Nashville, TN -- When you choose the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville, be prepared to be immersed in music culture. From the Honky Tonk Highway pumping live music into the streets, country artists each day at the expo as well as line dancing lessons, 25+ course bands, plus Encore Entertainment at the finish line, all will satisfy your love of running and music.
Starting at Broadway & 8th Ave S, alongside home ice of the Nashville Predators, over 25,000 runners and St. Jude Heroes will hit the streets for all the best sights of Music City. Runners pass numerous landmarks including Broadway Honky Tonks, Schermerhorn Symphony, The Country Music Hall of Fame, Music City Center, the Musica Roundabout, Music Row, the Gulch, 12 South and Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. The marathon course takes runners through First Horizon Park- home of the Nashville Sounds.
Runners will finish outside of Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans, with the fantastic Nashville city skyline within their view. You may also see one of your favorite artists like Sheryl Crow, Jana Kramer, Teri Clark, Kelly Pickler, TobyMac, Chuck Wicks, or Brian White running with you. And bring your cowboy hat and boots as they go well with the finisher medal.
The event has earned national recognition, with RUN (Powered by Outside) naming the Nashville Half Marathon among the Top 10 in the United States, underscoring the event’s high-energy course, live music stages, and strong community participation.
Race weekend, set for April 25–26, 2026, features the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 1 Mile, KiDS ROCK and Doggie Dash. Whether chasing miles or running as part of a corporate or community team, participants experience a music-infused course that blends entertainment, culture, and community — truly bringing “Fun to the Run.”
Race Basics
- April 25-26, 2026
- St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Rock Running Series Nashville Rock ’n’ Roll Running Series Nashville is a lively, music-infused race weekend through the heart of Music City, featuring a marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, 1 Mile, KiDS ROCK, and Doggie Dash.
- For more information or to register for the event, visit RunRocknRoll.com/Nashville, Facebook @RnRNashville, Twitter, Instagram @RunRocknRoll with the hashtag #RnRNASHVILLE
- [email protected]
Charity
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® is the official benefiting charity partner of the St. Jude Rock ‘n‘ Roll Running Series. It’s because of the generous support of the Nashville community, people across the region and country that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital continues to lead the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Since 2012, the race has raised $18.4M for St. Jude.
To fundraise for St. Jude while participating in this race, register as a St. Jude Hero here.”
Location
Start returns to 8th and Broadway with the finish line outside of Nissan Stadium with the amazing city skyline as a backdrop. Participants will pass numerous landmarks, including Broadway Honky Tonks, Music Row, the Gulch, 12 South, and Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. The course will lead participants past the Schermerhorn Symphony, Music City Center and the Musica Roundabout before finishing outside of Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans.
Events
- 26.2-mile foot race and wheelchair race
- 13.1-mile foot race and wheelchair race
- 10K foot race
- 5K foot race
- 1 Mile
- KiDS Rock
- Doggie Dash
- 2-day race Health & Fitness Expo and packet pick up.
The Expo is free and open to the public.
Rock ’n’ Roll Groupies Program
Groups of 25 or more receive tiered discounts (10–20%), flexible payment options, waived processing fees, personalized bibs (when registered 45 days in advance) and dedicated support. More information: [email protected].
Entertainment
- Encore Entertainment at the Finish Line
- Live Music at the Expo
- 25+ bands along the course
Stats/Demographics
- 61% of women overall
- 53% from out of state
- 2025-The total impact on Nashville’s economy was $47.35M.
Schedule of Events
The 2026 St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Rock Running Series Nashville Health & Fitness Expo will be held at the Music City Center at 201 Rep. John Lewis Way S., Nashville, TN 37203.
THURSDAY, April 23
- Health & Fitness Expo, Noon– 7 p.m., Music City Center
- Media Credential Pickup- Noon– 4 p.m., Music City Center
- Media Interviews Open. Please schedule with PR Team
FRIDAY, April 24
- Health & Fitness Expo, 10 a.m-7p.m., Music City Center
- Media Credential Pickup- Noon– 4 p.m., Music City Center
- Media Interviews Open. Please schedule with PR Team
SATURDAY, April 25 – RACE DAY
- 5K and 10K at 6:30am – 8th & Demonbreun
- Marathon & ½ Marathon at 7:20 a.m.- 8th & Broadway
SUNDAY, April 26
- 1 Mile, Doggie Dash and KiDS Rock races at Nissan Stadium
- Distances:
- 12pm Doggie Dash
- 12:30pm 1 Mile Races
- 1:00pm KiDS ROCK
About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80% in the United States, and it won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality of treatment and care for even more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Support the St. Jude mission by donating at stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.
About Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series
Established in 1998, the Rock ‘n’ Roll® Running Series’ simple idea of making running fun has transformed both the U.S. and global running landscape by infusing the course with live bands, cheer teams, and entertaining water stations, creating a block-party atmosphere for participants and spectators alike. Focused on running, music and community, race weekends kick off with a free Health & Fitness Expo showcasing the latest in running gear, sports apparel, health and nutritional information and much more. Events culminate with an Encore Entertainment experience featuring eclectic musical artists from a variety of genres. Further information about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series can be found online at RunRocknRoll.com and follow @RunRocknRoll on all social platforms.
About The IRONMAN Group
The IRONMAN Group is the world’s largest operator of participation sports with a portfolio of brands, events, media, partners, merchandise, and digital platforms operating in over 50 countries worldwide. A global portfolio consisting of hundreds of events includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, IRONKIDS®, premier running events including the Rock ‘n’ Roll® Running Series and City2Surf®, the UTMB® World Series of trail running, the Epic Series™ of mountain biking including the Absa Cape Epic®, and a collection of road cycling and other multisport races. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN® brand and its first event in 1978, millions of athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines around the world. From its beginnings as a single race among friends in Hawai’i, The IRONMAN Group has become a global sensation and collection of high-growth lifestyle brands that inspire people to unlock their potential in life. For more information, visit ironman.com/about-ironman-group.
###
