The BMW Dallas Marathon is back once more to take over downtown and East Dallas. And although the forecast is predicting a rainy Friday and Saturday, the marathon has a full roster of heats, dashes, and runs all weekend long. If you’re participating, have fun and stay safe out there. If you’re not much of a runner, don’t forget about all the road closures. Either way, we all have things we need to know about marathon weekend.
The Course
All races begin at Dallas City Hall Plaza, at the corner of Akard and Marilla streets. During Sunday’s marathon, runners will make their way through downtown, north up through Uptown and Highland Park before crossing over Central Expressway to Lower Greenville, and then heading out around White Rock Lake via Lakewood. After their lap, runners will head back to City Hall through Old East Dallas. Turn-by-turn directions can be found here and a course map here.
Key Spots
- Health & Fitness Expo: Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center
- Race Start and Finish: Dallas City Hall Plaza
- DART Stations near course (for viewing and cheering): Mockingbird Station, mile 7; White Rock Station, mile 14.5
The Beneficiary
Since 1997, the Dallas Marathon has donated more than $4 million to Scottish Rite for Children, its primary beneficiary. The hospital was founded in 1921 treat kids with polio. More than a century later, the children’s hospital is one the top pediatric orthopedic centers in the country. If you’d like to donate to the hospital as part of the marathon, you can start an online fundraiser here (no running required). You can sponsor a specific runner (look them up here), like radio host and marathon board chair Mark ‘Hawkeye’ Louis. Or you can sponsor a Scottish Rite patient champion.
A Timeline of Events
There are events scheduled all weekend long, including the Health and Fitness Expo, races on Friday and Saturday, and, of course, Sunday’s marathon.
Friday
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Health & Fitness Expo. Participants can also head here to pick up their race packets.
7–9 p.m. Friday Night Lights, a two-lap Grand Prix around Dallas City Hall Plaza
Saturday
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Health & Fitness Expo. Participants can also head here to pick up their race packets.
8:30–11 a.m. Saturday races and dash, including the 5K, Oncor Kid’s Race, and more.
Sunday
7 a.m. Gear check opens.
8:30–9 a.m. The relays, half marathon, full marathon, and 50K ultra marathon begin.
Road Closures
Basically, you’ll want to avoid the areas around Dallas City Hall, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Pioneer Plaza, Lubben Plaza, WFAA Plaza, and Founders Square all weekend. If you need to return a book to the library, try a different branch or wait until Monday. But here are the specifics.
Multi-Day Closures
7 p.m. Thursday to 7 p.m. Friday.
- East and west lanes of Young Street, from S. Griffin to Marilla streets. About 800 feet
7 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday.
- Young Street, from S. Griffin to Marilla streets. About 800 feet
4:30 a.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday
- Griffin Street, from Ceremonial Drive to Wood Street, about 700 feet on western side of Pioneer Plaza
- Young Street from Griffin to Lamar streets, about 450 feet
- Lamar Street*, from Jackson Street to Ceremonial Drive, about .3 miles
- *curb lanes
- Young Street*, from Lamar Street to the entrance of Omni Dallas, about 500 feet
- *curb lanes
- Wood Street, from Lamar to Market streets, about 600 feet north of Lubben Plaza
- Jackson Street*, from Lamar to Market streets, about 600 feet
- *south curb lane
- Austin Street, from Wood to Jackson streets, about 300 feet
- Marilla Street, from Akard to Young streets, about 600 feet
Day-of Closures
8:15–10:30 a.m. Saturday
- Reunion Boulevard, from Hotel to Market streets, about half a mile
- Houston Street and Jefferson Boulevard viaducts, from Young Street to Colorado Boulevard, about 1.5 miles
4 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
- Lamar Street, from Wood Street to Memorial Drive, about .4 miles
- Young Street, from Lamar Street to the entrance of Omni Dallas, about 500 feet
7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday
- Young Street, from Market to Lamar streets, about 600 feet
- Young Street, from Field Street to Cesar Chavez Boulevard, about .7 miles
- Field Street. from Wood to Young streets, about 400 feet
- Akard Street, from Wood to Canton streets, about .3 miles
- Ervay Street, from Wood to Marilla streets, about 800 feet
- S. St. Paul Street, from Wood to Marilla streets, about 800 feet
- Park Avenue, from Marilla Street to dead end, about 500 feet
- Evergreen Street, from Young to Marilla streets
- Harwood Street, from Wood to Cadiz streets, about 900 feet
- Parts of S. Pearl Expy
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