Thousands Run Asheville Marathon, Representing 43 States and Six Countries

Thousands of runners descended on Pack Square at 7:30 a.m. Saturday for the 14th running of the New Belgium Asheville Marathon & Half Marathon, a field so geographically broad it drew participants from 43 U.S. states and six foreign countries before finishing at New Belgium Brewing in the River Arts District.

The USA Track & Field-certified, point-to-point course wound through downtown streets, the historic Montford neighborhood, city parks and greenways, and along the French Broad River before delivering runners to the finish-line celebration. Because the course qualifies for the Boston Marathon, the field included competitors chasing a meaningful benchmark alongside those running for the experience alone.

Event organizer Daphne Kirkwood noted the significance of reaching the start line given what the region endured in recent months. "These people have been training all winter long for this and so just to get here in March and so to the start line injury free," Kirkwood said. "We had a rough winter here locally and people are coming from all over the U.S., and so it's quite the journey for them to even make it to this starting line."

The charity partnership this year centered on United Way of Asheville & Buncombe County, with funds directed toward youth opportunity and community resiliency programs. The organization's work has taken on added weight since Hurricane Helene, and race organizers framed Saturday's turnout as part of a continuing effort to strengthen local families and neighborhoods in the aftermath.

More than 200 community volunteers supported the event across the course, and the finish festival at New Belgium Brewing featured live music, coffee and food trucks, beer, and awards. Moonlight Makers served as the Local Awards Partner, with Biltmore Farms as a corporate sponsor and Explore Asheville among the race partners reflecting the event's ties to the city's tourism infrastructure.

The weekend extended beyond the race itself. A Race Expo ran Friday, March 20 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Biltmore Village, with a pre-race shakeout run at 1 p.m. at New Belgium Brewing. On Sunday, volunteers could join a "plogging" event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., combining a jog with litter pickup; sign-ups were available at ashevillemarathon.com/plogging-event/.

The race's national profile has grown steadily. In 2024, HalfMarathons.net named the Asheville Half Marathon the best in the country, and Outside Run selected it as one of 12 races worth turning into a destination trip in 2026. That recognition tracks with the breadth of Saturday's field, which filled hotel rooms across the city, including at accommodations partners Biltmore Farms Hotels, the Hilton Garden Inn Asheville Downtown, the Radical Asheville, and Wrong Way Campground, among others.

Spectators were advised to use shuttles running from downtown to the New Belgium finish area due to limited parking in the River Arts District. The event was hosted by iDaph Events + Timing and presented by New Belgium Brewing Asheville, with registration managed through Humanitix, a platform that directs all profits from booking fees to charity.