The Tobacco Road Marathon course is comprised of many rolling hills. However, it is run on the American Tobacco Trail which is relatively flat with gentle inclines and declines. The American Tobacco Trail portion of the course was formerly an old railroad bed, so any grades are very gradual.
The first and last 2.5 miles of the course are on paved roadways and the approximately 21 miles on the 10-12 foot wide American Tobacco Trail is comprised of crushed, compacted granite screenings with some sections a combination of asphalt and compacted screenings.
The Tobacco Road Marathon was the 92nd largest marathon in the U.S. last year and was the 78th largest in 2022.
This year 13.3% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon and 18.3% of runners qualified for Boston in 2023.
This gives the Tobacco Road Marathon the 66th highest percentage of Boston Marathon qualifiers in the U.S. last year and the 108th highest percentage so far in 2024.
Its Course Score of 97.87 ranks it as the 331st fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 8th fastest course in North Carolina.
The typical race time temperature and humidity levels are within the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. This, coupled with the Course Score, gives the Tobacco Road Marathon a PR Score of 97.87. This PR Score ranks it as the 275th fastest marathon in the U.S. and the 8th fastest in North Carolina.
Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.
Tobacco Road Marathon Elevation Chart
Max Elevation: 383 feet (116m) Min Elevation: 239 feet (72m)
I ran this race for the 4th time yesterday. While I didn't get the time I wanted I still had a great experience. I would recommend this as a good first marathon for someone. Except for the first & last 2 1/2 miles it is mostly flat. There are a couple of times on the course where you have to climb small hills, but they are not that bad at all.
Race Tips
They run a half & full on the same day. If you do the full when you start or not long after get to the right side to the pack of runners. When you get to the trail (about 2.5 miles in) the full people turn right & half go left. Do not make the mistake of trying to make a right turn from the left side of the crowd, You will get run over.
If you want to park at the venue get a parking pass super early because they sell out very fast. If you get dropped off do so as early as you can on the day of the race. Traffic can be a nightmare. There is a tent that provides shelter & if cold they warm it up.
Jsb's review of 2024 Tobacco Road Marathon.
5 /
5 Stars
Review
I really like the course and the support. It reminds me of a long version of the Monument Avenue races in Richmond, VA - straight, fast and flat. It's shady, there's fantastic aid stations, and it's easy to get to.
I ran it the weekend after the time change, so the few bits I didn't like were pretty much bad luck of the calendar. We launched in the dark, and the suggestion to get there early was a little rough (can't really do too much in a dark parking lot).
Race Tips
The course is flat and straight. It is paved, but not as nicely as a road. It's tree lined, lots of shade. I ran in sunglasses and wouldn't do that next time. Lots of support, there were long aid stations probably every two miles handing out Gatorade, water, Gu, pickle juice, etc.
I didn't see too many portable toilets. People peed in the woods.
There was no 4 hour pace group if that matters to you.
Be prepared to wait around before the race. They suggest getting there no later than 5:30 for a 7:00 gun time because they use shuttles to get people from remote parking lots (onsite parking is very limited). I found that to be a little long, ESPECIALLY because of the time change shifting daylight around. I wasn't going to risk turning an ankle by warming up in the dark. In the future I'd catch one of the later shuttles and dress to spend an extended period sitting around.
MJ's review of 2023 Tobacco Road Marathon.
5 /
5 Stars
Review
This race is large enough to provide competition but small enough to be no-hassle. The Race Directors are local philanthropists who donate proceeds to charity. There are military categories in addition to age group awards; and cool T-shirts for Boston qualifiers. The course is basically flat. The first 2.5 miles have a slight decline, and returning on the same roads, it is slightly uphill. The Tobacco Trail is basically flat. Avoid monotony by joining one of the carefully selected, excellent pace groups who know exactly how to navigate the course. The half-marathon course is mostly on pavement. The full marathon has some hard-packed dirt trails. There are no rocks or roots. Water, Gatorade and gels are provided at each of the road crossings. There is a warming tent for before the race, and a party with beer and band after the race.
Race Tips
There are only 2 pace clocks on the course at 13.1 and almost 20 miles, so a good sports watch is essential for keeping pace.
Don't kill yourself on the first 2 miles. You will be able to make up time once you are on the trail.
Register early and get a parking pass, since off-site shuttle buses might be confusing if coming from out of town.
KEH's review of 2022 Tobacco Road Marathon.
5 /
5 Stars
Review
This marathon was very well organized. Every detail was taken care of by the race staff. The course was very flat and beautiful. Great for new marathoners!
Race Tips
Majority of the course was on the tobacco trail. Definitely practice running on that surface ahead of time if possible
We stayed at the Homewood Suites and had a great experience. Huge room and very clean.
PC's review of 2022 Tobacco Road Marathon.
5 /
5 Stars
Review
Race was perfectly run. Started precisely at 7 am.
To me this race was an ideal way to spend the last morning of winter. i would recommend it to anyone within 2-3h of the race. Also, if you are trying to podium in your age group, it is a good race because most of the fastest runners are prepping for Boston in April so the top 3 times are a bit slower (if that matters to you- it didn't to me). Its a fantastic local race that I would recommend to anyone.
The shirt was nice. simple design, good color scheme. not doing too much. I'm not an expo person so I can't comment about it either way.
Race Tips
On to the course. The description of "flat" is not really accurate. If you want truly flat in NC, you are better looking at the coastal races (emerald Isle and outer banks come to mind, though they have occasional bridge climbs which are steeper and longer than any ascent on this course). However, given this is a rail to trail course, the grade of the climbs/descents is 99.9% very gentle. I actually prefer this type of course because i tend to make up more time than I lose with gentle elevation changes like the ones here and it gives my muscle groups some variability so I don't stiffen up as much.
The hardest part for me was miles 21-24 (duh!) which are a gentle but long ascent right when most runners are hitting the wall, followed by the steepest ascents on the course over the last 2 miles of rollers (mind you they are not that steep when you look at them BEFORE you hit mile 24 and I hardly noticed them during the first 2 miles of the race on the way out)
I have seen comments about the gravel being an issue for some. There were no dust problems and the packing of the gravel was really good. I train almost exclusively on sidewalks/roads and did not perceive problems with footing/slippage. I was running for a boston qualifying time so I was not in a group/pack during the race so can't comment about how that would be (it could be an issue as there are water runoff ruts all along the course that you might have to run in if you don't have the lateral mobility and forward visibility to stay out of them as you go)
I ran with a fuel belt so was not as reliant on the aid stations prior to mile 12, so can't say much about those other than to say there were a lot of people to help pass out fluids and gels. No bananas or oranges at aid stations on course, but logistically I understand why.
Course is tree covered except for the first and last 2 miles. leaves aren't up yet but plenty of shade anyway in case the day is hot (it wasn't for us).
Going in I was worried about the parking and shuttles because I registered too late to get a pass to the start site lot. The race site recommended arriving to shuttle area before 515 am! However, after speaking with the information attendant at the expo, this was mostly to ensure people who wanted pics, etc had time to linger before race start. I arrived at shuttle parking at 6:10, got on bus at 6:15 and was at start by 6:30. There were about 10 full sized buses waiting in cue at 6:10 to take people to the site and not nearly enough people to fill more than 2 of them so no worries about getting there on time! I think there were about 1000 portajohns (exaggeration but there were a LOT) at the start site and there were actually 2 portajohns that nobody knew about or was using when I walked by them at the back of the shuttle parking lot at 6:10 am (warning that these may not be permanent for future years). Don't panic if you don't get a start site parking pass. They really managed the shuttle situation beautifully.
I stayed at the courtyard marriot 1.3 miles from the parking/shuttle site. If you want to take a run on the marathon course prior to race day, this may not be an ideal hotel because it is a 15 minute + drive to get to the course. But it was perfect for me as it was close to the shuttle in the am which was my priority.
4.4 Stars from 18 Reviews
