Jacksonville Marathon 2026: Dec. 12 start, course, fees

Last checked Oct. 26, 2026. Facts come from the organizers’ own pages: Ameris Bank’s event information and participant information, and the race’s registration page on Race Roster. This page is updated for each year’s race at the same address.

Yes, it is on. The Ameris Bank Jacksonville Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K start at 7 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026, on San Jose Boulevard in front of the Bolles School, 7400 San Jose Blvd. Registration is open now, and prices go up on Dec. 1. Ameris Bank calls it the oldest marathon in Jacksonville. Race contact runs through 1st Place Sports, the local running store chain.

Know before you go

• When: 7 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026; all three races start together
• Where: San Jose Boulevard at the Bolles School, 7400 San Jose Blvd.; marathon and half finish on the school’s stadium track
• Cost now: marathon $98.28, half $76.88, 5K $44.79 on Race Roster, fees included, through Nov. 30
• Packet pickup: 1st Place Sports stores Dec. 10-11; Bolles 5:30 to 6:45 a.m. race day
• Course closes: 1 p.m.
• Contact: Ryann Lohman at 1st Place Sports, Ryann@1stplacesports.com

Race day schedule

From the organizer’s participant page:

A clothes check is at the starting line. Bags are picked up on the west end of the track, behind the finish line and food area.

The course

The organizers describe a flat course with about 85% shade and no steep hills, bridges or overpasses. It starts at Bolles on San Jose Boulevard, heads north, then south into Mandarin for a loop and back along the St. Johns River to the school. Water and electrolyte stations are about every two miles, with clocks and mile markers at every mile.

• Marathon and half marathon: USA Track and Field certified; they finish on the Hodes Field track in Skinner-Barco Stadium at Bolles.
• 5K: runs the first 5K of the marathon course and finishes on San Jose Boulevard in front of the school.
• Time limits: six hours for the marathon, four hours for the half.
• Boston: the organizers list the marathon as a Boston Marathon qualifier.
• Course records, as the organizer lists them: men 2:14:33 marathon and 1:02:40 half; women 2:36:45 marathon and 1:13:39 half.

Prices

From Race Roster, including mandatory fees:

Ameris Bank’s page lists the base entry fees before Race Roster’s charges ($90 for the marathon, $70 for the half and $40 for the 5K through Nov. 30) and says runners 65 and over and 13 and under get $5 off automatically. Entry fees are not refundable. Online registration closes the day before packet pickup begins; after that, the organizer says you can still sign up at any 1st Place Sports store or on race day.

Marathon and half marathon entries include a half-zip long-sleeve shirt; 5K entries include a long-sleeve shirt. Every finisher gets a medal. Prize money of $500, $200 and $100 goes to the top three men and women overall in the marathon and half.

Packet pickup

Packets are at the 1st Place Sports store you chose when registering, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11:

• 3931 Baymeadows Road, about 2 miles from the start
• 2018 San Marco Blvd., near downtown
• 424 S. 3rd St., Jacksonville Beach
• 2220 County Road 210 West, St. Johns

Packets move to the Bolles School for race-day pickup, 5:30 to 6:45 a.m.

Parking, road closures and where to watch

The organizers had not published parking instructions, a road closure list or spectator spots for 2026 when we checked. The course uses San Jose Boulevard and roads in Mandarin on a Saturday morning, so expect lane closures and slow traffic there from before 7 a.m. until the course closes at 1 p.m. We will add the closures when the organizer or the city posts them; check our road construction and closures page and getting around before you drive.

Out-of-town runners: the host hotel is the Embassy Suites, 9300 Baymeadows Road, with a race rate of $139 until Nov. 30 (room block “JACKSONVILLE MARATHON,” code “RUN”), and the organizer says buses run from the hotel to the race and back on race day.

What this means for you

• Register by Nov. 30 to save about $10 on the marathon and $5 on the half or 5K.
• Pick up your packet Thursday or Friday if you can; race-day pickup closes at 6:45 a.m.
• Driving on San Jose Boulevard that Saturday morning? Plan another route until early afternoon.
• Average race-day temperature is about 56 degrees, the organizer says; check the National Weather Service in Jacksonville that week.

Related: the Gate River Run on March 6, 2027, things to do this month, Mandarin and parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 Jacksonville Marathon?

Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026. The marathon, half marathon and 5K start together at 7 a.m. on San Jose Boulevard in front of the Bolles School, 7400 San Jose Blvd.

How much does the Jacksonville Marathon cost?

On Race Roster, with fees, the marathon is $98.28 through Nov. 30 and $108.98 from Dec. 1 to 8. The half is $76.88 through Nov. 30, then $82.23, and $87.58 on race day. The 5K is $44.79 through Nov. 30.

Is the Jacksonville Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes. The marathon course is USA Track and Field certified, and the organizers list it as a Boston Marathon qualifier. They describe it as flat with about 85% shade and no bridges or overpasses.

Where do I pick up my packet?

At the 1st Place Sports store you chose, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, or at the Bolles School from 5:30 to 6:45 a.m. on race day.

What is the time limit?

The organizer’s participant page lists six hours for the marathon and four hours for the half marathon, and says the course closes at 1 p.m.