Rock Hall Half Marathon & Relay
Cleveland, OH
- Half Marathon, Half Marathon Relay, 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Cleveland’s most iconic race experience returns, bringing music, lakefront energy, and big‑city excitement to every mile. The Rock Hall Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and Relay blends the spirit of rock ’n’ roll with the grit and pride of Cleveland, creating a race day that feels like a celebration from start … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Aug 23):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 78 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 83 |
| L (°F) | 67 | 60 | 65 | 72 | 76 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Where is all the Rock & Roll?
As a big music lover, I love the Rock HOF and was very excited the half was the day after the Shawshank Hustle so I could do 2 races I … MORE
As a big music lover, I love the Rock HOF and was very excited the half was the day after the Shawshank Hustle so I could do 2 races I wanted to do in Ohio in 1 weekend. While the Shawshank Hustle lived up to its expectations, sadly this race did not. Pre race communication was good. For the race I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Downtown Cleveland. It was convenient and within walking distance of the Rock HOF. However it was valet parking only and the valet cost a lot so I’m not sure I would stay there again if I were renting a car like I did since I needed to drive to the Shawshank Hustle on Saturday. I would stay there again if just doing things in downtown Cleveland and not renting a car. My dad traveled to Cleveland with me as well and did the 5K. There is race day packet pick-up but packet pick-up is at the HOF and we were planning on visiting it on Saturday afternoon so we got out packets early when we were there. It wasn’t an expo just a booth outside the museum. Packet included a polyblend T-shirt with a rock & roll design which is the same for all distances. The half marathoners get a free ticket to the museum but the shorter race participants don’t. Of note the museum was jam packed on Saturday. Not a complaint about the race but just some advice that if you are staying in Cleveland for longer than the weekend you may want to visit a day other than Saturday to beat the crowds. Race morning went fairly smooth. It was unfortunately a pretty humid day and somewhat hot though luckily not super hot. The race had a 3:15 time limit and I was a bit nervous with the weather. We walked to the start and it was smooth. There was a good amount of porta potties. Every race could use more but I didn’t wait in line much. The pre-race music played at the start was excellent as expected with music from Hall of Fame musicians. They had some pacers to help line us up by pace but they somehow didn’t have the signs so they just screamed their goal time. The slowest was 2:45 which I wasn’t doing in this humidity so I stood near the back. Everything was good so far but once the race started I was quite disappointed. The first about 1/2 of the race is through downtown Cleveland, then you run downhill for a few miles on a road through a park and then end running along Lake Erie. There was a really sketchy section in the first part of the race that didn’t feel super safe but most of the course was fine. Cleveland isn’t the most scenic city so I wasn’t expecting San Francisco’s scenery but the park was nice and some parts along the Lake were really nice. But there was that sketchy section and then a section by a small airport that was also less nice along the Lake and the city part was kind of boring. My biggest issue wasn’t the scenery but I expected the race to be full of bands and DJs and musical stations to make up for Cleveland not being the most beautiful city in the world but I was very disappointed by the number of spectators and on course entertainment. I think there were 4 bands total and there were minimal spectators most of the course. The Shawshank Hustle had more. Heck the Rock N Race 5K in my small hometown of Concord, NH had more. I will say the bands they had were all excellent. It is a number issue not a quality issue. Even if they could not get a lot of bands couldn’t they at least have speakers blaring Rock & Roll music or something. Production for the race was mostly good except one big issue. In the city section, they were occasionally stopping runners for traffic…what? While it was never very long, this should not happen unless race is really cheap or there is an emergency. I probably would have given the race 4 sneakers if it wasn’t for this but stopping runners for traffic is gonna drop you a sneaker. There were adequate aid stations with water, gatorade and a couple had gels. There were mile markers but they were small and could have been more exciting and more themed. Everything was well marked and the roads were blocked off or partially blocked off. The course is quite flat. There was around 200 feet of elevation gain. The first half is net uphill and second half net downhill. It was mostly a gradual uphill the first half. I kept a pretty solid pace the first half of the race but the humidity got to me and I had to slow down at the end. I did manage to finish a few minutes under 3:15 which I was happy with in this weather. They did keep the finish line open longer so they did not appear strict with the time limit but I didn’t want to risk it as I am getting close to 200 halfs. I had no issues with being more back of the pack and finishing close to the time limit. The stopping runners for traffic in the downtown section happened to all paces not just the back of the pack. The medal at the end is shaped like a guitar and is fantastic. I got some great medals this weekend. There was a post race party in front of the museum with some ice pops and basic food. There was plenty of food left when I finished. Overall I thought this race had great swag and I love the Rock HOF but I was disappointed by the minimal number of bands on course and very frustrated with occasionally stopping runners for traffic. In terms of recommendations for 50 staters, I would definitely recommend Flying Pig over this race for Ohio. If you are looking to run more in the Cleveland area I also liked the Pro Football HOF Half in Canton better. It was also a boring course but they didn’t make us stop for traffic and there weren’t any sketchy areas on the course. If you are really hoping to run specifically in Cleveland or if this race occurs the day after Shawshank Hustle again and you really want to do that race and run your Ohio half the same weekend, I didn’t have a bad enough experience to not recommend this race but it would not be my first choice for Ohio.
Great First Half Experience
Good -Check in process was easy, there were plenty of opportunities to pick up your kit the week of at multiple locations. -The atmosphere downtown was really fun in front … MORE
Good
-Check in process was easy, there were plenty of opportunities to pick up your kit the week of at multiple locations.
-The atmosphere downtown was really fun in front of the rock hall. There were multiple sites where bands were set up along the route playing which made it fun as well.
-Plenty of water stations along the route
-the pacer at 9:30 was awesome, really encouraging
Bad
-The selected routes left traffic open, and the police officers were regularly stopping racers to allow traffic through. I’ve never experienced this.
-previous years those running the half got a sweatshirt. This year everyone got the same crappy T-shirt.
Cold and Miserable
The race over all was great like all other years aside from the weather which this year they changed it from summer to winter which has ruined it for me. … MORE
The race over all was great like all other years aside from the weather which this year they changed it from summer to winter which has ruined it for me. It was very cold and the wind from the lake makes it terrible! I don’t think I will be running this one in the future do to the weather which is a shame 🙁
Rock the Hall Half Marathon
PROS Great communication from Race director. Nice quality Race Shirt, I will actually wear again. Small expo, but great deals. Awesome Medal!! Free Pass to the Rock n Roll hall … MORE
PROS
Great communication from Race director.
Nice quality Race Shirt, I will actually wear again.
Small expo, but great deals.
Awesome Medal!!
Free Pass to the Rock n Roll hall of Fame.
Nice course, pretty flat
Prompt email with results, same day
Cons
Only Bathroom are at 3.5 and 9.5
Hill to Finish line
A cleveland favorite
This is a fun and fast race, no matter the distance you choose. I always run the half marathon and I believe that it is a great course for first-time … MORE
This is a fun and fast race, no matter the distance you choose. I always run the half marathon and I believe that it is a great course for first-time half marathoners or for setting PRs. The course takes you through University Circle, the international gardens, and along Lake Erie for some fantastic views.
This race celebrates Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is outstanding. So you will get some great music along the course.
The shirts are my favorite. In the past, they were Nike shirts. This year, they were Brooks. They always choose a nice cut that actually fits. (I am an extra small lady and we find shirt sizes to be difficult). The medals are TO DIE FOR! Or, the massive size of it will kill you. This year it was shaped as a record with a guitar on it. Always gorgeous. And you get a pass into the Hall of Fame. You have the opportunity to get discounts passes for your crew, too.
Fun race
Great race. Wide course so easy to pass people. Scenery was ok. Music along the course. Decent swag. Decent of food and water options. The hill at the end, right … MORE
Great race. Wide course so easy to pass people. Scenery was ok. Music along the course. Decent swag. Decent of food and water options. The hill at the end, right before the finish line was a killer.
The Best of Cleveland!
Would highly recommend this race to friends. The medal and race swag were outstanding and top-notch! You received excellent views of all the beauty Cleveland has to offer! The only … MORE
Would highly recommend this race to friends. The medal and race swag were outstanding and top-notch! You received excellent views of all the beauty Cleveland has to offer! The only thing I would recommend to improve this race are more porta-pottys.
Produced with Rock Hall fame !
The Rock Hall Half Marathon is a tightly produced race where all of the small details are taken care of allowing the participant to enjoy a flawless race. The venue, … MORE
The Rock Hall Half Marathon is a tightly produced race where all of the small details are taken care of allowing the participant to enjoy a flawless race.
The venue, the course, the swag make for a tremendous experience. The event producers do not let you down and have sweated out the details so that the runner is left to enjoy the racing experience from packet pick up to the crossing of the finish line. This race is a must for your running calendar !
Great Course Awful Support on Course
Runners have to go to the bathroom. This is something that all runners know, that sometimes you have to pee, or worse, during a run. Someone needs to tell the … MORE
Runners have to go to the bathroom. This is something that all runners know, that sometimes you have to pee, or worse, during a run. Someone needs to tell the race organizers this news. There were no bathrooms on the course at all. I had to pee horribly and a friend of mine had an upset stomach. We found an off course port-a-john 5 1/2 miles in near a parking garage and sprinted toward it. Clearly we were not the only runners in distress. When In cane out there was a line of 20 runners at the port-a-John. Additionally, the only other ones on the rest of the course were ones that happened to actually be on the course all of the time in a park area. The water stops were weak as well. You had to ask for Gatorade. Why??? So, this is a super easy course, but it is not a race I would recommend for anyone who might have a bad race and need to go to the bathroom or, god forbid, need electrolytes in August. Skip it.
Great race
The medal alone isworth running this race! Course was great, race swag included passes to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After party had lots of food and pizza, … MORE
The medal alone isworth running this race! Course was great, race swag included passes to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After party had lots of food and pizza, even for the late finishers.
Fun and well organized
Great race! Well organized, staffed along course, and fun venue. The course was fairly flat, which was great as I was I just coming back from a running injury. Nicely … MORE
Great race! Well organized, staffed along course, and fun venue. The course was fairly flat, which was great as I was I just coming back from a running injury.
Nicely located near downtown and along water for a few miles. Cool swag and thought including admission to Rock Hall of Fame was a nice touch. Though we used Uber/Lyft there was plenty of decently priced lots for parking.
Always a great event!
This is a fun event to run with family and friends. The course is relatively flat so you could a PR here. Or, this could be a great first half … MORE
This is a fun event to run with family and friends. The course is relatively flat so you could a PR here. Or, this could be a great first half marathon.
The start is at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so from the onset the energy level is high. Since it’s on Lake Erie, it’s also beautiful. The initial stretch is a long way down Carnegie, which is, quite honestly, boring and tedious. However, it is the way to reach University Circle where the course becomes gorgeous as you run alongside the Cultural Gardens. After the Cultural Gardens, the rest of the race is along Lake Erie which is a lovely sight in August when the water is blue and the boats are everywhere.
For the women, the shirts are fantastic. They are fitted so show off your feminine curves. And the design is wonderful. Instead of putting sponsor names on the back, they put this, “Becoming a legend one step at a time”. The men’s shirts are equally nice.
The medal is nothing short of amazing! This year it was a huge double fret guitar glittered in red. Spectacular!!!
This race had 2500 runners so it’s not too big nor too small.
Great race! Great swag!
This is a well run event by Greater XC Cleveland. Great course, great swag, plenty of refreshments, and a awesome finish medal. Plus you get a ticket to enter the … MORE
This is a well run event by Greater XC Cleveland. Great course, great swag, plenty of refreshments, and a awesome finish medal. Plus you get a ticket to enter the Rock Hall of Fame. There are numerous bands playing along the race route. You finish running the last two miles along the shores of Lake Erie and finish in front of the Rock Hall. You can become a legend! one step at a time.
Cleveland rocks!
I absolutely loved the course. It went past most of the places that are beautiful and cultural in Cleveland. It was relatively flat. The medal is rock-n-roll themed and very … MORE
I absolutely loved the course. It went past most of the places that are beautiful and cultural in Cleveland. It was relatively flat. The medal is rock-n-roll themed and very beautiful. The tech shirt is one of my favorites.
The discounted tour of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the end was a nice way to finish out the day. To tell you the truth, I like this half marathon better than the Rite-Aid Cleveland Half Marathon.
Will definitely do this again.