SAN ANTONIO – It’s almost time for the biggest running event of the year in San Antonio — the 2023 Certified Piedmontese Beef Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series will return to San Antonio on Saturday and Sunday.
But before runners and walkers lace up those shoes, there are a few things to know ahead of the race, like free parking, expo times and perks.
Here’s what to know about the big race weekend.
Expo
The Rock ‘n’ Roll weekend kicks off on Friday at the Health and Fitness Expo at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
The expo will be open from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. It will be in Halls 4A and 4B.
At the expo, runners can pick up their bibs and shirts, and browse shops selling apparel, nutrition and running technology.
To find your bib number before visiting the expo, click here. Runners must show valid proof of identification, like a driver’s license, state ID or passport, when picking up their packets.
Athletes can also meet their pacer group at the expo, which is open to the public.
Start times
The 5K and 10K start at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. The time limit for the 5K is one hour, and the time limit for the 10K is two hours.
The half-marathon and marathon start at 7 a.m. on Sunday. The time limit for the half-marathon is four hours, and the time limit for the marathon is seven hours.
The times are subject to change.
Courses
Contrary to recent years, the 5K and 10K will not start near Sunset Station. Instead, the courses start on downtown’s west end, at Milam Park at West Houston and North Santa Rosa streets.
Both routes head east along Houston, then north along Highway 37, and then northwest on Jones Avenue. The 5K route then travels back to Travis Park while the 10K route goes north of downtown to San Antonio College and then to Travis Park.
The finish line for both races is at Travis Park.
Similar to last year, the start line for the half-marathon and marathon is at City Hall on South Flores Street between West Commerce and Dolorsa. Runners and walkers will head up north to Broadway and Brackenridge Park.
At mile five, both races will enter Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston and wind through the base for three miles.
The half-marathon course will head back downtown, while the marathon course will head to the East and Southeast Sides before going back west to downtown.
Both races will end in front of the UTSA downtown campus.
Street closures
Dozens of streets along the 5K, 10K, marathon and half-marathon courses will be closed on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
On Sunday, the majority of closures will be in place between 5 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Streets will reopen on a rolling basis, as soon as the last participant has passed.
View a map of the street closures along with a list of the closures with approximate times below:
2023 RnR Marathon Street Closures by Julie Moreno on Scribd
Race officials are encouraging people to download the free navigation app, Waze that will re-route navigation plans and help drivers automatically avoid the closures during race weekend.
Parking
No parking — metered or free — will be allowed on the streets along the course. Participants can get a discount on parking when using SpotHero, a reservations app. For more information, click here.
On Sunday, free parking will be available at:
- City Lot - IH35 - S. Pecos / La Trinidad between Martin and Commerce
- UTSA Lots D3 and D4 - S Pecos / La Trinidad between San Fernando and Guadalupe St.
- UTSA Durango Lot - S Pecos / La Trinidad south of Cesar Chavez
- Municipal Lot - 401 S. Frio St at Cesar Chavez
To see a map of city-owned parking garages, click here.
Race day weather forecast
Perks for runners
Runners can cash in on a variety of perks, like discounts on coffee, beer and food.
For more information, click here.
After the race
On Sunday, there will be entertainment at the finish line until 2:30 p.m. The festival is free and open to the public so athletes can celebrate with families and friends.
A DJ and The Motts will perform during that time.
The top three overall male and female winners for all races will be awarded, as well as the top three male and female winners in their age groups for the half-marathon and marathon.
Official race results will be posted within 48 hours on the Rock ‘n’ Roll website or the Rock ‘n’ Roll Series app. Click here to see last year’s winners.