The Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival presented by Lehigh Valley Health Network

🏃‍♂️ The 2026 Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival

The 2026 Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival will Take Place on April 25 & 26! The 7-Miler will now take place on Saturday and has ITS OWN SCENIC TRAIN RIDE! 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)

🏞️ Course Information

• Half Marathon (Sat. 4/25) 8 am: 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: The full marathon is 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.
• Runner Start: 7:15 am runners can be dropped off or park near the start: 8 am runners can take the scenic train from Jim Thorpe to White Haven.

🤝 Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteer at JTARF!
Volunteering at JTARF is fun and easy! All volunteers receive a JTARF volunteer T-shirt and, if you're part of a charitable organization, a donation will be made to that charity.

🍔 Post-Race Tour

After the races on both Saturday and Sunday, join us for food and drink specials on our post-race whistlestop tour! The 2026 whistlestops include: The Broadway Grill and Pub @ 24 Broadway, Ouros @ 70 Broadway (21+), Mugglets Mug @ 79 Broadway.

🚗 Parking Information

• Premium Parking: Available at Jim Thorpe Train Station Lot, best option but spots are limited.
• Free Parking: Available at Jim Thorpe Area High School with a 7-minute shuttle bus to the start/finish area.
• Non-Train Marathon: Runners will park at the Route 940 Park and Ride in White Haven.

🎖️ Awards

Top 3 Overall M/F in all three events, Top 3 Overall Masters (40+) in the half and full marathons, Top 3 M/F for all events in various age groups.

For more information, visit The Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival page.