Race Details
The Providence Marathon starts and finishes near the Rhode Island State House and Providence Station on Sunday, May 1st! After the race, the fun continues with the official after party!
Click a button below to learn more about all aspects of the event.
The Courses
Marathon
START TIME: 7:30 a.m.
Our flat and smooth course has become a favorite of Boston Qualifiers and first-time marathoners, alike.
The race starts in Downtown Providence before heading south toward the East Bay and Barrington, Rhode Island. That’ll take you on the tree-lined bike path that offers shade and scenic views of the Providence River. You’ll loop back around in Barrington, taking some of the same route back while running toward the shadow of the city’s skyline. Once you reach the finish back downtown by the Rhode Island State House, the after-party begins!
The course is USATF-certified and is an official Boston Marathon qualifier.
Click the map to enlarge.
Half Marathon
START TIME: 8:00 a.m.
The Half Marathon stays almost entirely within the city limits with a brief section in Pawtucket. Starting downtown, the course combines the historic neighborhoods and river views on the streets of Providence. The first half is run out to India Point Park before loop around in Pawtucket and back to downtown via the Providence River. You’ll finish right next to the iconic Rhode Island State House and Providence Station.
Click the map to enlarge.
Aid Stations
Aid stations will be offered every few miles through all courses. For the marathon, all aid stations (except for mile 3) will offer water, Nuun, GU energy gels, bananas, and restrooms. The mile 3 station will only offer water, Nuun, and restrooms.
Additionally, select aid stations will be equipped with Vaseline, cramp cream, and band-aids.
Early Start Time
For those runners pushing a 14 min pace or higher, we strongly recommend taking advantage of the 6:00 am early start time. Please be advised the roads are not officially closed. Runners must pay attention to traffic signals and use sidewalk when possible. Early aid stations might not be set up yet and runners should know the route as course marshals may not yet be in place. Please note early starters are not eligible for age group awards.
Gear Check
Gear check will open at 6:30 A.M. on race day and is free for all registered runners.
Post-Race Party
The fun doesn't stop once you cross the finish line! All runners 21+ get a free beer with their entry, and additional beer will be available for purchase. In addition, there'll be a DJ, and an Awards Ceremony celebrating our top finishers! Age group awards for both distances will be available for pickup at the information services tent after the race.
Elite Runner Perks
If you've achieved an exceptionally low finish time at a marathon or half marathon in the past two years, we have a couple of perks for you! The first is a special Elite Runner Corral at the front of the pack to ensure you get a fast start right out of the gate. The second is a fully comped entry to this year's race!
Male Elite Runner Corral Qualifying Times
MARATHON - 2:27
HALF MARATHON - 1:11
Female Elite Runner Corral Qualifying Times
MARATHON - 2:59
HALF MARATHON - 1:25
Both perks have limited availability and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and is at capacity for the 2022 Providence Marathon.
Standards for both the marathon and half marathon must have been run within 18 months of the race to qualify. Athletes applying for elite complimentary entry will not be included in the Age Group results or awards. They will be categorized in the overall Elite results only. Applications must be submitted no later than 30 days prior to the event. Late entries will not be accommodated. An elite complimentary entry is non-transferable and only applies to the Half Marathon and Marathon distances. Other distances do not qualify.
If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected].
Packet Pick-up
There will be no race day packet pickup! Packet pickup will be held at Rhode Runner Inc (657 North Main St, Providence, RI 02906) on the following days and times:
Friday, April 29
12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 30
10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Lodging
Lodging options for the event can be found here!
Results & Awards
Awards are presented to the following categories:
Top 3 Open Men/ Women
Top 3 Men/Women (age 19 and under)
Top 3 Men/Women (age 20-29)
Top 3 Men/Women (age 30-39)
Top 3 Men/Women (age 40-49)
Top 3 Men/Women (age 50-59)
Top 3 Men/Women (age 60-69)
Top 3 Men/Women (age 70+)
All awards will be mailed out following the event.
Spectator Information
Parking on the course is strictly prohibited. However, there are spots all over the city that are wonderful for seeing your runner(s) complete their races. The spots we recommend are:
- India Point Park in Providence – for half & full
- Blackstone Blvd in Providence – for the half
- Veteran’s Memorial Blvd in East Providence – for the full
- Crescent Park - for the full
- Haines Park - for the full
Pacers
The Providence Marathon will have pacers running at marathon paces of: 3:00, 3:05, 3:10, 3:20, 3:25, 3:30, 3:35, 3:40, 3:50, 3:55, 4:05, 4:20, 4:35, 4:50, 5:05, and 5:20. The half marathon will have pacers running at half marathon paces of: 1:30, 1:40, 1:50, 2:00, 2:10, 2:20, 2:30, 2:40, 2:50, and 3:00.
Directions & Parking
Expo Parking
Limited parking is available at the Providence Place Mall and other lots throughout the city for a fee.
Race Day Parking
Runners are encouraged to park in the Rhode Island Convention Center or the Providence Place Mall parking garage on race day. Both lots are walking distance from the start-finish line, and the exit will not be blocked by the course for those trying to leave while the races are ongoing.
For more information, visit www.parkdowntownprovidence.com.
