Williams Route 66 Marathon

The Williams Route 66 Marathon is Tulsa’s signature late November road marathon, built around a full weekend of races, a downtown expo and a big community party on the Mother Road. The race starts and finishes in the Tulsa Arts District and winds past Art Deco landmarks, historic Route 66 segments and the Arkansas River, with local neighborhoods hosting block parties and strong volunteer support. A USATF certified Boston qualifying course plus deep pacing groups make it popular with first time marathoners and runners chasing Oklahoma personal bests.

The marathon course is a mostly looped tour that begins near Guthrie Green in downtown Tulsa, then heads through the Arts District, Maple Ridge, Cherry Street and Brookside neighborhoods, rolls past the University of Tulsa campus and spends long stretches along Riverside Drive and the Arkansas River trail system. Expect frequent short climbs and descents rather than long mountains; the profile is rolling but very runnable, with on-course entertainment, neighborhood block parties and the optional Center of the Universe Detour adding 0.3 miles for marathoners who want the World’s Shortest Ultramarathon coin.

Route 66 falls in late November, when Tulsa typically sees average highs around 60–62 °F (15–17 °C) and lows near 39–40 °F (4 °C). Mornings often start crisp but not frigid, with cool, dry air that can warm into the 50s or low 60s by late morning, and a decent chance of breeze along the river. Historical race days have ranged from chilly 20s to unseasonably warm 70s, so many runners dress in layers, light gloves and a shell they can shed once they settle into pace.