Overview The Allianz Partners Richmond Marathon is Sports Backers' November race in Richmond, Virginia, billed as America's Friendliest Marathon, and it ends on a downhill run to the James River at Brown's Island. Three races share race day: the marathon, the CarMax Richmond Half Marathon and an 8k. The marathon course is USA Track and Field certified, and the race counts itself among the most-used qualifiers for the Boston Marathon. Sports Backers, a Richmond nonprofit set up to make all corners of the region more active, produces it, and its youth program, Kids on the Move, is the race charity. On site The marathon starts at 7 a.m. on Broad Street just west of 1st Street, runs through the city and along and across the James River, then drops downhill at 5th and Tredegar Street to the finish on Brown's Island and the Canal Walk. Water stops come every two miles to mile 20 and every mile after that. Miles 14 and 21 hand out gels and chews, miles 16 and 22 are junk food stops, and mile 23 serves pickle juice. Spirit groups, party zones and bands work the neighborhoods along the route, and the course stays open for seven hours. Finishers get a medal, a finisher hat and the race's fleece finisher blanket, then walk into the CoStar Group Post Race Party on the riverfront. A two-day Health and Fitness Expo runs before race day. Audience Most of the field is regional. In 2024, 65.65% of registrants came from Virginia, with North Carolina, Maryland, Washington DC and Pennsylvania next, and the start line held runners from all 50 states and 26 countries. A lot of them train for it together: Sports Backers runs marathon, half marathon and 8k training teams in the months before the race, and printed an estimated 2,200 team guides for 2025. Track record The race first ran in 1978, with 2,722 runners across a marathon, a half and an 8k. By 2024 the weekend registered 21,307 runners over its three races. All three races sold out in 2025, and registration for the 2026 marathon, capped at 7,200, sold out along with the half. The title has passed from Richmond Newspapers to SunTrust, Anthem and VCU Health, and Allianz took it in 2022. Brand presence Sponsorship comes in four packages, and every one carries industry exclusivity, a first right of refusal to return and invitations to partner-only events, including a VIP reception that opens race weekend. Each includes space at the Walmart Health and Fitness Expo and at the CoStar Group Post Race Party, from 10 by 10 feet up, plus 6-by-3-foot signs along the finish chute, PA mentions and race entries for staff or customers. Higher levels add logos on volunteer shirts and in the race's 30-second TV spots on NBC12, which airs a 30-minute highlight show live on race day, and the top package adds title rights to a named part of the weekend. Partners can also stage promotions with the training teams and put an offer in the virtual goodie bag.