Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
- Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Rock ‘n’ Roll Fiesta! Join us over the holidays for the biggest running fiesta in San Antonio! Immerse yourself in a vibrant and prideful city with more than 300 years of history, and get a firsthand view of the city’s most iconic landmarks – including the River Walk, Tower of … MORE
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Standard Rock 'n' Roll
The course was fine but nothing amazing, there wasn't a ton to see in San Antonio so it basically just goes around the city, nothing too remarkable, but solid race, … MORE
The course was fine but nothing amazing, there wasn’t a ton to see in San Antonio so it basically just goes around the city, nothing too remarkable, but solid race, well-organized, a bit chilly with the early morning start. Some small hills but nothing too terrible.
Cold & wet but flat & fast
Very large race - assigned corral 4 but it was so full I did not start until corral 7! Run onto military installation which was unique Crowd support was fantastic … MORE
Very large race – assigned corral 4 but it was so full I did not start until corral 7!
Run onto military installation which was unique
Crowd support was fantastic – several traditional Mexican bands and dancers, run through veterans memorial and flag bearers along course
Loved it!
Traveled from Maryland for this race in quest of 50 states. Learned that this was going to be the last year and what a shame. This was very well put … MORE
Traveled from Maryland for this race in quest of 50 states. Learned that this was going to be the last year and what a shame. This was very well put on. I thought the entertainment was very good even though some of the reviews in the past havebeen harsh. I heard it was just DJs, but it was mostly live music. I loved running through the military base. The crowd support was incredible and I loved it! I wish San Antonio luck with their race next year.
Alamo City
I heard that this was the last year for the Rock n Roll event in San Antonio, what a disappointment. This city was a great host and there was a … MORE
I heard that this was the last year for the Rock n Roll event in San Antonio, what a disappointment. This city was a great host and there was a lot to see and do. The town atmosphere was very festive with lights around town and the holiday music in many places.
Expo was nice, many vendors and great location. The race itself was primarily flat with a few small inclines and declines but nothing too overwhelming. The weather was cloudy and on the chilly side, thankfully no rain. Temperature was right at 50 degrees so overall a good temperature for running. Race start and finish was very crowded. On the course, navigating the crowd kept your mind busy. The best part was going through the mile long tribute to soldiers and running through Fort Sam Houston, that was very inspirational and encouraging.
I would recommend San Antonio as a destination race around the holidays for sure. Thanks RnR for putting on a great event.
Great run
Well organized and executed race. Course is through the city which was nice. Great finish area though a little crowded. 5k was a nice warmup. Would recommend. MORE
Well organized and executed race. Course is through the city which was nice. Great finish area though a little crowded. 5k was a nice warmup. Would recommend.
Fun and short race through Downtown
This is a very fun race with plenty of entertainment along the route. The race expo is great and the after celebration was a really good time MORE
This is a very fun race with plenty of entertainment along the route. The race expo is great and the after celebration was a really good time
Good vibes
Music mariachi bands Running thru military base was a great experience with lot of cheering Wasn't a fan of the course otherwise thru downtown MORE
Music mariachi bands
Running thru military base was a great experience with lot of cheering
Wasn’t a fan of the course otherwise thru downtown
Fun run, beautiful weather
Running through the Remember the Blue military mile area into the joint base was great. Favorite part of the course. This year’s weather was perfect and we enjoyed our time … MORE
Running through the Remember the Blue military mile area into the joint base was great. Favorite part of the course. This year’s weather was perfect and we enjoyed our time at the race.
Great flat course for any first-timer!
Loved this race! I love the RNR series but this was my first time running this one. My only complaint was port-a-potties set up in corrals at race start. People … MORE
Loved this race! I love the RNR series but this was my first time running this one. My only complaint was port-a-potties set up in corrals at race start. People were lined up to use the restroom while we were trying to move up to start our race. It was just an odd place for them. Other than that a great race, setup, production and swag. Great crowd!
Overall nice run
- I was a late registrant and signed up at expo. They had coupon codes, which I didn't see until after... But it's nice they had them. I was also … MORE
– I was a late registrant and signed up at expo. They had coupon codes, which I didn’t see until after… But it’s nice they had them. I was also on a time crunch so I didn’t really get to explore. But they handed out free jerkey!
– overall the course wasn’t difficult. Elevation uploaded in pictures. There were a couple hills but they weren’t terrible.
– scenary… Meh..it was OK. It went through JBSA which – if you’re not military – is prob pretty cool. Lots of Navy and Army support… I don’t know where the AF was! Also they had like half a mile of names and pictures of KIA. Very humbling.
– no complaints on the production. The only major thing was that there was difficulty finding bag drop… I think the map could have specified that the drop was BEHIND city hall vs pointing to the back of a square. Also. More port a potties would have been nice. There were constantly lines at them. Some were straight up across a parking lot! (Not sure if these were normally there or part of the race). Otherwise organization was good. Ooh. My other complaint would be that when you come to aid stations and water is in the right and Gatorade on the left….apparently not all of it on the left is Gatorade. I tried to go for the tables further back to get Gatorade…. But they were water. Only one station with gels. 2 bio freeze areas. 4-5 folks handing out beer or whisky.
– swag… For the price of the run I thought it was kind if skimpy. A reusable plastic string bag, athletic shirt and medal. Post run there were lots of snack options. Tons of jerkey, granola bars, water / Gatorade, fruit, cheese it’s. I didn’t get to stay and explore the other stuff though.
Over all. Very nice run. Would have been nice to run past the Alamo. Cost was pretty hefty. But the military memorial row was very humbling.
Fun but hilly race
You have to be ready for these rolling hills: there are three in the first half, and only one in the second, but it is at the worst place: a … MORE
You have to be ready for these rolling hills: there are three in the first half, and only one in the second, but it is at the worst place: a 4.5mi continuous climb with up to 11% gradient between miles 20 and 25.
Well marked course with a lot of animation, either official ones (rock bands on scenes, faces of the fallen) or just random mariachi bands and cheering spectators (a lot of them!).
My main concerns are with the distribution and location of porta potties, which had only 2-3 at a time before the half/full split, creating long lines. Sometimes they had groups of them close to each other, sometimes they were miles apart, with no indication, creating useless lines as there were empty ones 200-300yds further. Sometimes the porta potties were very close to the course (so the lines were blocking the runners), other times (on Fort Sam Houston), they were 200 yards off course !
Another issue was the non-enforcement of corrals. There were at least 16 corrals which is great, but there were a lot of people in corrals 12+ who snuck into 1-7 corrals, leading to 1-overcrowded porta-potties in the corrals and 2- out of pace runners crowding the first 5-6 miles. It’s really disappointing that such an easy-to-do enforcement of corrals was not done.
I didn't care for this one
The whole experience was a mess - the shirts didn't arrive in time so they handed out cheap cotton shirts that went straight to Goodwill. In their defense the did … MORE
The whole experience was a mess – the shirts didn’t arrive in time so they handed out cheap cotton shirts that went straight to Goodwill. In their defense the did mail the real shirts afterwards. They only offered non-alcoholic beer at the finish…I never drink beer except for after a race, I tried this but it wasn’t good.
My biggest beef with this race was that San Antonio has so many beautiful areas – tons of history, the Alamo, quaint old neighborhoods, missions – yet we ran along the frontage of I-35 and through some more industrial areas. It did end at a park in a historic area but overall it was just a lot of wasted potential.
First marathon very fun and great race
Very supportive race the Rock n Roll running series is awesome. The live music the bands the supportive people. San Antonio does a great job with this event. The course … MORE
Very supportive race the Rock n Roll running series is awesome. The live music the bands the supportive people. San Antonio does a great job with this event. The course is pretty smooth easy course and was a good choice for my first marathon. The support from the community is beyond amazing. There is support from spectators the whole 26 miles and they have many festivities to enjoy after the race. The whole set up is awesome.
2nd time running a Rock n Roll race!
This was my first time running in San Antonio, glad it was a Rock n Roll race. The course entertainment was fun, but not as much entertainment as I would … MORE
This was my first time running in San Antonio, glad it was a Rock n Roll race. The course entertainment was fun, but not as much entertainment as I would expect for Rock n Roll. The route was very easy, and flat. It had decent crowd support, but not great. The finish area was great. LOTS of snacks, and good ones! They had a band and beer(you had to pay for it though). I would run this again depending on the weather.
Historical San Antonio
Rock n Roll knows how to put on an event. The expo was quite large, in the convention center. We went 3 times: our initial bib pick-up, then to go … MORE
Rock n Roll knows how to put on an event.
The expo was quite large, in the convention center. We went 3 times: our initial bib pick-up, then to go back to exchange a shirt, then a 3rd time when our friends arrived. There was different merchandise added each time, so we ended buying something on each visit.
The start was very crowded…imagine 9000+ runners plus their family friends, in a two-block area. The corrals were doubled, meaning 1 & 11 were supposed to be in the same area, 2 & 12, 3 & 13. etc. The higher number corrals were supposed to wait until the lower number corrals started, but there was no attempt to enforce this. The gear drop was at the finish line, which was a couple blocks from the start line. I’d recommend not utilizing the bag drop unless you really need to. Since we stayed at a hotel, we ended up walking almost two miles before the race even started!
Rock n Roll races are always fun, with lots of entertainment and cheering crowds along the course. This one was mostly flat, with the most elevation gain during the 3 or so miles on the military base, Fort Sam Houston. This was also the prettiest section of the course.
We did not stick around for the after-party as it was chilly and our friends had to check out of their hotel.
San Antonio is one of the better host cities for RnR, with lots to see & do in the area, including the Alamo, Riverwalk, zoo, parks and Tower of the Americas. It’s definitely worth going for a couple extra days.
Rock N Roll San Antonio
This was a rough race for me. It was cold and rainy and that affected me both physically and mentally. I’m just glad that I finished. The expo was well … MORE
This was a rough race for me. It was cold and rainy and that affected me both physically and mentally. I’m just glad that I finished.
The expo was well organized, as always. There were more vendors than at other Rock N Roll runs we’ve done. The atmosphere was fun and festive.
Race day itself was less clean. The biggest issue I had was the lack of portapotties. The first stop had two for everyone and a huge line formed. Later stops were a bit better, but more were needed at the beginning before people started thinning out. This set me way behind and set the tone for the rest of the race.
I’d have enjoyed more music along the course. This is what the Rock N Roll races are known for. What they had thought was fun.
The most impactful part of this course was the section honoring fallen soldiers. It was emotional and special. I am glad I had the opportunity to be part of it.
Course support was enthusiastic. I’d definitely try this one again… and just hope for better weather.
Fun Way to End the Year
Best parts of the race were the Blue Mile (end of mile 3-mid 4) where soldiers who died in battle are remembered with signs, flags, and TONS of spectators and … MORE
Best parts of the race were the Blue Mile (end of mile 3-mid 4) where soldiers who died in battle are remembered with signs, flags, and TONS of spectators and the 3 miles (mile 5.5 – 8.5) through Fort Sam where military spectators and bands are awesome. Other highlights included mariachi bands and ladies dancing in Hiulipe skirts.
Expo, 5k/10k starting and finishing lines, and half/full starting and finishing lines are all within about 1.5 miles of each other. Plenty of hotels are in the similar vicinity. Rock n Roll Running Series is a big production company, so you can count on plenty of aid/water stations, port-a-potties and post race activities.
Fun way to see some of San Antonio
This was my first large scale marathon/half marathon. There were 1,473 marathon finishers and 7,894 half finishers. Both lengths started together at 7:15 with rolling wave starts, seemed to work … MORE
This was my first large scale marathon/half marathon. There were 1,473 marathon finishers and 7,894 half finishers. Both lengths started together at 7:15 with rolling wave starts, seemed to work well for me but next time I will wait to start my watch, it wanted to go to energy save at least twice. I enjoyed standing around before the start, with that many people eager to run.
Both lengths shared the same route for 11 miles, the old downtown sections mainly, north of the freeway. Then the marathon went thru older residential areas and a nice greenway south of the freeway. The weather was warm, 69 at the start and mid 70s by noon, but fortunately there was a morning fog type cloud cover that really helped keep the heat off.
This seemed like a post Covid effort with the RnR folks on their way back but understandably not there yet. But there were bands and water stations every mile it seemed like, and to me that was a big change from my previous races of less than 120 marathon finishers, and all I needed.
It was a very enjoyable time for me, especially since I got to run 11 miles with my daughter who was running the half. The road surfaces were fine, nothing too rough. Course was well marked and shut off from traffic. The start and finish were close enough together. There were plenty of hotels within walking distance to choose from. They even managed to get the shirts for the finish, a huge effort I imagine since they stuck offshore in a ship at one point. Ascent was 823 ft on my watch.
I had a great time but I liked what I was doing, even though once again the heat slowed me down. This is a very recommendable race.
Disappointing
This race could be so much better! It started out with the notification that the shirts would not be available at packet pick up and MAYBE after the race. The … MORE
This race could be so much better! It started out with the notification that the shirts would not be available at packet pick up and MAYBE after the race. The expo was bare bones. I have been to better ones at local races. This is a big time running company. It should be better. Moving to race day- I never rank down for weather but it was hot and humid. I have been at races not this bad that we’re yellow and red flagged but there was no safety communication outside a text a few days early saying it would be hot. The race started late. It was supposed to start at 7:15. I had to move up a few corrals because I was placed in the final corral even though I submitted a time to be placed much better. I finally started at 7:55. They were using a rolling start and sending runners off 12 at a time. That’s ok but let runners know they don’t need to show up at a normal early time. San Antonio is a beautiful city but we didn’t run through any of the interesting parts of it. The best part was the blue mile (mile 6) where the soldiers who died in battle were remembered. Also, San Antonio is hilly. After the race we got our shirts (most of us as they ran out). They were basic black with white ink. Again, I have gotten much better shirts at local races with smaller budgets. The medal was a typical Rock ‘n’ Roll medal. It’s nice but smaller. Rock ‘n’ Roll has gone down tremendously in production value. The crew at the start showed no emotion and the announcer was absent at the finish. It also looked like they had a few water stops that ran out at various spots on course. I’m a mid pack runner so I feel bad for those in the back. The volunteers were amazing though. I love the city and it was a great place ti visit but I won’t be doing this race again.
RnR San Antonio-Choice December Race
Rock and Roll San Antonio is a nice option to the traditional Jingle Bell Runs of December. There are a variety of distances and the unique culture and music of … MORE
Rock and Roll San Antonio is a nice option to the traditional Jingle Bell Runs of December. There are a variety of distances and the unique culture and music of San Antonio is present throughout the course and race. Mild temperatures, flat course make for a fast day. Unfortunately the course is visually uninteresting-it needs more historic sites like the Alamo or the San Antonio missions. Still San Antonio is a fun weekend with delicious Mexican food, the beauty of the downtown River Walk decorated for Christmas, and family activities (Sea World, Six Flags) on a non-run day. Rock and Roll Series are well-run races with plenty of water stops, port-a-potties, and post-race festivities.