Rocket City Marathon

About the Event

Rocket City Marathon Race Weekend – Huntsville, Alabama

For over 49 years, the Rocket City Marathon, organized by the Huntsville Track Club, has been one of the premier marathon events in the South.

The weekend kicks off with the Health & Fitness Expo and Packet Pickup, opening Friday, December 11th, at 2:00 PM and running through Saturday, December 12th at 6:00 PM.

Saturday Races
10K – Starts at 7:00 AM in front of the Von Braun Center on Monroe Street. This flat, fast, and walker-friendly course takes runners through Old Town
5K – Begins at 9:00 AM, winding through Downtown Huntsville
1 Mile Family Friendly FUN RUN/WALK – Starts at 10:30 AM, offering everyone a fun and rewarding experience.

Sunday – Marathon & Half Marathon Day
The Rocket City Marathon - Kicks off at 7:00 AM (with an early start at 6:00 AM for those requiring extra time). The course showcases Huntsville’s charm and the US Space & Rocket Center.

The Rocket City Half Marathon - starts later at 9:00am joining the full marathoners through the Botanical Gardens a and US Space & Rocket Center.

All Races Start and Finish in Downtown Huntsville, Alabama at the VBC.

All registered runners will receive:
✅ A custom race shirt
✅ A finisher medal
✅ Post-race food
✅ Bragging rights for completing Rocket City Marathon Race Weekend!

Marathoners and Half Marathoners will also receive a special finisher gift, and those who take on three events ("The Hat Trick") will earn a RCM hat.

Join us for an unforgettable race weekend in Huntsville!

Races Offered

Rocket City 10K

Dec 12, 2026

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Distance — 6.2 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

07:00

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$35.00

Rocket City 5K

Dec 12, 2026

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Distance — 3.1 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

09:00

sell

$25.00

1 Mile Family Run/Walk

Dec 12, 2026

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Distance — 1 Mile Family Run/Walk

terrain

Type — Running

timer

10:15

sell

$15.00

Early Start Marathon (ONLY for those needing 6-7 hours to complete the marathon)

Dec 13, 2026

straighten

Distance — 26.2 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

06:00

sell

$70.00

Dec 13, 2026

straighten

Distance — 26.2 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

07:00

sell

$70.00

Rocket City Half Marathon

Dec 13, 2026

straighten

Distance — 13.1 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

09:00

sell

$70.00

Weather Overview

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for December in Huntsville.

Temp (°C)

Feels Like (°C)

thermostat 3.9° / 12.7°

wb_sunny 0.1° / 9.8°

Wind (km/h)

Humidity (%)

air 11.7 /

water_drop 72.7%

Temp (°C)

Feels Like (°C)

Wind (km/h)

Humidity (%)

thermostat 3.9° / 12.7°

wb_sunny 0.1° / 9.8°

air 11.7 km/h

water_drop 72.7%

About Huntsville

Learn more about the host city, Huntsville.

Huntsville is in northern Alabama, about 20 miles from the border with Tennessee. The city is a center for missile defense and aerospace technologies, with companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman having major operations here. Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the country, is home to many of these companies.