Anticipation is growing for a record field in this year’s 50th Rocket City Marathon and the overall race weekend in December.
With less than five weeks until race weekend, registration is near 5,525 for the maratthon, half-marathon, 10K, 5K and 1-mile runs. The marathon is sponsored by PNC Bank. Race weekend is Dec. 11-13, with the expo and packet pickup on Dec. 11, all at the Von Braun Center South Hall.
“The marathon is at 2,003 registered runners,” said Rhonda Hayden with race management group Kinda Gritty. “This is our biggest year yet for marathon and we will see more registrations. The (weekend) is about to surpass our overall 5,525 registered athletes in 2025, making our 2026 race the biggest ever.”
Registration currently shakes out at 1,892 for the marathon and 111 for the “early start” marathon group, totaling 2,003 for the Sunday anniversary event. The half-marathon (1,791), 10K (757) and 5K (704) and 1-mile (235) will increase, as well. The half is on Sunday, and the 10K, 5K and 1-Mile are Saturday. All races start in front of the VBC and end in the South Hall.
Hayden said runners from every state except Oregon and Wyoming have registered. The finish line will have a new look this year, too.
“We are asking spectators to bring or wear glow items such as glow necklaces, bracelets, wands, etc.,” she said. “We don’t want to reveal it before our runners see it for themselves, but we believe it will be a wow factor for the athletes crossing the finish line.”
New Medals
New medals for the 50th anniversary celebrate Huntsville’s iconic U.S. Space & Rocket Center with the space shuttle and Apollo rocket prominently displayed.
Raised lettering with distinctive red and blue colors stand out on the brushed gold medal. A 26.2 and “50th Anniversary” logo leaves no doubt about this year’s milestone. The broad blue ribbon also has 2026 and a space for runners to write their finishing time with a Sharpie.
The marathon medal is largest of the ones given to runners in the weekend races.
New apparel and caps also feature new lettering and logos along with PNC Bank, the marathon sponsor. RCM weekend is put on by the Huntsville Track Club.
Children Benefit
A portion of proceeds from this year’s marathon weekend will help purchase a new Kids Care ambulance for the Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.
The Huntsville Hospital Foundation has been the race beneficiary the last two years. The club made a donation of more than $115,000 earlier this spring to the foundation from the 2025 race proceeds. The money was used with other funds to help build a new inclusive, medically-informed therapeutic hospital playground for children. It was the first official charitable alignment in the marathon’s history.
Kids Care ambulances provide specialized transportation and care for critically ill babies and children from hospitals throughout the region to Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children. The hospital currently has two Kids Care units that are ready to roll 24 hours a day. They travel more than 100,000 miles annually. Each unit costs more than $325,000. The ambulances serve patients from 22 weeks gestation through age 21.
Read more about it here.
