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What to know about the Philly Marathon route, road closures, and security

About 30,000 runners will hit the streets this weekend in the marathon, half marathon, and 8K.

A runner dressed as Santa Claus throws candy to the crowd as he begins his race in the Philadelphia Marathon on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on November 24, 2019.
A runner dressed as Santa Claus throws candy to the crowd as he begins his race in the Philadelphia Marathon on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on November 24, 2019.Read moreMICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer

Philadelphia Marathon weekend is upon us, and it’s bringing runners from around the world to town to race through the city’s streets in several events that will last through Sunday afternoon.

At it since 1994, the Philadelphia Marathon has grown to become one of the top marathons in the country and attracts about 30,000 runners each year, so expect the city to be a little more packed for the next few days. While the marathon itself doesn’t take place until Sunday, race-related events take place throughout the weekend, starting on Friday.

Here, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know, from start times and cheer zones to road closures and SEPTA detours. Happy marathoning, Philadelphia.

Race info

The Philadelphia Marathon Weekend runs Friday, Nov. 22, to Sunday, Nov. 24, beginning with a free, two-day Health and Fitness Expo at the Pennsylvania Convention Center starting Friday. From there, the action moves to the starting line for the three main races at 22nd Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The Dietz & Watson Half Marathon kicks off the races Saturday, starting at 7:25 a.m. for wheelchairs and handcycles, and 7:30 a.m. for runners and walkers. Also Saturday, the Rothman Orthopaedics 8K will begin at 10:40 a.m. for wheelchairs and handcycles, and 10:45 a.m. for runners and walkers. Races for the Dunkin’ Munchkin Kids Fun Run will then begin inside Eakins Oval at noon.

On Sunday, the AACR Philadelphia Marathon begins at 6:55 a.m. for wheelchairs and handcycles, and 7 a.m. for runners and walkers.

Course rundown

At the standard 26.2-mile marathon length, the Philadelphia Marathon will take runners through locations across much of the city. Starting on the Parkway, the course winds throughout a number of Philadelphia neighborhoods, including University City, Old City, and Manayunk before wrapping up back near the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Organizers tout engaging, scenic views for runners along the mostly flat terrain. More course route information is available via the official marathon website.

» READ MORE: Why 26.2? A marathon of myth and legends

Security

The start and finish area between 21st and 25th Streets on the Ben Franklin Parkway is considered a secure zone, organizers say, meaning that everyone entering will be screened. There are five security entrances, all of which will open at 5 a.m. each day: 21st Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 24th and Park Towne Place, Kelly Drive and Pennsylvania Avenue, 23rd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, and MLK Drive and Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Prohibited items include weapons like firearms, knives, and pepper spray, as well as fireworks, illegal drugs, and alcohol. Suitcases, packages larger than 12 inches by 12 inches by 6 inches, and containers able to hold more than one liter of liquid are also prohibited, as are drones, masks (aside from religious headwear), selfie sticks, and bicycles or scooters. Dogs and cats are allowed, but other animals (such as reptiles) will not be permitted.

Road closures

Street closures will begin Friday, Nov. 22, at 9:30 a.m., when inner lanes on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will close until 2:45 p.m. Lanes will reopen for the afternoon rush hour, but inbound inner lanes will remain closed from Binswanger Triangle to 22nd Street.

Various road closures and parking restrictions in the Parkway area and along the race route will continue throughout the weekend, so motorists and pedestrians should anticipate delays. Police will allow traffic through intersections on the route as timing allows.

Saturday closures will last from 2 a.m. to 3 p.m. along the Parkway between 20th and 25th Streets, as well as on Kelly Drive, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, and other roads around Center City. The area around Logan Circle will be closed to vehicles until about 11:30 a.m., while other streets will reopen around 2 p.m. Eakins Oval will be opened by 5 p.m., while the inner inbound drive of the Parkway from Binswanger Triangle to 22nd will remain closed.

On Sunday, the Parkway will be closed to vehicles from 2 a.m. to 5 p.m., while other streets along the race route will reopen after runners pass through. All closed streets are scheduled to reopen by 5 p.m. Sunday.

A complete list of streets affected by closures is below:

Saturday, Nov. 23

  1. 17th Street, from Arch to Vine Streets

  2. 18th Street, from Arch to Callowhill Streets

  3. 19th Street, from Arch to Callowhill Streets

  4. 20th Street, from Arch to Callowhill Streets

  5. 21st Street, from Arch to Spring Garden Streets

  6. 22nd Street, from Arch to Spring Garden Streets

  7. Benjamin Franklin Parkway, from 16th to 22nd Streets

  8. Market Street, from 6th to 16th Streets

  9. Chestnut Street, from 5th to 8th Streets

  10. 6th Street, from Market to Chestnut Streets

  11. 5th Street, from Chestnut to Race Streets

  12. South Penn Square

  13. Juniper Street, from Chestnut to Market Streets

  14. John F. Kennedy Boulevard, from Juniper to 17th Streets

  15. 15th Street, from Race to Chestnut Streets

  16. 16th Street, from Chestnut to Race Streets

  17. Race Street, from 6th Street to Columbus Boulevard

  18. Columbus Boulevard (southbound lanes), from Vine Street to Washington Avenue

  19. Southbound off-ramp, from I-95 at Washington Avenue

  20. Washington Avenue, from Columbus Boulevard to Front Street

  21. Front Street, from Washington Avenue to South Street

  22. South Street, from Front to 7th Streets

  23. 6th Street, from Bainbridge to Locust Streets

  24. Lombard Street, from 5th to Broad Streets

  25. 13th Street, from Bainbridge to Chestnut Streets

  26. Walnut Street, from 12th to 34th Streets

  27. 33rd Street, from Walnut to Spring Garden Streets

  28. 34th Street, from Spring Garden Street to Girard Avenue

  29. Spring Garden Street, from 32nd to 34th Streets

  30. Girard Avenue, from 33rd to 38th Streets

  31. 33rd Street, from Girard Avenue to Cecil B. Moore Avenue

  32. Reservoir Drive from 33rd to Diamond Streets

  33. Mt. Pleasant Drive

  34. Fountain Green Drive

  35. Kelly Drive

Sunday, Nov. 24

  1. 17th Street, from Arch to Vine Streets

  2. 18th Street, from Arch to Callowhill Streets

  3. 19th Street, from Arch to Callowhill Streets

  4. 20th Street, from Arch to Callowhill Streets

  5. 21st Street, from Arch to Spring Garden Streets

  6. 22nd Street, from Arch to Spring Garden Streets

  7. Benjamin Franklin Parkway, from 16th to 22nd Streets

  8. Arch Street, from 3rd to 16th Streets

  9. 4th Street, from Arch to Vine Streets

  10. Race Street, from 6th Street to Columbus Boulevard

  11. Columbus Boulevard (southbound lanes), from Vine Street to Washington Avenue

  12. Southbound off-ramp, from I-95 at Washington Avenue

  13. Washington Avenue, from Columbus Boulevard to Front Street

  14. Front Street, from Washington Avenue to South Street

  15. South Street, from Front to 7th Streets

  16. 6th Street, from Bainbridge to Market Streets

  17. Chestnut Street, from 6th to 23rd Streets

  18. 22nd Street, from Locust to Market Streets

  19. Walnut Street, from 21st to 34th Streets

  20. 33rd Street, from Walnut to Chestnut Streets

  21. Chestnut Street, from 33rd to 34th Streets

  22. 34th Street, from Chestnut Street to Girard Avenue

  23. Lansdowne Drive, from Girard Avenue to South Concourse Drive

  24. South Concourse Drive, from Lansdowne to West Memorial Hall Drives

  25. East Memorial Hall Drive, from South Concourse Drive to Avenue of the Republic

  26. Avenue of the Republic, from East Memorial Hall Drive to Catholic Fountain

  27. Belmont Avenue, from Montgomery to Parkside Avenues

  28. States Drive to Lansdowne Drive

  29. Lansdowne Drive to Black Road

  30. Black Road

  31. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive

  32. Kelly Drive

  33. The Falls Bridge

  34. Ridge Avenue, from Schoolhouse Lane to Manayunk Avenue

  35. Main Street, from Ridge Avenue to Conarroe Street

SEPTA Service

SEPTA’s bus and trolley routes will be significantly impacted by the marathon events. Up-to-date information can be found on SEPTA’s website, or app. City officials advised SEPTA riders to check the website regularly and follow @SEPTA and @SEPTA_BUS on Twitter for updates.

Bus

Detours on most routes will begin at 6 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, with regular service resuming as soon as as possible after the races, SEPTA said in a statement. Bus routes 7, 32, 33, 38, 43, and 48, meanwhile, will be detoured starting at 4 a.m. both days to accommodate course setup. Other affected routes are K, R, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 16, 17, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 38, 40, 42, 43, 47, 47M, 48, 57, 61, 64, 65, and 124/125. Complete detour information is available on the SEPTA website:

Trolley

Trolley Route 15 will operate as two bus routes Saturday and Sunday, with one for West Philadelphia and another for North Philadelphia and Fishtown. There will be no service between 40th and 29th Streets, so riders are advised to connect via the Market-Frankford Line at Girard and 40th Streets.

Regional Rail

Regional Rail will be able to carry race attendees to Suburban and 30th Street Stations, from which they can access start and finish lines. However, a few lines will operate with adjustments:

  1. Media/Elwyn Line: Inbound (toward Center City) trains have Saturday and Sunday schedule adjustments

  2. Paoli/Thorndale Line: Shuttle bus between Thorndale/Malvern and Bryn Mawr stations

  3. West Trenton Line: Outbound (toward West Trenton) trains have schedule adjustments

Cheer zones

This weekend’s events will feature more than three dozen cheer zones where fans can gather to encourage friends and family participating in the races. Where you will want to be depends on runners’ progress, so plan your stops accordingly. A full list of cheer zones is on the marathon website.

For folks looking for some extras while they’re spectating, look for cheer areas that feature entertainment such as live music. Locations on that list include Washington Avenue between Columbus Boulevard and Front Street, and Sedgley Avenue and Kelly Drive on Saturday. Entertainment sites on Sunday are 34th and Chestnut Streets, Martin Luther King Drive and Black Road, Kelly Drive and Ferry Streets, Main Street and Ridge Avenue, and Main and Carson Streets on Sunday.

Results

Spectators can follow specific runners’ progress by signing up to get location updates via SMS messaging when participants cross several points along the course. Live updates can be had via the RaceJoy app, though that method requires runners to have their phone on them with tracking through the app enabled. Overall results, meanwhile, will be posted to the marathon’s website.

» READ MORE: Should you run the Philadelphia Marathon with a pace group?

» READ MORE: How to avoid hitting 'The Wall' at Philadelphia Marathon

Course records

AACR Philadelphia Marathon

  1. Male: Tadese Yai Dabi, 2018, 2:14:47

  2. Female: Serkalem Abrha, 2018, 2:32:53

Dietz & Watson Half Marathon

  1. Male: Panuel Mkungo, 2017, 1:02:20.89

  2. Female: Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton, 2015, 1:09:49

Rothman Orthopaedics 8K

  1. Male: Isaac Korir, 2012, 22:29

  2. Female: Gotytom Gebreslase, 2017, 25:08

» READ MORE: How to convince yourself you will survive the Philadelphia Marathon

» READ MORE: At age 70, the ‘Ultrageezer’ broke three hours in the marathon. His secret? ‘Just run!’

Prize money

In total, this organizers will award about $32,000 in prize money to winners, with up to $1,500 in bonuses for course records. All finishers, meanwhile, will receive a certificate and medal.

The breakdown is as follows:

AACR Philadelphia Marathon

  1. 1st place: $10,000

  2. 2nd place: $5,000

  3. 3rd place: $2,500

  4. 4th place: $1,500

  5. 5th place: $1,000

  6. 1st place master: $1,000

  7. 1st place wheelchair: $1,000

  8. 1st Philadelphian male: $1,000

  9. 1st Philadelphian female: $1,000

  10. Course record bonus: $1,500

Dietz & Watson Half Marathon

  1. 1st place: $2,500

  2. 2nd place: $1,000

  3. 3rd place: $500

  4. 4th place: $250

  5. 5th place: $100

  6. 1st place master: $500

  7. 1st place wheelchair: $500

  8. Course record bonus: $1,000

Rothman Orthopaedics 8K

  1. 1st place: $1,000

  2. 2nd place: $500

  3. 3rd place: $250

  4. 4th place: $150

  5. 5th place: $100

  6. 1st place master: $250

  7. 1st place wheelchair: $250