The new Garmin Marathon Series is coming to Durham next spring. What we know
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- Garmin and Durham Sports Commission will host Garmin Marathon Series event May 2, 2026.
- Race will offer 5K, 10K, half and full marathon; full race will qualify for Boston.
- Course will include American Tobacco Trail, downtown, DBAP and Wallace Wade stadium.
Durham has been selected to host a major marathon in May 2026 as part of an inaugural nationwide series.
Durham Sports Commission and Garmin have teamed up to bring the Garmin Marathon Series to the Triangle, the two organizations announced on Thursday morning.
“Garmin is one of the best brands that you can associate with in terms of the fitness industry,” said Durham Sports Commission Executive Director Marcus Manning. “You think about the Triangle as one of the best running ecosystems in the country. Then, the unique opportunity to be ‘a first’ in terms of Garmin laying this out … we just felt like it’s a great fit.”
The event will take place on May 2, 2026, and feature four different distances. It will offer a 5K, 10K, half-marathon and full marathon for all ages and experience levels, even those who don’t consider themselves runners. The full marathon will be a Boston Marathon qualifying event. Registration will be available on the Garmin Marathon Series website.
The marathon course will begin near the American Tobacco District, take runners through downtown and the Durham Historic District. Participants will also run inside Durham Bulls Athletic Park, on the American Tobacco Trail and end at Wallace Wade Stadium at Duke University.
“This has been a collective effort between all of our Durham stakeholders — Duke, the Durham Bulls, Durham Bulls Athletic Park, the city and the county — so that’s what’s been exciting about this opportunity,” Manning said.
Garmin, as a brand, is focused on outdoor activities, fitness and offering tools that help people live healthy lifestyles. Steve Lovell, Garmin International’s associate director of advertising and sponsorship,l said the company sponsors other races and events, but this was an opportunity for it to be a primary organizer.
“We wanted to build that better relationship with runners,” Lovell said. “Let’s start our own race series. Do it from a Garmin perspective, and really do it with a runner-first mentality.”
Routes will be designed for runners and feature “cheer zones,” DJs and cooling tunnels along the course. The two-day vendor expo will include companies and organizations that specialize in running and outdoor activities.
“We really wanted to connect with those runners on a deeper level, and that’s why we started the Garmin Marathon Series,” Lovell said.
This is the third location for the series following the inaugural race in Toledo, Ohio, last weekend. A second race is scheduled for November in Tucson, Arizona. The company started with more than 50 potential locations before narrowing it down to three.
Manning and Lovell have a mutual friend who connected the two and recommended Durham as a potential destination. Lovell said the city stuck out for several reasons, including the running and outdoor community, an open spot on the calendar and the company’s office in Cary.
“We want to, of course, invigorate that local market, and give them an amazing experience that they can be part of,” Lovell said. “But we also think Durham is definitely a destination city, as well, that will bring a lot of people in.”
No specific numbers were provided regarding the potential economic impact, but the organizers estimate it could draw up to 10,000 participants. Manning said the event could be one of the city’s largest races.
Lovell called the Toledo races “amazing,” and said participants shared positive feedback about the event, calling it one of their new favorite races.
A successful weekend could lead to an annual Garmin event in Durham. A second Toledo event is already listed for next September on the company’s website.
“We just want to thank Steve and Garmin for the opportunity to host this type of race,” Manning said. “We’re excited about it, and I know Durham is excited about it.”
