Author: Jason Altman

Bib Numbers for Pre-Registered Participants are now posted.

You can look up your Bib Number online here

Alternatively, you can click here to view (they are sorted alphabetically by last name, then first name).

CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS: If you are registered for the Knox Hills Challenge or the Marble City Challenge, you will show up in both events (Marathon and 5K, Half Marathon and 5K).

NOTE: Virtual Race Participants will not have a bib number assigned.

For a listing of 2026 Water Stop Locations, click here

NEWS RELEASE

Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon releases

road closures along race routes

Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon organizers and partners have announced lane and street closures within the center city and surrounding areas for the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon events during race weekend April 11-12. All roads are expected to be open by 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 12.

Participants are urged to arrive at least 30 minutes before their race starts. Preferred routes include:

• Traveling along 11th Street and parking in 11th Street Garage.
• Traveling south on 17th Street, turning left onto Grand Avenue and turning left into the Blackstock Parking Lot before the building formerly known as The Foundry.
• Exit Interstate 40 to downtown and park in Market Square or Locust Street garages.

Downtown Knoxville’s live parking availability and a map of lots and garages can be accessed at downtownknoxville.org/explore/parking. Knoxville Police Department will provide additional traffic and parking information on social media.

“This is one of our favorite weekends of the year as we welcome runners and visitors from across the country,” Race Director Jason Altman said. “We’re especially excited to bring participants back across the Gay Street Bridge this year, since it’s a highlight of the course. We encourage everyone to plan, stay aware of road closures and keep safety top of mind while traveling downtown for race events and activities.”

The Clinch Avenue Viaduct is the start for all races and will be closed to traffic starting at 1 p.m. Saturday until 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Parking will be prohibited on Clinch Avenue between 11th and 16th streets, and vehicles parked on the street will be towed Saturday evening.

On Saturday, the Covenant Health Kids Run starts at 5:30 p.m., necessitating closures of 11th Street and World’s Fair Park Drive in front of the former Candy Factory building and Knoxville Museum of Art, and periodic closures of Clinch and White avenues between 11th and 13th streets as well as a small portion of 13th Street between Clinch and White avenues during the run.

The 5K starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday with closures throughout the Fort Sanders neighborhood until about 8:30 p.m.

On Sunday morning, the marathon will require staggered road closures from 7:20 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. throughout downtown Knoxville and the following neighborhoods: Fort Sanders, Sequoyah Hills, Fourth & Gill, Parkridge, Island Home and Old Sevier.

Motorists who need to reach Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and Dolly Parton’s Children’s Hospital on Sunday morning should take Alcoa Highway to the Cumberland Avenue/Kingston Pike exit and enter the Fort Sanders area via 20th Street. Look for directional signage along this route.

Maps of the courses are available at knoxvillemarathon.com.

The details for specific road closures are as follows:

• World’s Fair Park Drive: Closed from start of race until half-marathon passes from 11th Street, then closure is moved to south of parking lot beside the Knoxville Museum of Art; closed on north end by Fort Kid.
• Clinch Avenue Viaduct from Henley to 11th streets: Closed throughout marathon weekend events.
• Clinch Avenue: Closed at the start of marathon, 5K and Covenant Kids Run from 11th to 16th streets and at end of marathon between Union Avenue to World’s Park Drive.
• White Avenue: Closed for 5K from James Agee to 22nd streets.
• Lake Loudoun Boulevard: Southbound lanes from Todd Helton Drive to Neyland Drive closed for marathon.
• Neyland Drive: Eastbound and westbound lanes closed for marathon from Walnut Street to Kingston Pike until turnaround is complete.
• Kingston Pike: Eastbound lanes closed between Neyland Drive and Cherokee Boulevard; traffic will be two-way in westbound lanes.
• Cherokee Boulevard: Southbound lanes closed.
• Blows Ferry Road: Westbound lanes closed.
• Alta Vista Way: Northbound lane closed.
• Noelton Drive: Right lane closed from Alta Vista Way to Kingston Pike.
• Kingston Pike: Right lane closed westbound from Noelton Drive to Forest Park Boulevard.
• Forest Park Boulevard: Northbound right lane closed from Kingston Pike to Newcom Avenue.
• Newcom Avenue: Closed from Forest Park Boulevard to Lebanon Street.
• Lebanon Street: Closed from Newcom Avenue to Third Creek Greenway.
• Tyson Park: Closed at Kingston Pike entrance and road closed sign inside Tyson Park at Highway 129 overpass.
• Cumberland Avenue: Right westbound curb lane closed from Tyson Park to 22nd street.
• 22nd Street: Closed for 5K from White to Clinch avenues. Closed for marathon from Forest to Cumberland avenues.
• 23rd Street: Closed for 5K from Clinch to Grand avenues.
• Forest Avenue: Closed for 5K from 13th to 21st streets. Closed for marathon from 17th to 22nd streets; continued closure from 17th Street east to 13th Street.
• Highland Avenue: Eastbound lanes closed from 11th to 13th streets.
• 11th Street: Closed from Highland to Western avenues.
• Grand Avenue: Closed for 5K from 19th to 23rd streets. Closed for marathon between both intersections with World’s Fair Park Drive.
• 21st Street: Closed for 5K from Grand to Forest avenues.
• Gay Street: Northbound right lane closed from Jackson Avenue to Summit Hill Drive.
• Magnolia Avenue: Closed between Gay and North Central streets.
• Central Street: Closed between Magnolia Avenue and Broadway.
• 3rd Avenue: Closed between North Central and Eleanor streets.
• Deery Street: Closed between 4th and Lovenia avenues.
• Lovenia Ave: Closed between Deery and Luttrell streets.
• Luttrell Street: Closed between Lovenia and Wells avenues.
• Wells Avenue: Closed between Luttrell and Eleanor streets.
• Eleanor Street: Closed between Wells and 3rd avenues.
• Fourth Avenue: Closed between Deery to Central streets.
• 5th Avenue: Closed between Hall of Fame Drive and Winona Street.
• Hall of Fame Drive: Closed between two intersections with 5th Avenue.
• Winona Street: Northbound lane closed between 5th and Washington avenues.
• Washington Avenue: Closed between Winona and Spruce streets.
• North Bertrand Street: Closed from Martin Luther King Jr. to McCalla avenues.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue: Westbound lanes closed from North Bertrand Street to Summit Hill Drive.
• James White Parkway: Closed between State Street Connector to Sevier Avenue ramp.
• Sevier Avenue: Right lane closed from James White Parkway to Island Home Avenue. Closed on one eastbound lane hugging median from Island Home Avenue to James White Parkway Connector.
• Island Home Avenue: Closed from Sevier Avenue to Maplewood Drive; westbound traffic to use Hillwood Drive.
• Council Place: Closed from Sevier Ave to Gay Street Bridge.
• Hill Avenue: Closed from Gay Street to Hall of Fame Drive.

To view the 2026 Race Weekend Information Packet, click here.

2026 Instructions for Relay Participants
REGISTRATION; MAKE SURE ALL TEAMMATES ARE REGISTERED BY APRIL 7! Online registration will close on Tuesday, April 7, at 11:59 pm EST. ALL RELAY TEAMS MUST BE COMPLETE AT THAT TIME.  We cannot spend all race week tracking down relay teams who have teammates that forgot to register in time. Thus, no relay registration will be accepted at the Saturday Expo. MAKE SURE ALL YOUR TEAMMATES REGISTER BY APRIL 7!

HAVE AN EXPO PLAN! Make sure you communicate with your teammates to determine if each of you will pick up your individual bibs, packets, t-shirts, etc. at the Expo, OR if one teammate will pick up for the entire team. This helps ensure that there is no confusion when one teammate visits the Expo and one of his or her teammates has already picked up all the team bibs.

AT THE EXPO: Each relay team will receive a team number (example: 4201).  All members of the relay team will have the same bib number and your team can set the order in which you run; we don’t need to be informed if you decide to change it up.  Each bib will have a timing chip attached, DO NOT REMOVE THIS CHIP. The timing chip MUST stay attached to the bib at all times.

If you are running the first leg for your team, you (and only you) should also pick up the team’s slap bracelet.

EACH TEAM WILL RECEIVE A CUMULATIVE NET TIME FOR THEIR TEAM, WHICH IS DETERMINED ELECTRONICALLY BY THE TIMING CHIPS ON THE BIBS.

Each team will be given one slap bracelet wrist band to relay. WHEN YOU ENTER THE RELAY ZONE YOU WILL EXCHANGE THE WRIST BAND WITH THE NEXT MEMBER OF YOUR TEAM. 

Split times – There will be timing mats at the 10K, half marathon, and approximately 19 Mile marks of the marathon course.  When a team member crosses one of those mats during his or her run, it will record a split time for your team. There will not be separate timing mats at each exchange zone. If you would like to record your own personal time for your personal leg of the relay, be sure and bring a watch.

All relay legs are NOT of equal length.  The first leg is 6.8 miles, the second is 6.0.  The third leg is approximately 8.0 miles, and final leg is 5.4 miles  Please plan your relay accordingly.

If you are running both the marathon or half marathon and the first leg of a relay, two things to note:
1.  You should be wearing both the relay bib number and the bib number from your other race.
2.  After completing the first leg of the relay, you MUST remove your relay bib and leave it at the exchange zone.  Failure to do so can interfere with your team’s results and your team is subject to disqualification.

Important:  Transportation to and from relay exchange points is NOT provided.  A little planning ahead can save a lot of confusion on RACE DAY!  PLEASE familiarize yourself with YOUR RELAY ZONES LOCATION BEFORE RACE DAY. ALSO, sharing a vehicle can greatly reduce traffic and parking issues, for instance, Runner number TWO can RELAY keys to runner number ONE when exchanging the relay slap bracelet. This procedure can be done at each RELAY ZONE.

Exchange Zone 1 – Intersection of Cherokee Boulevard and Lakeland Drive – 2141 Cherokee Boulevard
The first relay exchange zone will be located at the western end of Cherokee Boulevard near its intersection with Lakeland Drive.  If a car is leaving the start line to go to the first exchange zone, follow these directions to exchange zone 1:
From the Clinch Avenue Bridge (site of the race start), head west and turn left on 11^th Street
Right on Cumberland Avenue, which turns into Kingston Pike.
Left onto Cherokee Boulevard and go approximately 2.5 miles to the intersection with Lakeland Drive
You will notice the relay exchange area marked by orange traffic cones, relay tent, and relay signs.  You can park in the parking lot on the left side (river side) of Cherokee Boulevard about a quarter mile past the exchange zone.  Be aware that sections of Kingston Pike and Cherokee Boulevard will be closed while the race is in progress.  Runners doing the second leg of the relay should leave for the exchange point BEFORE the race starts (7:30 am EST). Here is a link to the route indicated above:
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=785716

Exchange Zone 2 – Blackstock Parking Lot – 640 Blackstock Avenue
The second relay exchange zone will be located in front of Blackstock Parking Lot. Relay teams can ONLY enter this parking lot from Blackstock Avenue, NOT from Grand Avenue. If a car is leaving the first exchange zone, follow these directions to exchange zone 2:
North on Lakeland Drive to Sequoyah Avenue
Right on Sequoyah Avenue

Left on Southgate (which becomes Scenic Drive) to Kingston Pike
Right on Kingston Pike
Left on Alcoa Hwy (129 N) to I-40E to 17th St Exit
After exiting, straight on Dale Avenue
Dale Ave becomes Blackstock Avenue
Turn right into the Blackstock Parking Lot
Here is a link to the route indicated above:
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=785717

There will be signs on Blackstock Avenue directing you to the relay exchange zone parking lot. The exchange zone will be located on Grand Avenue in front of the entryway to the Blackstock parking lot.

NOTE: Exchange Zone 2 is located less than a quarter of a mile from both the start and finish areas and can easily be accessed by foot.

Exchange Zone 3 – Intersection of Sevier Avenue and Ford Place – 1033 Ford Place
The third relay exchange zone (for the 4-person relay) will be on Sevier Avenue near the intersection with Ford Place. If a car is leaving the second exchange zone, follow these directions to exchange zone 3:
Exit Blackstock Lot on Blackstock Avenue heading west toward Dale Avenue
Turn right on Dale Avenue toward I-40 ramp
Get on I-40 East
Exit to James White Parkway (Hwy 158)
Follow James White Parkway to Sevier Avenue
Exit on Sevier Avenue Exit
Turn right on Sevier Avenue
Turn right on Ford Place.  Here is a link to the route indicated above:

http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=785720

Parking is available on Ford Place.  The exchange area will be marked with orange traffic cones and a relay tent on the shoulder of Sevier Avenue.

The relay race will finish at World’s Fair Park.  All relay team members will be allowed to enter the finish chute together.  The waiting team member(s) should wait under the Clinch Avenue Viaduct, out of the way of other race participants, until the last team member arrives.  As your team enters the finish chute, please be alert and obey the instructions of all course monitors and relay officials.

Please contact Relay Captain Bobby Glenn at [email protected] with any additional questions.