Little Rock Marathon
Whether you’re an Olympic all-star or an absolute beginner, the Little Rock Marathon and its associated races offer a great experience for every runner.
Founded in 2003, and held annually the first weekend of March, the Little Rock Marathon includes its signature 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile races on Sunday, as well as a 10K, 5K, and a race for kids on Saturday. The Little Rock Marathon bills itself as “a race for every pace,” and features an eight-hour time limit for the marathon and a four-hour time limit for the half marathon.
The marathon takes place on a USATF-approved single-loop course and is an official qualifying race for the Boston Marathon. The marathon course takes runners (and walkers too) by some of Little Rock’s most iconic sights. These include the Arkansas State Capitol, the William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum, historic Robinson Center, the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion, and Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.
Little Rock loves its marathon, and runners are treated to enthusiastic crowds and engaging entertainment throughout the course. Fair warning though, the best crowd support is found on the route's toughest section ascending Kavanaugh Boulevard.
2025 Little Rock Marathon Details
When: February 28, March 1-2, 2025
- February 28 & March 1: Expo and Packet Pick Up
- March 1: Little Rock 5K, Little Rock 10K, Little Rockers Kids Marathon
- March 2: Little Rock Half Marathon and Little Rock Marathon
Route Details
Click here for a map of the marathon route.
The Little Rock Marathon Health & Fitness Expo
This FREE two-day event hosted by the Hatchery Agengy will kick-off the festivities. This year's Expo will showcase over 50 exhibitors featuring an array of products and services tailored for the health-minded, alongside the latest in distance running, walking, fitness, and nutrition. March 1-2 at the Statehouse Convention Center.
Go Big
The Little Rock Marathon is perhaps most famous for its large and extravagant medals; the biggest in the world, in fact. Race organizers make sure they get (slightly) bigger each year and they weigh almost three pounds, giving a whole new meaning to Medal Monday. The medals always correspond to a central theme which changes each year. Past themes have included outer space and aliens, board games, the totally tubular 1980s, pirates, and 1960s hippies.
The Little Rockers Kids Marathon
The Little Rockers Kids Marathon was launched in 2004 in response to the growing concern over our children’s health and the increasing childhood obesity rates. Since that time, more than 91,300 children across the country have taken part in the Little Rockers Kids Marathon Final Mile and free training program.
The Little Rockers Kids Marathon allows children – first through sixth grade – the opportunity to enhance their physical activity by following a fun, simple running and/or walking program while focusing on reaching a goal.
Kids are encouraged to run 25.2 miles on their own, at home, or at school, and then come to Little Rock to run their final mile as one large group.
Marathon Route Landmarks
Other Events
![](https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/St-Patricks-Day-Header-1920x1080.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=3df6fb0167f97752a6f00ab1df655cc4 320w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/St-Patricks-Day-Header-1920x1080.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=ee95d0290f1ec1af4892e6c02777cd3c 540w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/St-Patricks-Day-Header-1920x1080.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=768&s=5e1b452d590eb6b5a9d8b63ac1bc2c0c 768w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/St-Patricks-Day-Header-1920x1080.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1024&q=80&w=1024&s=ed400660425f179dff55f57847594184 1024w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/St-Patricks-Day-Header-1920x1080.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1200&q=80&w=1200&s=927d43a11a462d8b3083ab6a57ccefc0 1080w)
St. Patrick’s Day
Dive into Irish culture with an annual parade, bar crawls, races, and more.
![The Funkanites perform at Jazz in the Park. There is a singer, two members playing saxophones, a keyboardist and a guitarist.](https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/Jazz-in-the-Park-1920x1080.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=0e5c5102117cfec310dabf79588d9dd5 320w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/Jazz-in-the-Park-1920x1080.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=dd77470192b8984e0672737649916d24 540w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/Jazz-in-the-Park-1920x1080.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=768&s=ad6b4582f2edbb06b93028e3aded7722 768w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/Jazz-in-the-Park-1920x1080.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1024&q=80&w=1024&s=6a5e03be04d4428044255fe36c5d43d7 1024w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/Jazz-in-the-Park-1920x1080.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1200&q=80&w=1200&s=f74559babd0bfadfab33fa3b0b62af65 1080w)
Jazz in the Park
Twice a year - each Wednesday in April and September - Little Rock's River Market Pavilions come to life with the sounds of soulful jazz and joyful music. Made locally.
![Bikers cycling through the Big Dam Bridge trail in Little Rock, AR](https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/Big-Dam-Bridge-Trail-ittle-Rock-20200202_144402-medium.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=90cfd5de352b7cc04e7ca9f952005bfa 320w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/Big-Dam-Bridge-Trail-ittle-Rock-20200202_144402-medium.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=77cbe1ed08674cdbcce08efd76c3637b 540w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/Big-Dam-Bridge-Trail-ittle-Rock-20200202_144402-medium.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=768&s=85311ae502e8cb9b8a20b6c2e38aba79 768w, https://littlerock.imgix.net/images/Big-Dam-Bridge-Trail-ittle-Rock-20200202_144402-medium.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1024&q=80&w=1024&s=a5bdbe0b7b9f48ab5eb764544138cf0b 854w)
Cycling
Little Rock is a cycling city for every season. Rain or shine, sun or snow, there are more than 1,200 miles of trails just waiting to be explored.