The “world’s largest running series” is returning to San Antonio for the 15th time this weekend.
With thousands of runners will come several street closures this weekend in neighborhoods near downtown San Antonio as the course relocates from previous years.
The two-day Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series San Antonio event takes part in destination cities around the world each year. In San Antonio, it consists of four races; a 10K and 5K race happening Saturday and a marathon and half marathon on Sunday. The San Antonio marathon is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.
Exit 141B will be closed from IH-37 to Houston Street from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Exit 140B will be closed Sunday from IH-37 to Cesar Chavez Boulevard from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Exit 158C will be closed Sunday from I-35 to Broadway from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.
The 10K and 5K start Saturday at 7:30 a.m. at Milam Park on the corner of West Houston Street and North Santa Rosa Street. The 10k marathon is estimated to last about two hours and the 5K will last about one hour. The finish line for both races ends at Travis Park.
Course maps look different this year, with 10K runners passing through neighborhoods around San Antonio College and south of Brackenridge Park and 5K runners through central parts of downtown.
For a full list of road closures, click here. See the map below for the full course.
Road closures for the Rock ‘n’ Roll 5K and 10K runs on Saturday will affect VIA bus service from 3 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. The Rock ‘n’ Roll half-marathon and marathon will also impact service from 3 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. For a full list of VIA routes affected, click here.
The marathon and half marathon start Sunday at 7 a.m. at San Antonio City Hall on Military Plaza and finishes at the University of Texas at San Antonio downtown campus on West Cesar Chavez Boulevard.
The marathons are known for attracting about 20,000 annual participants, adding live music, bands, cheer teams and entertaining water stations to create a block party atmosphere for participants.
The running series brought in 17,000 participants in 2022, said Shelbi Young, spokesperson for the event. And the “same if not more” number of participants is expected again this year, she said.
Although online registration has ended for the 2023 race, you can still register at the race’s Health and Fitness Expo on Friday at noon at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Halls 4A and 4B. Here, runners will pick up their race numbers, gear bags and T-shirts until 7 p.m. The Expo will also go on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The marathon on Sunday goes through Fort Sam Houston, but only Department of Defense card holders will be allowed to watch the event inside. The fastest runner in each age group that runs through JBSA Fort Sam Houston will win a $100 Certified Piedmontese Beef gift card.
Along the course, participants can pause at water stations, a pain relief zone that will offer cold therapy pain relief treatment, and to enjoy five music stages.
The marathon will last about seven hours, according to the event page, and the half marathon will last about four hours. Streets will close as early as 2 a.m. Some streets will start to open at 11 a.m., but some will stay closed through 3 p.m. or 6 p.m. For a full list of street closures, click here.
Results will be posted to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series App, just select “Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio.” Awards will recognize top three overall male and female determined by gun time, and age group awards for the marathon and half marathon runners by chip time.
To view results from the 2022 event, click here.
