Nashville Half Marathon 2026: A Local's Race-Weekend Preview

The Nashville Half Marathon & 5K is this Saturday, October 24. The half starts at 7:00 AM at First Horizon Park, and the city is going to be full of people in race shirts by sunrise.

I won't be on the start line. I'm still rebuilding toward a spring marathon after getting comfortable (more on that in Back on the Road). But it's a hometown race, and the logistics are worth getting right. Here's the rundown, pulled from Run Nash's race page and road closure notice.

The expo is Friday, October 23, from 12:00 to 6:00 PM at First Horizon Park. Go then. Race-morning pickup exists (5:30 to 6:45 AM, same place), but Run Nash says it's "strongly discouraged," and it comes with a required $10 donation to the American Cancer Society.

Can't make it Friday? A friend can grab your packet with your confirmation email and a copy of your ID. Each person can pick up one extra packet.

• Half Marathon: 7:00 AM, First Horizon Park. 4-hour time limit.
• 5K: 7:15 AM, First Horizon Park. 1-hour time limit.
• Finish line: back at First Horizon Park, open 7:00 to 11:30 AM, with the finish festival running until noon.

There's one cutoff on the half: you need to be past mile 8.8 by 9:50 AM. Miss it and you'll be routed onto a shortcut. Walking is allowed, so if you plan to walk a lot, do that math before Saturday.

Pace groups run from 1:30 to 4:00. Find yours and let somebody else worry about the splits.

The half course map starts and finishes at the ballpark. Going by the aid station list, it passes Russell Street in East Nashville, Davidson Street, 2nd Avenue at the pedestrian bridge, the Gulch Greenway, Music Square East on Music Row, and Demonbreun.

Aid stations are at miles 1.4, 2.7, 4.1, 5.6, 7, 8.7, 10.6 and 11.7, with water and electrolytes, plus gels at mile 7. The 5K gets one water stop around halfway. The course can still change at the city's call, so read the official race guide when it hits your inbox.

Run Nash says to park in state lots 8, 12, 14 or 15, on the street, or in paid lots. Lot 12 is ADA parking and Lot 14 is for volunteers and staff. The Farmers' Market lots are no parking. The state lots sit on or near the course, so arrive early and expect to stay put until roads reopen.

Not racing but driving downtown? Expect closures from 7:00 to about 11:30 AM. Cars left in no-parking zones like Titans Way, Victory Avenue, Music Square East and Demonbreun get towed. Run Nash suggests 12th Ave S to dodge Music Row and Jefferson Street to cross between East and West Nashville. The full closure list has the rest.

Registration is still open for the half. It was $135 on Race Roster when I checked Wednesday night, and it stays open until race-morning packet pickup closes or the race sells out. The 5K is sold out. Entries can't be refunded or deferred, but you can transfer to a friend for $5.

The weather looks great. The National Weather Service forecast for Saturday is sunny with a high near 78. Friday night's low is around 48, so it'll be cool at the start and warm by the end. Dress for the start and use those aid stations.

Leave the dog at home. Dogs aren't allowed. Strollers get their own start sections.

There's a run club prize. The Run Club Challenge, presented by Run This, recognizes the largest, fastest and slowest clubs, and the winner gets to "Bring Home the Boot."

It's a fundraiser. The race supports the American Cancer Society, and Race Roster showed about $36,800 raised toward a $45,000 goal.

If you're running Saturday: get your packet Friday, park in the right lot, start slower than you want to, and enjoy the city.

If this gets you thinking about what's next, my Middle Tennessee race list runs from the Boulevard Bolt to Rock 'n' Roll Nashville. And Limitless Running Club is coming back, with limitlessrunningclub.com relaunching by the end of the year.

Good luck out there. Go get that medal.

• Run Nash, Nashville Half Marathon & 5K race page
• Run Nash, Nashville Half Marathon & 5K road closure notice (Oct 9, 2026)
• Run Nash, full road closure spreadsheet
• 2026 Nashville Half Marathon course map (Run Nash on plotaroute)
• 2026 Nashville 5K course map (Run Nash on plotaroute)
• Race Roster registration page
• National Weather Service forecast, Nashville
• Nashville Downtown Partnership parking