Run the River

Schedule

The start time for both the marathon and relay will be 8:00 am and the course will close at 2:00 pm.  If you need more time, you can start early at 7:00 am, although you will not be eligible for awards.  If you need even more time than that, please reach out and we will try and make suitable arrangements but note that starting at any time other than 7 or 8 requires previous approval. 

The start time for the half marathon will be 9:00 am and then the 5k race will start at 9:30 am.  No early starts are available for either of those distances.

Preregistered runners can pickup their numbers and goodies on Friday April 19th from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Runners Soul in Kennewick (5020 W Clearwater Ave).  In-person registration will also be available at this time - please plan to pay with cash, check, or Venmo.  

Race numbers can also be picked up race morning starting at 6:30 am at the start/finish area.  In-person registration will be available up until 30 minutes before the race start time.

Course

This flat and fast course is on the roads and paved paths along the Columbia River in all three cities, with the start/finish line at the Lampson Pits in Columbia Park.  

Participants will start heading west along Columbia Park Trail in Kennewick and will then turn north on the Sacajawea Heritage Trail to head into Richland.  After going under the I-182 Bridge, the course continues north on the Riverfront Trail path until a turnaround point in Howard Amon park.  After completing the out & back section, participants will cross the bridge into Pasco and head east on Court Street until turning onto the Sacajawea Heritage Trail and entering Chiawana Park.  The course will continue east, passing the Blue Bridge, and will then turn left onto 9th Avenue, where participants will loop around and cross the river on the east side of the Cable Bridge.  Once reaching the Kennewick side of the river, the course will head west on the the Sacajawea Heritage Trail until participants turn onto Clover Island for a short out and back.  After turning back onto the Sacajawea Heritage Trail westbound, participants will head back into Columbia Park, and wind back around to finish where the race started.  

The course elevation varies between 350 and 400 feet above sea level with the total elevation gain being under 410 feet.  Most, if not all, of the elevation gain is encountered when going over the river on the bridges so be prepared for these short climbs.

The course will not be closed so please be considerate to other trail users.  Announce when you will be passing someone, stay to the right when you are not passing, and make sure to say hi to folks you see - especially the volunteers!  Cyclists will be leading the front runners throughout the race and we will have a group of folks sweeping the course after the last person.

The relay option will start and finish at the same location, and follow the same course, as the individual marathon.  There will be four unequal legs where the lengths are 8.1, 7.6, 4.0, and 6.5 miles and the transition points are located at the Bradley Blvd parking lot in Richland (46.267454, -119.260886), at the NW parking lot of Chiawana Park in Pasco (46.247861, -119.216043), and near the Road 39 parking lot in Pasco (46.230559, -119.143382).

The half marathon and 5k courses will both start and finish at the same location as the marathon but will be out and back routes with the turnaround located at the halfway point.  

Click on the below maps for interactive versions of each course map.  

NOTE that the courses are still being finalized and may change from what is currently shown.  Please check back occasionally for any updates.

Aid Stations & Finish Line

Aid Stations for the marathon, relay, and half marathon will be located no more than 2.2 miles apart from one another and will alternate on what they offer.  While every one will have water and sports drink (flavor is TBD), every other aid station will also include energy gels (flavors are TBD), the occasional other goodies, and a port-a-potty.  These will be located no more than 4.3 miles apart.  The liquids will be offered in pre-filled cups and then pitchers will also be available to refill bottles or bladders.  There will be no aid stations for the 5k.

We plan to have various beverages and a variety of pre-packaged snacks for all participants to enjoy after they finish.  

After you refuel, be sure to check out the Recovery Zone for a little FREE R&R offered up by some very talented physical therapists.  While you may not feel like running the course again that day, it will help you feel a little less sore and better able to get around later in the day.  

There will be a vendor expo near the finish line so you can check out the latest offerings and chat with some great people that helped support this race.  Details will be announced as more information is available.

Awards & Prizes

Everyone will get a finisher medal, regardless of event, although the medals for the marathon and half marathon will be a bit nicer!

Award ceremonies will be held to present custom awards to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd overall male and female finishers in the marathon, half marathon, and 5k races.  

Awards will be provided to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in the following age group categories for both male and female:
Marathon & Half Marathon: 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80 and over
5k: 9 and under, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70 and over

Awards will be provided to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place relay teams in male, female, and coed categories.  

There will be a random prize drawing held after the race starts to distribute many awesome items donated by our sponsors.  Please make sure to check-in after you finish to see if you won.

Sponsors

We want to thank the below companies for their generous support of this race.  These are great companies and you are highly encouraged to check them out.  If your company would like to provide additional sponsorship please reach out to us here.