Overview The KultureCity Birmingham Race is a half marathon, 5K and one-mile fun run built as a sensory accessible event, with support on site for any runner who needs it, starting in front of the Powell Steam Plant, the site of Birmingham's future National Accessibility Park. The 5K and half marathon courses are chip-timed, flat and fast, and runners can also take part virtually. The race supports KultureCity, the nonprofit for sensory accessibility and inclusion for people with sensory needs and invisible disabilities, founded by physicians Julian Maha and Michele Kong and based in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, which certifies venues as Sensory Inclusive. On site The half marathon runs pace groups, from 1:35 up to a four-hour pacer known as the Balloon Lady. Volunteers run cheer stations along the route with signs and noisemakers, competing for a prize for the best one, and water stations hand out water and electrolytes. Steve Ponte calls the race. After the finish, runners gather at the Race Celebration Village, and every finisher at every distance gets a one-of-a-kind medal. Awards go three deep overall for men and women, to masters runners over 50, across fourteen age groups from under 16 to 75 and over, and to teams, including the biggest team. Audience The field runs from runners chasing a personal best behind a pacer to families and first-timers on the one-mile Fun Run Dash, open to kids, walkers and anyone who wants to run, walk or roll the distance. The Birmingham Track Club was named the race's official training partner for 2026. Track record The race first ran in 2024. In July 2025 RUN Outside put it on a list of 13 flat, cool and fast U.S. half marathons for a personal record. UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine was the official medical provider at the 2024 and 2025 races. Brand presence Hadrian signed on as title sponsor for 2026, with Lug supplying the swag bags and GoldLeaf the print, and Elevate Physical Therapy and Performance was named official physical therapy partner. Below the title, a partner can name the Kid Zone or the VIP tent with 'brought to you by' signage, take the step-and-repeat at the Race Activation Village, run a booth or brand a water or cheer station. Most levels put the partner's logo on the race-day T-shirt and on every race photo, and come with free race entries and passes to the after-party.