Sunday morning’s Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon will bring together more than 8,000 runners, hundreds of cheering volunteers and race fans, and 29 bands playing along the course. 

The Marathon course is a 26.2-mile journey through scenic Knoxville, designed to show off the city and its neighborhoods. East Tennessee’s biggest road race draws runners from 45 states and is a Boston Marathon qualifier.

The Marathon also has a new finish line this year in front of the World’s Fair Exhibition Hall at World’s Fair Park Drive.

All six weekend race events begin on the Clinch Avenue Viaduct in front of the main entrance to the Knoxville Convention Center. The mile-long Covenant Kids Run starts at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 30, followed by the 5K (3.1 miles) at 7 p.m. The full 26.2-mile marathon, the half marathon (13.1 miles) and the relays start at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, March 31. 

The Clinch Avenue Viaduct will be closed to traffic starting at 2 p.m. Saturday until 2:30 p.m. Sunday. No parking will be allowed on Clinch Avenue between 11th and 16th streets, and vehicles parked on the street will be towed Saturday evening. 

Street and lane closures will occur throughout the center city and surrounding areas for the race events. Rolling road and lane closures will follow the race route, so motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and consider alternate routes. 

Details for specific road closures are as follows: 

• World’s Fair Park Drive: Closed from start of race until the half marathon passes from 11th Street, then the closure is moved to south of the parking lot beside the Knoxville Museum of Art; closed on north end by Fort Kid;
• Clinch Avenue Viaduct from Henley to 11th streets: Closed throughout the marathon weekend events; 
• Clinch Avenue: Closed at the start of the marathon, 5K and Covenant Kids Run from 11th to James Agee Street and at end of marathon between Union Avenue and World’s Park Drive;
• James Agee Street: Closed at the start of the marathon and Covenant Kids Run from Clinch to Cumberland avenues; 
• Volunteer Boulevard: Closed for 5K to UT Drive on the west end; 
• Lake Loudoun Boulevard: Southbound lanes from Todd Helton Lane to Neyland Drive closed for the marathon; 
• Neyland Drive: Eastbound and westbound lanes closed for the marathon from Walnut Street to Kingston Pike until the turnaround is complete; 
• Kingston Pike: Eastbound lanes closed between Neyland Drive and Cherokee Boulevard; traffic will be two-way in westbound lanes; 
• Cherokee Boulevard: Southbound lanes closed; 
• Blows Ferry Road: Westbound lanes closed; 
• Alta Vista Way: Northbound lane closed; 
• Noelton Drive: Right lane closed from Alta Vista Way to Kingston Pike; 
• Kingston Pike: Right lane closed westbound from Noelton Drive to Forest Park Boulevard; 
• Forest Park Boulevard: Northbound right lane closed from Kingston Pike to Newcom Avenue; 
• Newcom Avenue: Closed from Forest Park Boulevard to Lebanon Street; 
• Lebanon Street: Closed from Newcom Avenue to Third Creek Greenway; 
• Tyson Park: Closed at Kingston Pike entrance and the road closure sign inside Tyson Park at the U.S. 129 overpass; 
• Cumberland Avenue: Right westbound curb lane closed from Tyson Park to 22nd Street; 
• 22nd Street: Closed from Forest to Cumberland avenues; 
• Forest Avenue: Closed from 17th to 22nd streets; continued closure from 17th Street east to 13th Street; 
• Highland Avenue: Eastbound lanes closed from 11th to 13th streets; 
• 11th Street: Closed from Highland Avenue to Western Avenue; 
• Grand Avenue: Closed between both intersections with World’s Fair Park Drive;
• L & N Station Drive: Closed between World’s Fair Park Drive and Western Avenue; 
• Summit Hill Drive: Closed between L & N Station Drive and Gay Street; 
• Gay Street: Northbound right lane closed from West Summit Hill Drive to Council Street; 
• Magnolia Avenue: Closed between Gay Street and North Central Street; 
• Central Street: Closed between Magnolia Avenue and Broadway; 
• 3rd Avenue: Closed between North Central and Eleanor streets; 
• Deery Street: Closed between 4th and Lovenia avenues; 
• Lovenia Avenue: Closed between Deery and Luttrell streets; 
• Luttrell Street: Closed between Lovenia and Wells avenues; 
• Wells Avenue: Closed between Luttrell and Eleanor streets; 
• Eleanor Street: Closed between Wells and 3rd avenues; 
• Fourth Avenue: Closed between Deery to Central streets; 
• 5th Avenue: Closed between Hall of Fame Drive and Winona Street; 
• Hall of Fame Drive: Closed between the two intersections with 5th Avenue; 
• Winona Street: Northbound lane closed between 5th and Washington avenues; 
• Washington Avenue: Closed between Winona and North Bertrand streets; 
• N. Bertrand Street: Closed from Washington to McCalla avenues; 
• McCalla Avenue: Closed from North Bertrand Street to Willow Avenue; 
• Willow Avenue: Closed from McCalla Avenue to Patton Street; 
• Patton Street: Closed from Willow to Jackson avenues; 
• Jackson Avenue: Eastbound lane closed from Patton Street to Central Street; 
• Cumberland Avenue: Closed between Central and State streets; 
• State Street: Closed between Cumberland Avenue and Hill Avenue; 
• Hill Avenue: Closed between State Street and the James White Connector; 
• James White Parkway: Closed between State Street Connector to Sevier         Avenue ramp; 
• Sevier Avenue: Right lane closed from James White Parkway to Island Home Avenue; cones 6-8 feet from the westbound curb for a runner lane from Island Home Avenue to Council Place; 
• Island Home Avenue: Closed from Sevier Avenue to Maplewood Drive; westbound traffic to use Hillwood Drive; 
• Council Place: Closed between Sevier Avenue and Gay Street; 
• Wall Avenue: Closed between Gay Street and Market Square; 
• Union Avenue: Closed between Market Square and Locust Street; and
• Locust Street: Closed between Union and Clinch avenues. 

A turn-by-turn course description, maps and other information are available at www.knoxvillemarathon.com.