of the park. Alternatively, runners for the full marathon may choose a separate starting option involving a shuttle bus from a designated park-and-ride lot.
On-course support includes hydration stations featuring water and electrolyte products. Due to the remote nature of the trail, cell phone service is limited, and the marathon course is monitored by bike and ATV teams. All finishers receive a commemorative medal specific to their event. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
