Charlotte Marathon

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Country:  United States
Website:  https://thecharlottemarathon.com/
2025 Marathon Date:  15/11/2025
2026 Marathon Date:  14/11/2026
Winning Time 2025: 2:31:44

% Sub-3s:  2-5%
# Sub-3s:  50-99
Total Runners: 1-3k

The Charlotte Marathon offers a route that blends the modern energy of Uptown with the character of Charlotte’s historic neighbourhoods, creating a rolling, varied and distinctly Carolina running experience. Known today as the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, the event has evolved through several identities, beginning as the Charlotte Observer Marathon, becoming the Thunder Road Marathon and ultimately adopting its current form in 2016 as a celebration of the city itself. Across these transformations, the race has retained its reputation for a scenic but challenging profile shaped by Charlotte’s natural undulations.

The current course begins at 525 S Tryon Street in the heart of Uptown, setting runners off against the backdrop of the city’s skyline before leading them into tree-lined residential areas. The route is characterised by gently rolling hills from start to finish, with total elevation gain of roughly 1,044 feet. While many sections are manageable and flow smoothly, runners consistently note a demanding uphill stretch in the final mile — a late test that has become part of the marathon’s identity. Elevations range from approximately 617 feet to 772 feet, creating a persistent rhythm of climbs and descents that rewards patient pacing.

From Uptown, the course winds through several of Charlotte’s most storied neighbourhoods, including NoDa, Plaza Midwood and Myers Park. These districts provide a mix of urban vibrancy and leafy residential scenery, while crowd support varies from lively pockets of engagement to quieter stretches that allow athletes to focus on form and pacing. The finish on 4th Street near Mint Street brings runners back into the city centre, delivering a strong sense of conclusion within steps of Charlotte’s cultural core.

The event’s history is one of reinvention. The Charlotte Observer Marathon era (1977–2004) featured routes that shifted frequently across the southern suburbs, including Dilworth, SouthPark and Cotswold, with one early-2000s iteration beginning as far north as Davidson. The Thunder Road era introduced a looped Uptown start and finish, accompanied by a NASCAR theme reflecting regional heritage. Since 2016, the race has grown steadily in popularity, selling out distances in recent years and positioning itself as a central fixture in the city’s running culture. With its rolling terrain, neighbourhood diversity and evolving legacy, the Charlotte Marathon offers a rewarding and memorable urban challenge.