COME JOIN SPORTS BACKERS & RICHMOND ROAD RUNNERS CLUB IN THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE 🚀🪐
2026 Ashland Half Marathon
2026 Ashland 5k
2026 Virtual Ashland Half Marathon
2026 Virtual Ashland 5k
🚂 ALL ABOARD!! SUMMER'S HOTTEST HALF INCLUDES A 5K!
If you’ve never been to Ashland, Virginia look no further than the Ashland Half Marathon & 5k to find yourself soaking in every ounce of the colorful town! Dubbed "The Center of the Universe", this quaint community has historic homes, a bustling downtown, and delicious restaurants and breweries. Each course promises an escape to small-town Virginia and the chance to run alongside a passing train. All aboard because this is one race you can’t miss!
Ashland Half Marathon & 5k is an event of Sports Backers and Richmond Road Runners Club
Schedule
📅 Friday, August 28
Packet Pick Up
3:00 - 6:00 PM at Richmond Road Runner Club Office, 2219 Tomlyn St, Richmond, VA 23230
📅 Saturday, August 29
Packet Pick Up
6:00-7:25 AM near the Start/Finish area (the corner of North Center Street and Henry Clay Road)
Half Starts
7:00 AM
5k
7:35 AM
Half Course Closes
10:30 AM
Photo ID or Registration QR Code is required for packet pick-up. You may pick up a packet for another participant with a copy of their photo ID or QR Code.
Race Day
🅿️Parking
Access to the Post Race Festival with two drink tickets
⌚Half Marathon Course Time Limit
3.5 Hours (16 min/mile pace)
✔️Half Marathon Course Check Points
Mile 6.3 by 8:41 AM
Mile 10(ish) by 9:40 AM
If you miss a checkpoint you will be asked to board the shuttle to the finish. The course closes at 10:30 AM. After the course closes traffic protection, medical aid, and water stops will not be available
💦Refill Stations
Water & electrolyte drink will be near miles 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, & 12. Some water stops maybe refill stations without cups. We recommend carrying your own hydration vessel. Energy Gels will be available at select stops
📍5k Course Details
The roads on the 5k course will reopen as the last participants pass each check point.
Sports Backers offers the Kids On The Move program to make active living fun and accessible to kids throughout our region. Kids On The Move provides free training opportunities for youth of all ages, abilities and backgrounds and teaches kids that physical activity can be fun and rewarding. For schools in low income communities, Kids On The Move can cover the cost of shoes, team t-shirts, transportation, and event entries so that ALL kids can participate. Donations are critical to the program’s success. Each time a child laces up his or her shoes, your donation will be giving them the most important gift of all - a path to good health and fitness!
Richmond Road Runners Club is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization, whose mission is to support running and healthy lifestyles in the Richmond Region. We do this by hosting races, sponsoring races in our area, helping other organizations put on races, coaching training teams, supporting kids' running programs, supporting a variety of group runs and awarding academic scholarships to college-bound runner athletes. Club members are runners/walkers of all paces, ages, & shapes. With approximately 2,000 members, RRRC is one of the largest running clubs in the U.S.
Richmond Road Runners Club member receive a discount on their Ashland Half and/or 5k registration. You must be signed into your membership RunSignup account to discount. Not a member you can join during registration or here.
Sports Backers’ mission is to inspire people to live actively. Since 1991, Sports Backers has fostered a culture of active living in Central Virginia through its participatory sporting events and community-based programs that have inspired hundreds of thousands of people in the region to set fitness goals and pursue an active lifestyle. In everything that we do, we strive to promote health equity and create accessible opportunities for active living throughout our region.
We fulfill our mission by: (1) advocating for bike and pedestrian infrastructure; (2) energizing the community through events; and (3) building a network of community-led group fitness programs in schools and neighborhoods. With your support, we can make this region a more vibrant place to live where safe opportunities to walk, run, bike, or workout abound and where access to these activities are available to all. Thank you for considering an investment in our region’s future!
Questions❓Feedback❓
Questions or Feedback please reach out below
🚨Cancellation Policy
Entry fees are non-refundable, even in the case of a race cancellation, postponement, event format changes, and/or if you are unable to participate. Race numbers and entries cannot be transferred to another person. No exceptions. This means once we have received your entry, you will not receive a refund if you cannot participate, and you may not give or sell your number or timing chip to anyone else. Anyone found participating with another person’s number will be disqualified and both people will be barred from future Sports Backers and Richmond Road Runner Club events.
🚨Deferral Policy
You may defer your registration from the 2026 event to the 2027 event. Deferred registrations may not be transferred to another person. Refunds will not be issued under any circumstances. The fee to defer your registration is $20 for the Half & $10 for the 5k. The deferral deadline is August 14, 2026. No deferrals will be allowed after August 16, 2026. Deferrals may be used only for the 2027 event. You may only defer an entry once (i.e., if you deferred your 2026 entry to 2027, you will not be able to defer it again in 2027 to 2028).
For instructions on how to defer your entry, click here or email us.
🚨Race Switch Policy
You may switch your distance up until the event begins or until the event reaches capacity, whichever happens first.
- Switching from the Half to 5k: There is a $10 transfer fee. To complete your transfer please follow the provided steps.
- Switching from 5k to the Half: There is a $10 transfer fee plus the difference in event price at the time of transfer. To complete your transfer please email info@sportsbackers.org.
🚨Virtual Switch Policy
You may switch to or from the virtual and in-person event of the same distance at no cost. If you would like to switch events, please follow these steps: Sign into RunSignUp > Profile > Upcoming Events > Manage Registration > Transfer Event > Choose New Event. If you have any issues you can email info@sportsbackers.org. Switches will be allowed up until race morning unless your intended distance has reached capacity.
🚨Rules
- This race is conducted under the rules of USATF and the Road Runners Club of America.
- In consideration of the safety of all participants, IN-LINE SKATES, SKATEBOARDS, BICYCLES, HANDCYCLES, OR ANIMALS will not be allowed on the course.
- Strollers, Baby Joggers, Baby Carriers are NOT allowed on the course.
- Once received, entries are non-refundable. Entries may not be transferred or given to another person. See above for additional policies.
- The Half Marathon has a minimum age of 12; The 5k has a minimum age of 6 on or before race day.
