On Saturday, October 3, 2026, runners and walkers gathered at the Impact Event Center in East Point for the ninth edition of The Race Half Marathon & 5K, a weekend built around Black excellence, culture, and community.

”This race is for a good cause,” said Anthony Mack, a neighbor on Sylvan Road who observed the race early Saturday. “I don’t mind when they make a lot of noise, for something like this.”

The half marathon started at 7:00 a.m. EDT and the 5K at 7:15 a.m. EDT from Impact Church / Impact Event Center at 2323 Sylvan Rd, Atlanta, GA 30344. Organizers describe the event as one of the largest half-marathon weekends supported by Black runners and walkers.


The Race Half Marathon & 5K: What To Know

This year’s theme, “ROOTED,” centers the weekend on community, culture, and purpose after a foundation built since the inaugural race in 2018.

A race created for the culture

The Race was founded by Atlanta race director Tes Sobomehin Marshall after a 2017 appearance on the Real Runners of Atlanta podcast raised the idea of an event designed with Black runners in mind. Marshall, who launched Running Nerds in 2012 and had already directed other local races, organized the first edition in October 2018 with support from a Kickstarter that raised more than $73,000 and backing from groups such as Black Girls Run, Black Men Run, and South Fulton Running Partners.

The result is a “for us, by us” weekend that still welcomes participants of all backgrounds and paces. Registration includes a participant shirt, medallion, commemorative bib, and patch, plus a contribution to The Race Charitable Impact Fund, which supports partners focused on health, wellness, and access in Black and underserved communities. Virtual half-marathon and 5K options let people complete the distance on their own between October 2 and 31.

Course through south and west Atlanta neighborhoods

Unlike many Atlanta races that stay downtown, in Midtown, or in Buckhead, The Race routes runners through predominantly Black south and west side neighborhoods. The half-marathon course, which is USATF-certified and an AJC Peachtree Road Race qualifier, passes through East Point, Sylvan Hills, Adair Park, Castleberry Hill, the Atlanta University Center, West End, Westview, Oakland City, and Capitol View.

Start waves are self-seeded by estimated finish time. For the half marathon: Red Wave (under 2:15) at 7:00 a.m., Black Wave (2:15–2:45) at 7:03 a.m., and Green Wave (2:45–3:30) at 7:06 a.m. The 5K follows at 7:15 a.m. (under 25 minutes), 7:18 a.m. (25–40 minutes), and 7:21 a.m. (40–60+ minutes, walkers, and strollers), with the start line closing at 7:25 a.m. The 5K course remains open for 1.5 hours.

Full weekend around the Saturday start

The 2026 schedule stretches across four days at and around the Impact Event Center:

  • Thursday, October 1: Welcome Day & Night
  • Friday, October 2: Expo, packet pickup, meet-and-greet, and speaker series (11 a.m.–7 p.m.)
  • Saturday, October 3: Half marathon and 5K (roughly 7 a.m.–11 a.m.)
  • Sunday, October 4: Community Impact Service Day projects plus The Race Day Party

Parking is available in the Impact Event Center lot with overflow nearby; organizers strongly encourage carpooling and rideshares, and note that drop-offs become difficult after 6:00 a.m. (suggested rideshare address: 2330 Sylvan Rd, East Point).

By race morning, the in-person fields were essentially full, continuing the event’s growth from its early years into a multi-day gathering that pairs timed road racing with expo energy, neighborhood visibility, and direct community service. More details remain at theraceuc.com.