The Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon is run through the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park in Northwest Georgia. The park honors one of the Civil War’s most important battles. The marathon, which starts and finishes at the 6th Cavalry museum located near the park’s visitor’s center, features two loops in the …
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The Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon is run through the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park in Northwest Georgia. The park honors one of the Civil War’s most important battles. The marathon, which starts and finishes at the 6th Cavalry museum located near the park’s visitor’s center, features two loops in the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park.
The Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon is a scenic and varied course known for it’s ample sightings of wildlife and historical monuments equally suited to first marathoners and those chasing a Boston Qualifying time.
The slightly rolling, paved hills of the course provide a welcome shift in muscular focus for runners without additional strain of consistent climbing or neutral terrain.
With a consistent, yet uncrowded, field (no fighting for space here!), the course through the 9,000-acre battlefield has a long history of BQs and turning everyday runners into MARATHONERS.
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A race with a Bang!
Well organized race around Veteran's Day weekend. Don't be surprised by the boom/bang of the canon which signals the start of the race. A quick loop around the park before … MORE
Well organized race around Veteran’s Day weekend. Don’t be surprised by the boom/bang of the canon which signals the start of the race. A quick loop around the park before heading out towards the trails. The course is along the battlefield though there are a few hard ball roads to navigate. The course was well supported by volunteers especially when crossing roads. There were hydration points along the course. Hot soup was available at the finish along with water, Powerade, fruit, chips, and cookies. The course is along the National Historic Site of the Chickamauga Battlefield so I visited the site and completed a few activities from the Junior Ranger program while in the area. Beautiful medal which incorporated the acorn which can be seen throughout the park. I also visited Point Park and Lookout Mountain Battlefield park, about 20 minutes from Chickamauga. The views from there were amazing! Given the close proximity to TN, I opted to do a tour of Ruby Falls.
Still a great event!!!
This was my second time running this event. Everything I said in my review from 3 years ago still holds true! A very well organized event and the course is … MORE
This was my second time running this event. Everything I said in my review from 3 years ago still holds true! A very well organized event and the course is just beautiful. I even convinced a couple of friends to run this with me and they really enjoyed it as well. You will not be disappointed with this race!!!
Historic Run
Pre race communication was exceptional, lots of emails Expo was held at Barnhardt Circle right near start/finish line and was super easy Weather was perfect on race day, cloudy and … MORE
Pre race communication was exceptional, lots of emails
Expo was held at Barnhardt Circle right near start/finish line and was super easy
Weather was perfect on race day, cloudy and sun popped out towards end of race
Race starts with the firing of the cannon, which was awesome
You get to run through the battlefield, course is mostly on roads with some parts on trails
Very scenic with lots of history, even got to see some deer
Aid stations were plentiful and well staffed
Swag was a long sleeve neon yellow dri fit shirt and a cool finisher’s medal
Post race snacks included soup, hotdogs, granola bars, bananas, clementines, chips, Oreos, and Hershey’s kisses. Along with water and Powerade
Awards for overall and age group were given. Age group awards were soft cooler bags
I definitely recommend this race and would run it again
Happy I chose it
Somewhat tough course at over 900 feet elevation gain. No specific hills are that hard, but they add up. enjoyed the course, mostly shaded, neat running around a battlefield. Support/volunteers … MORE
Somewhat tough course at over 900 feet elevation gain. No specific hills are that hard, but they add up.
enjoyed the course, mostly shaded, neat running around a battlefield.
Support/volunteers were good, overall crowd small though.
No decent hotels close by, but short drive from Chattanooga.
Finisher medal was just ok. Would have liked something more related to the battlefield.
Section of route entering and returning had some rough/uneven pavement.
Nice small town race
Ran this one to knock Georgia off my 50 states. Would recommend if you like small races with pretty fall foliage like I do. The rolling hills got me on … MORE
Ran this one to knock Georgia off my 50 states. Would recommend if you like small races with pretty fall foliage like I do. The rolling hills got me on the 2nd loop but I still enjoyed the race, it’s well organized and logistics were easy.
Nice race.
Nice cadence for aid stations. Some of the surfaces were rough. Nice mostly tree covered course. Limited traffic to deal with. Production was simple and functional. MORE
Nice cadence for aid stations. Some of the surfaces were rough. Nice mostly tree covered course. Limited traffic to deal with. Production was simple and functional.
This race was fun and well organized.
The race is well done. Plenty of aid stations. Nice swag and beautiful medal. The battlefield experience while running is pretty amazing! Highly recommend. MORE
The race is well done. Plenty of aid stations. Nice swag and beautiful medal. The battlefield experience while running is pretty amazing! Highly recommend.
A very good event.
Small race, historic sites, and plenty of support. The volunteers were awesome. The course is not differcult at all. The after race party would be the only thing that needs … MORE
Small race, historic sites, and plenty of support. The volunteers were awesome. The course is not differcult at all. The after race party would be the only thing that needs a little work.
Great Race for Any Level
I chose this race simply because I needed Georgia. However, when race day finally arrived, I was not prepared but decided to do it anyway because of the generous cutoff … MORE
I chose this race simply because I needed Georgia. However, when race day finally arrived, I was not prepared but decided to do it anyway because of the generous cutoff time of 6 hours. I ended up walking and finished just under 4 hours. I would love to go back because this race is well-organized, well-marked, with aid stations about every 2 miles. There are a couple of hills but nothing too bad. I really like that they offer a framed bib for first-timers. My cousin went with me and this was her first half marathon so the framed gift was very nice for her as it made her feel special.
It is all it's cracked up to be.
This isn't a bucket list race to travel across the country for, but it's easily a tier 2 bucket list race to travel across the region for. It's a great … MORE
This isn’t a bucket list race to travel across the country for, but it’s easily a tier 2 bucket list race to travel across the region for. It’s a great course, it’s gentle rolling hills and quiet national park roads are a nice change from the higher traffic roads of most road race. This is not the Grand Canyon or Zion, but it’s a super pleasant run through the battlefield of the second largest battle in the Civil War.
The aid stations are about every 2 to 3 miles. They have snacks, water, Powerade, and Port-a-Johns. The food after is good. Parking is easy and close to the start line. This is a super nice race and I’ll be doing it again next year.
And while you are in the area you should visit Chattanooga, only about 30 minutes away. And, the race is on Veterans Day weekend, and what better way to spend a few hours thinking about American veterans than to run through this sacred ground?
A run through history
As you’ve no doubt heard, the race course winds through the historic Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park in Northwest Georgia. It’s one of the most unique race venues you’ll … MORE
As you’ve no doubt heard, the race course winds through the historic Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park in Northwest Georgia. It’s one of the most unique race venues you’ll ever get to run.
On a rainy November morning, we set off at the sound of the starting cannon. A one mile loop to begin the race gives friends and family a chance to cheer you on near the starting line before runners head off into the park. I drove down solo from Charlotte, so I just enjoyed the cheers of strangers.
Paved woodland trails guide you the rest of the way. It’s a two-loop course. You’re in the company of other runners most of the way, especially before the half marathoners peel away. Battlefields and monuments stretch throughout the route.
I wanted to get photos and video of the historic monuments while running, but I was on a good pace and didn’t want to slow down, so I drove through the park the next day to get some pics.
If you like crowd support, you won’t find much during this race. Start line, finish line, and not much on the miles in between.
Pre-race expo was nothing special. Packet pickup was at a church across from the park. Small-town vice. No swag. Long-sleeve quarter zip race shirt was nice though.
Post-race food was…okay. Cheap pizza, banana, granola bar. MoonPies, too. That was cool. Didn’t realize they were invented in Chattanooga, about half an hour away.
The medal is special. This year’s medal honored those who served from Illinois. Each year they honor a different state with the medal. Pretty cool.
One nice touch: As you approach the finish line, they look up your bib number and the emcee gives you a shoutout. After falling off my pace and dragging myself to the finish, the personal recognition was a nice way to mark 26.2 miles.
While I wouldn’t rank Chickamauga as one of my favorite races, it’s a unique setting. Reflecting on our nation’s history during a run through a Civil War battlefield park is an experience you won’t find at most other marathons. For that alone, it’s worth running this one if you’re looking for a Georgia marathon.
Must run
Despite having lived in the area for years, and running on the Chickamauga Battlefield a couple of times a week most months of the year, I've never run this race. … MORE
Despite having lived in the area for years, and running on the Chickamauga Battlefield a couple of times a week most months of the year, I’ve never run this race. But I finally ran it this year. The race production is good, the post-race food is great, and the course is even better. Such a pretty race and put together production. I’ll be back next year.
Beautiful, well organized race
Loved the history and scenery throughout the race. The course is very well marked, and the race is very organized. Would love to come back and run it again! MORE
Loved the history and scenery throughout the race. The course is very well marked, and the race is very organized. Would love to come back and run it again!
Flat, fast, and scenic race!
For starters, I think the reviews here are either full of misinformation or just really outdated. This course was extremely flat, fast, and had maybe a handful of very very … MORE
For starters, I think the reviews here are either full of misinformation or just really outdated. This course was extremely flat, fast, and had maybe a handful of very very short inclines. There was water/Powerade/gel every 2 miles and there were portalets throughout the course as well. The swag was awesome and the BOOMING cannon start rattled my insides, so dang cool! A couple things about the race really need to be fixed though. There was no 4 hour pacer for the marathon, which honestly blew me away. Additionally, the course bottlenecked really badly within the first mile while we were all still packed like a buncha sardines. It went from 2 lanes down to a beaten up and pothole ridden 1 lane road, which made it incredibly difficult to maneuver during an early stage of the race. Thankfully that road was only about a mile, but overall this was a wonderful race and I would highly recommend to anyone! Can’t wait to do it again someday.
Great Race!!
Running through the Battlefield is surreal. It is amazingly beautiful and a bit sad at the same time. Sad in the sense of what happened there during the Civil War. … MORE
Running through the Battlefield is surreal. It is amazingly beautiful and a bit sad at the same time. Sad in the sense of what happened there during the Civil War. The event is very well run by the Chattanooga Running Club. Course was accurate in length. The pacers were great. Packet pickup was quick and easy. Food at the end was great including the hot soup and Moonpies!! Even though this was a medium sized event it really had a small event feel. I mean that in a good way. This was my first half marathon and I am considering going back to do my first marathon. Do this race!!! You will be glad you did!!!
Very historic race
Very historic race. You spend about 90% of the race running through the park. It’s basically two loops around the park. The first loop you will be with half marathoners … MORE
Very historic race. You spend about 90% of the race running through the park. It’s basically two loops around the park. The first loop you will be with half marathoners and will have a good amount of people around you. The second loop really thins out. I had large amount of times especially in the more wooded areas were I’d not see anyone for a mile plus. There some spectators, but not many. It was very cool running through the park with no one on site for over a mile at time. Very well organized and put together race. It was decently hilly though. So parts of it are a challenge. However, weather should be good and not to hot. Would recommend.
Awesome little race!
Very well-organized race in a beautiful setting. I'm a history geek so this run was right up my alley. Loved the canon start and running through the park and seeing … MORE
Very well-organized race in a beautiful setting. I’m a history geek so this run was right up my alley. Loved the canon start and running through the park and seeing monuments and canons throughout. Perfect running weather (mid 40s, sunny, not windy) this year. There are some hills but nothing scary – I think they helped keep my legs fresh because I finished strong and felt pretty good after the race. Smaller race of about 250-300 full marathoners, so it never felt crowded and gave opportunity for reflection when running through a place where men gave their lives 150+ years ago. Highly recommend this race!
Historic AND scenic
Cannon start kicks off this historical half marathon. The leaves were just past prime but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the scenic woodsy course. The entire path is paved. … MORE
Cannon start kicks off this historical half marathon. The leaves were just past prime but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the scenic woodsy course. The entire path is paved. I loved the monuments and memorials and mini tours. The miles ticked by quickly. Nice sized crowd/group of fellow runners. Enough for camaraderie without feeling bottlenecked. The banana puddin’ was a great post race touch for an upper Midwestern gal like myself.
First time running this course
Great running through trails and woods. Pavement will keep you on your toes in places, and the cannon will catch you off guard at times which adds to the fun. … MORE
Great running through trails and woods. Pavement will keep you on your toes in places, and the cannon will catch you off guard at times which adds to the fun. Friendly and upbeat volunteers.
Loved this course !
Beautiful place to run a marathon! The pacers were helpful as well . I chose to run without the pacing group and it became tough to maintain the pace . … MORE
Beautiful place to run a marathon! The pacers were helpful as well . I chose to run without the pacing group and it became tough to maintain the pace . I wanted to qualify for Boston and I’m glad I chose this gentle rolling course . The organizers and volunteers were great!