The Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival

The 2027 Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival

The 2027 Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival will Take Place on April 24 & 25!

Join us in this gorgeous mountain town for one of the most beautiful runs in the Northeast! The full marathon is a point-to-point BOSTON QUALIFIER with a steady 0.5-1% downgrade nearly the entire way!! It is one of the fastest Boston Qualifiers on the East Coast!

Race Schedule

• Saturday: Half Marathon @ 8 am
• Saturday: 7-miler (train leaves @ 7:30 am)
• Sunday: Full Marathon with two starting times @ 7:15 am & 8:00 am (train leaves @ 6:30 am and riders start at 8:00 am)

Race Details

• Half Marathon: The 2025 half marathon will be run on the same gorgeous, out-and-back course as 2024. Participants will start in the parking lot at the Jim Thorpe Train Station and run the FLAT, FAST rail-trail into Lehigh Gorge State Park.
• 7-Miler: The final 7-miles of our gorgeous marathon course! All 7-Mile runners must take the train that leaves Jim Thorpe Station at 7:30 am.
• Full Marathon: An ABSOLUTE DREAM for runners and spectators alike, a POINT-TO-POINT BOSTON QUALIFIER with a SLIGHT, STEADY 0.5% to 1% DOWNGRADE nearly the ENTIRE WAY.
• Start Time Flexibility: Runners who sign up for the 7:15 am start may begin the race any time between 7:15 and 8:00 AM.

Volunteering

Volunteer at JTARF!

• Perks: All volunteers receive a JTARF volunteer T-shirt.
• Charitable Donation: If you're part of a charitable organization, we will happily make a donation to that charity: $25 per volunteer on Saturday and $35 per volunteer on Sunday.
• Sign Up: CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!
• Contact: Email us at info@runegades.com for more volunteer details.

Post-Race Activities

• Whistlestop Tour: After the races on both Saturday and Sunday, join us for food and drink specials on our post-race whistlestop tour!
• PACERS: Beast Pacing will return for 2027. Pacer times will be added to the half marathon and marathon as we get closer to the event.
• Spectator Train Tickets: Family and friends can accompany runners on both the 7-Mile and marathon scenic train rides!
• Swag: 2027 JTARF tee-shirt while supplies last and unique finisher’s medals for each event.

Awards

• Top 3 Overall: M/F in all three events
• Top 3 Masters: (40+) in the half and full marathons
• Age Groups: Top 3 M/F for all events in the following age groups: 19&U, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+
• Packet Pickup: No day-of packet pickup. Must pick up bibs on Friday, April 23rd or Saturday morning.

Course Information

• Remote Course: Cell phones will not work on the trail. Bikers will monitor miles 12-26.
• Course Fuel: UCAN will be our exclusive sponsor for on-course hydration and fuel.
• Running Surface: The Full Marathon will take you down the D&L and Lehigh Gorge rail trails, with a steady downgrade.
• Restrooms: Limited portable toilets along the course.

Spectating Information

• Half Marathon: Spectators can watch at the Glen Onoko parking area and start/finish.
• 7-Miler: Spectators can watch at the Glen Onoko parking area and start/finish.
• Full Marathon: Spectator locations include Rockport Road trailhead and Glen Onoko parking area.
• Time Limits: Half Marathon & 7-Milers: 4 hours, Marathon: 6 hours, 30 minutes.

Links

• Race Information
• Claim Registration Deferral
• Add-On Management
• Full Marathon Map