RunRace USA › Oklahoma › Route 66 Marathon
The complete, course-first guide
Route 66 Marathon
Sunday, November 22, 2026 · Wave schedule — see logistics
Downtown Tulsa. Search results give the start as S Boulder Ave & W 5th St, Tulsa, OK (not confirmed on a page actually fetched); the race organization's listed address is 812 E Admiral Blvd, Tulsa, OK 74120, which is the office, not the start line.
The race in 60 seconds
First run in 2006, Route 66 Marathon has had time to become part of the city's running calendar. The route forms an open loop, finishing in the same part of the city without returning to the exact start point. The modeled line carries about 974 feet of total climb and ranges from roughly 614 to 793 feet above sea level. Look for Boston Avenue Methodist Church, University Club Tower, Blue Dome, BOK Tower (One Williams Center) in the flyover, with recognizable forms modeled from architectural records.
Fly the course
The whole course, built from the best available published route trace and an extruded model of Tulsa. Scrub it, change the camera, or let it play. Nothing here is a video: it is drawing the city live.
Route statusCurrent community course trace cross-checked against the published route. Route (not trip) 'Route 66 Marathon Course', Tulsa OK, 43,180 m (26.83 mi drawn; race-day GPS trips of this course read 42.5-43.5 km), 1,749 trackpoints. JSON loads without login at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49029281.json. Created 2024-11-11, updated 2025-12-01. Matches official 2026 poster map exactly: first point 36.1472,-95.9878 (10th St near Boston/Main start), last point 36.1599,-95.9924 (E Cameron St at Guthrie Green finish), and geometry passes all 2026-map landmarks - University of Tulsa loop (4th Pl/8th St), 15th St east segments, 41st St/Peoria south turn, Riverside Dr / RiverParks East Bank Trail, 3rd St return.
The route line uses the best published course trace available. Public-domain USGS and USDA aerial photography plus USGS 3DEP elevation are baked into RunRace USA, so the flyover makes no paid map API or third-party runtime requests. Buildings, roads, parks and water use OpenStreetMap, ODbL. This is photographic terrain with modeled architecture, not photogrammetry. Bridge approaches, elevations and facade details are approximations; the organizer's published route remains the reference.
The elevation profile
This Marathon profile covers 26.2 miles, ranges from roughly 614 to 793 feet, and contains about 974 feet of modeled climb.
- , mile 16.77 to 19.1: 142 feet up, 1.1% average.
- , mile 1.68 to 1.98: 52 feet up, 3.2% average.
- , mile 0.64 to 1.46: 51 feet up, 1.2% average.
- , mile 2.78 to 3.08: 50 feet up, 3.1% average.
- , mile 19.85 to 20.33: 50 feet up, 1.9% average.
- , mile 4.36 to 5.02: 37 feet up, 1.0% average.
- , mile 3.93 to 4.21: 37 feet up, 2.4% average.
The route at a glance
Gold is the selected modeled course; route provenance is stated beside the flyover.
Race-week weather, measured
At the start line, November 18-26 averaged a low of 40°F and a high of 59°F across 2016-2025. The same window reached 74°F at its warmest and 23°F at its coldest. Measurable rain appeared on about 22% of sampled days. Treat the range, not just the average, as the packing list.
Pace it by effort
The profile and grade strip come from the same route currently loaded in the flyover. Use even pace as a baseline, then protect effort on the highlighted climbs and exposed sections.
| Finish | Even pace | Halfway |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 6:52 /mi | 1:30 |
| 3:30 | 8:01 /mi | 1:45 |
| 4:00 | 9:09 /mi | 2:00 |
| 4:30 | 10:18 /mi | 2:15 |
| 5:00 | 11:27 /mi | 2:30 |
Build your race weekend
The course
Live 3D flyover, synchronized elevation, route map, mile-by-mile shape and local landmarks.
Where to stay
17 mapped places to stay, compared by the endpoint that matters.
Expo and logistics
Packet pickup, the published weekend schedule, transit, parking and current entry tiers.
Spectators
Route-aware viewing anchors and a plan that respects the actual course geography.
The weekend
A city guide built around the places modeled beside the course.
Official race site
The organizer's current dates, entry details and late course notices.
Common questions
Do you have to register for the Center of the Universe detour ahead of time?
No. Per rundida.com, the detour is decided on race day with no pre-registration. It adds about 0.3 miles at the Boston Avenue pedestrian bridge, turning 26.2 into a 26.5-mile 'World's Shortest Ultramarathon,' and finishers of it get a commemorative inlaid coin and a beer.
What is the time limit, and does the race contradict itself on it?
Yes, it contradicts itself. The official FAQ states a 16:30 minutes-per-mile pace limit for Sunday races while also calling it a 6.5-hour finish, but 6.5 hours over 26.2 miles is about 14:53 per mile. Assume the tighter number and plan accordingly.
What actually happens if you fall behind the cutoff?
You are not necessarily pulled. The official FAQ says slower participants may be redirected onto sidewalks and may lose access to aid stations and Gatorade. Third-party race info lists 6.5 hours of on-course support with the finish line staying open to 7.5 hours, so a slow finish still gets recorded.
Can you get a refund if you get injured?
No. The official FAQ is explicit: no refunds for any reason, including injury or emergency, because permitting fees, materials and other costs are paid up front and are non-refundable. First-timers routinely assume a doctor's note buys an exception here. It does not.
Can you defer or hand your bib to someone else?
Both are allowed but only before October 15, and both cost money. Per the official FAQ, deferral fees are $50 marathon, $40 half, $20 5K, $50 Doubles. Transferring your registration to another person carries a $30 acceptance fee paid by the person taking your bib.
Can you switch from the marathon to the half at the last minute?
Only for a fee after mid-October. The official FAQ says before October 15 you pay just the difference to upgrade and nothing to downgrade. After October 15 a $25 change fee applies on top of any price difference. Apparel sizes are also not guaranteed after October 15.
Can you skip the expo and grab your bib on race morning?
Not for free. The official FAQ requires all participants to pick up packets at the Health, Fitness and Sustainability Expo, with race-day pickup available only for an additional fee. Budget the expo trip into your travel plan rather than treating it as optional.
What does the weather and the course actually do to you?
Two fetched sources put race morning near 35 to 36 F climbing to a 55 to 58 F high, with wind on the exposed Arkansas River stretches, so throwaway gloves and a sheddable layer pay off. The course is rolling, roughly 822 feet of gain, not the flat road people expect.
Register for the 2026 Route 66 Marathon →on Haku
Course geometry provenance is stated beside the player; elevation profiles always use the same route loaded there. City geometry is OpenStreetMap, ODbL. Aerial imagery is from USGS and USDA; other images carry their own source credits. Weather figures use Open-Meteo reanalysis for November 18-26 across 2016-2025 at the start line. Schedule, prices and expo hours were checked in 2026-08-31 and are the fields most likely to move: confirm them on route66marathon.com before you book anything. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.