Rochester Half Marathon 2026: Your Complete Guide to the September 20 Race

The Fleet Feet Rochester Half Marathon is back on Sunday, September 20 — and the Rochester half marathon 2026 course brings back the Pont de Rennes Bridge, a stretch over the Genesee River that runners have been asking about since it dropped from previous routes. Start at Maplewood Park. Finish at ESL Ballpark. Three distances, live music at the finish, and a local nonprofit on the receiving end of race-day fundraising.

Rochester Half Marathon Course, Start Times, and Finish Line

Rochester Half Marathon Course, Start Times, and Finish Line

The half marathon and 5K both stage from the Maplewood Park Tennis Courts on the city's west side. The Kids 1/2 Mile also uses Maplewood Park as its hub. Wave times are staggered: the Half Marathon goes at 7:30 AM, the 5K at 7:40 AM, and the Kids 1/2 Mile at 10:30 AM.

The course crosses the Pont de Rennes Bridge — the pedestrian and cycling span connecting the Maplewood neighborhood to the rest of the city over the Genesee. It's one of the more physically distinctive moments on the route, and its return gives the race something runners who ran earlier editions have been waiting for. All finishers end up inside ESL Ballpark, which makes for a different kind of finish-line experience than a street or a parking lot.

Live Music and Family Fun at ESL Ballpark

Live Music and Family Fun at ESL Ballpark

The Uptown Groove performs live at ESL Ballpark from 8:30 AM to 11 AM — a window that covers the finish-line arrival of most of the field, not just the front runners. The Kidz Fun Zone, with bounce houses and games, runs alongside the finish area from 7:30 AM through 11 AM, giving families a full morning whether they're racing or spectating.

A PUMA pace team lines up at the Half Marathon start to help runners find their target group. For anyone chasing a specific time or running their first half, a pacer to key off in the early miles matters more than most people expect until they've done it.

Giving Back: Downtown ROCs as the Official Charity Partner

Giving Back: Downtown ROCs as the Official Charity Partner

Downtown ROCs — the nonprofit focused on beautifying downtown Rochester — is the designated charity benefactor for the 2026 race. The organizers put it directly: "Both of us love Downtown Rochester, NY and this collaboration is a perfect fit. Downtown ROCs spends their days beautifying downtown Rochester."

Runners can start a personal fundraiser or make a direct donation to Downtown ROCs through the race website. The streets and bridges people train on are the same ones Downtown ROCs works to improve.

Register Before the September 19 Deadline

Register Before the September 19 Deadline

Virtual registration closed August 31. In-person registration is open through Friday, September 19 at 3:45 PM — the day before the race. That's the only option left.

YellowJacket Racing produces the event. The organization runs nearly 45 events annually in Greater Rochester and has been producing local races since 1998. Fleet Feet Rochester is the title sponsor.

Register at rochestermarathon.com before 3:45 PM on Friday the 19th.