TIAA Philadelphia Marathon.
The TIAA Philadelphia Marathon starts on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway beside the Art Museum and finishes just over 42 kilometres later at the foot of its famous steps. The course is flat, but almost all of its climbing sits in the middle: Fairmount Park fills kilometres 13 to 26, and after that the long riverside road along the Schuylkill decides the race.
TIAA Philadelphia Marathon 2026: Course, Route Profile & Map
The first twelve kilometres are essentially level and run through the historic city: off the Parkway onto Arch Street into Old City, down to the Delaware waterfront, where between kilometres 4 and 5.5 the course sits at its lowest point around two metres above sea level, back west on South Street and across Center City on Chestnut Street. Only the Walnut Street bridge over the Schuylkill brings the first real rise, 300 metres at just over three per cent up into University City at kilometre 12.5.
The heart of the course follows. Thirty-fourth Street carries the race into Fairmount Park, where a 500-metre climb averaging 4.3 per cent lifts it onto the plateau at kilometre 15; the high point of the day, 41 metres, comes just before kilometre 18 on States Drive. Back across the Girard Avenue bridge, kilometre 20.4 holds the hardest ramp on the course: 700 metres averaging four per cent with a pitch over ten, climbing 33rd Street to the East Park Reservoir. The road stays around 33 metres until kilometre 25, then drops some 30 metres in one go onto Kelly Drive.
What is left is river. Kelly Drive follows the Schuylkill north-west, the course turns into Main Street in Manayunk at kilometre 32.5, doubles back at the cones and returns on the same road. Manayunk is the loudest stretch of the day; after it come ten kilometres of open, dead-straight riverside road with the field strung out and the wind funnelling up the valley. In late November the seven o'clock start usually means temperatures around freezing. The final few hundred metres climb about ten metres again, up to Eakins Oval and the museum steps.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 12.5 | 0.3 km | 3.2 % | 3.9 % | +10 m | — |
| km 15.1 | 0.5 km | 4.3 % | 6.3 % | +21 m | — |
| km 20.4 | 0.7 km | 4 % | 10.1 % | +28 m | — |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace TIAA Philadelphia Marathon.
Start under control
Almost 70 per cent of the course is flat, and the first twelve kilometres are the flattest part of it. That is where this marathon is lost: closed Center City streets and the Old City crowds make the pace feel cheaper than it is. Hold the opening kilometres deliberately at goal effort, and do not treat the low ground along the Delaware as a chance to bank time.
Hold your rhythm
The middle block from kilometre 12.5 to 26 costs you, without any single climb being dramatic. The three ramps, 300 metres at kilometre 12.5, 500 metres at 4.3 per cent at kilometre 15 and 700 metres with a ten per cent pitch at kilometre 20.4, are each easy on their own but add up. Run them on effort rather than pace, and let the 30-metre drop onto Kelly Drive roll instead of braking it with your quads.
Spend what is left
The race is settled after that. From kilometre 26 there are sixteen flat kilometres with no corners, no structure and, past Manayunk, no spectators, out and back on the same road. Reaching the Manayunk turn only just on schedule usually means you have already spent too much; running through it evenly is how places are taken on the way home. Treat the riverside section as a race of its own with a fixed pace and a fixed fuelling rhythm, and expect a headwind in the final third.
Training plan for TIAA Philadelphia Marathon: 12-week build
Build the base
For a typical age-group runner the effort lasts somewhere between 3:15 and 4:45. Its character is steadily aerobic throughout: almost no changes of pace, nothing technical underfoot, but long stretches where the same pace has to hold for hours. The 212 metres of climbing over 42 kilometres do not change that, they only move where the fatigue appears.
Train race pace
Two phases decide the day. The Fairmount Park block between kilometres 13 and 26 asks you to take several short climbs without jumping pace, and the descent at its end loads the quads at a point where sixteen kilometres still remain. After that the only question is whether you can hold an even rhythm alone on flat road.
Rehearse the course
Train for exactly that: long runs with a hilly middle and a long flat finish rather than uniform steady runs; downhill running under fatigue so the 30-metre drop onto Kelly Drive costs nothing; and a few long sessions deliberately done alone, because the way back along the river is precisely that.
Arrive fresh
Conditions are part of the preparation. A seven o'clock start in late November is cold, the Schuylkill riverside is open and exposed, and there is no shelter between the turn and the finish. Rehearse the clothing decision at near-freezing temperatures, including what you intend to discard after a few kilometres, and test your fuelling in the cold, where gels behave differently than they do in summer training.
Courses
Download the TIAA Philadelphia Marathon course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
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Everything about TIAA Philadelphia Marathon.
How long is TIAA Philadelphia Marathon?
TIAA Philadelphia Marathon is 42.2 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does TIAA Philadelphia Marathon have?
TIAA Philadelphia Marathon has around 212 m of elevation gain over 42.2 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of TIAA Philadelphia Marathon?
TIAA Philadelphia Marathon is classified as Flat, averaging 5 vertical metres per kilometre. 70% of the route is flat, 16% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 0% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does TIAA Philadelphia Marathon have?
The hardest climb of TIAA Philadelphia Marathon starts at kilometre 20.4, runs for 0.7 km at an average of 4% and gains 28 metres. 3 climbs are mapped in total.
Is TIAA Philadelphia Marathon a loop course?
Yes, TIAA Philadelphia Marathon is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the TIAA Philadelphia Marathon course?
Yes. The TIAA Philadelphia Marathon course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for TIAA Philadelphia Marathon?
Preparation for TIAA Philadelphia Marathon should account for 42.2 km, 212 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for TIAA Philadelphia Marathon?
The pacing strategy for TIAA Philadelphia Marathon should reflect 42.2 km, 212 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does TIAA Philadelphia Marathon take place?
TIAA Philadelphia Marathon takes place on November 22, 2026.
Where does TIAA Philadelphia Marathon take place?
TIAA Philadelphia Marathon takes place in Philadelphia, United States.
Which distances does TIAA Philadelphia Marathon offer?
TIAA Philadelphia Marathon offers 3 distances — Marathon: 42.2 km; Dietz & Watson Philadelphia Half Marathon: 21.1 km; Rothman Orthopaedics 8K: 8 km.
How do I register for TIAA Philadelphia Marathon?
Registration runs through the organiser: philadelphiamarathon.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
