Upcoming running races in and near Knoxville, Tennessee - 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons and more, with dates, pricing, finish-time stats, start-line maps, and local run clubs to train with.
Knoxville makes it genuinely easy to change what kind of runner you are on any given day. The riverfront greenways and crushed-stone Boulevard in Sequoyah Hills are right there for a fast, flat pavement stretch, and the Urban Wilderness trails in South Knoxville - wooded, rooted, technical - are minutes from downtown when you want something different underfoot.
The post-run culture here is real. Weeknight group runs orbit Bearden, downtown, the UT area, and Suttree Landing, and they tend to end at a brewery or cidery rather than a parking lot. Races here feel like a natural extension of that - familiar roads and greenways, people who actually run together outside of race day.
By the numbers
The Biggest and Longest-Running
The Knoxville races that stand out on the numbers: the biggest field, and the longest unbroken run of editions.
How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.
Common Questions About Racing in Knoxville
Am I going to be the slowest person at a Knoxville 5K?
Across the 23 RunSignup 5K editions with published results on RunSesh - walkers and charity entrants included - the median finish time was 35:37, the median winner crossed in 19:40, and the last finisher typically came in around 1:05:08. That spread tells you these fields welcome a wide range of paces, and nobody is alone at the back.
What does it cost to enter a race in Knoxville?
One race is free to enter. Among paid races, entry starts at $10 and goes up to $90, with $30 being typical. If you see a race you want, moving on it sooner rather than later is worth doing - 13 races already have a price increase scheduled.
When is the best time of year to find a Knoxville race?
Fall is by far the busiest stretch, which fits Knoxville's climate - the humidity breaks and the temperatures drop to something genuinely comfortable for racing. August is the busiest single month if you want a summer option, and February is the quietest if you need to plan around a lighter calendar.
I want to run a half marathon in Knoxville. What should I expect?
Knoxville has 14 half marathons on the calendar. Across the 9 RunSignup half marathon editions with published results on RunSesh, the median finish time was 2:17:20, the median winner finished in 1:39:07, and the median last finisher came in at 3:10:52. Median field size was 14, so these tend to be intimate events rather than big-city crowds.
Do Knoxville races give out shirts or medals?
18 races say they give a shirt. No race has published information about giving a medal - but 19 races have said nothing about giveaways at all, so the silence means we do not know, not that there is nothing to be had.
Are there trail races near Knoxville?
Yes, one race around Knoxville gets you off the pavement: 1 is a trail race. Surfaces are not always published, so it is worth checking a specific race before you register.
