Jim Thorpe Running Festival Marathon

The ALL-NEW full marathon is an ABSOLUTE DREAM for runners a spectators alike, a POINT-TO-POINT BOSTON QUALIFIER with a STEADY 1-2% DOWNGRADE nearly the ENTIRE WAY.

RUNNING SURFACE
The Full Marathon will take you down the D&L and Lehigh Gorge rail trails. These wide, smooth trails are hard-packed earth and gravel and, because they are former railroad lines, maintain a steady downgrade of 0.5-1% nearly the entire length of the marathon. One of our RUNegades’ ultra runners ran the course and says trail shoes are not necessary, but runners may want to wear gaiters to prevent small pebbles from entering their shoes.

Half Marathon and 7-Miler will take you through the last portion of the Full Marathon course, on the wide, smooth, hard-packed Lehigh Gorge Trail.

Runners and spectators will TAKE THE FAMOUS READING & BLUE MT. NORTHERN SCENIC RAILWAY for 26 miles from Jim Thorpe to White Haven, PA. After watching the start, spectators will re-board the train, stop on a bridge overlooking the trail at mile 3, and wait to cheer for their friends and loved ones as they run toward them and pass underneath.

After the last runner passes, the train will then take our 8-Mile runners down the trail to their starting point at Old Penn Haven before returning spectators to the finish area in Jim Thorpe. While they wait for their runner to finish, spectators can enjoy the FOOD, FUN, MUSIC, and VENDORS of the Jim Thorpe Birthday Celebration taking place adjacent to the train station!