Philly 26.2
Race day is Sunday, Nov 22. Get the finisher gift.
Made for Philly race weekend. A finisher gift they'll keep long after the medal. Order by Mon Nov 30 for Christmas delivery in the US.
Cracked at Mile 20Philly 26.2 finisher tee$39.99Get the tee
2026: The Year I Ran Philly 26.2Finisher ornament$24.99Get the ornament
Run Like There's a Cheesesteak at the FinishWall poster, a race keepsake$29.99Get the poster
By the Run & Tell team
Updated October 2026
Quick answer: The 2026 TIAA Philadelphia Marathon is on Sunday, November 22, with runners and walkers starting at 7:00 a.m. on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The best cheering spots are the ones your runner passes twice: Fountain Green Drive and Reservoir Drive (miles 13.5 and 15.3), Kelly Drive and South Ferry Road (miles 17.8 and 22.3), Ridge Avenue (miles 18.9 and 21.3) and Main Street in Manayunk (miles 19.8 and 20.2). For the finish, the race recommends its North and South Viewing Areas. Plug your runner's pace into our free Philadelphia Marathon spectator planner to see when they should pass each spot.
I'm married to a marathoner. My race day job is a sign, two snacks and a phone at 9% battery. I once missed my runner by forty seconds because I was buying coffee. This guide exists so you don't do that.
Philly race-day picks
Ornaments for the finisher, a sign you don't have to letter yourself, and a tee for the curb. All ready to order now.
2026: The Year I Ran Philly 26.2 (ornament)$24.99Get the ornament
2026: The Year I Ran Philly 13.1 (ornament)$24.99Get the ornament
Run Like There's a Cheesesteak at the Finish (sign poster)$29.99Get the poster
Manayunk Owes Me an Apology (Philly 26.2 tee)$39.99Get the tee
Also for the car: the Philly 26.2 decal and the Philly 13.1 decal, $6.99 each.
See all Philly race giftsEvery mile number below comes from the official 2026 hydration station list on the Philadelphia Marathon website, checked in October 2026. Water stations pin a mile to a real street corner. Just don't stand inside one: pick a spot a little before or after the tables.
The basics before you pick a spot
- Start and finish are both near the Art Museum. Runners start at 22nd Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and finish heading toward the Art Museum steps.
- Push rim wheelchairs start at 6:55 a.m. Runners and walkers go at 7:00 a.m.
- You can't get into the secure start and finish area until 8:00 a.m. Security checkpoints open at 5:00 a.m., and the race says security may let spectators in earlier if there are no lines. Either way, the start itself happens before you're allowed in.
- Only clear bags go into the secure zone. That rule covers spectators too.
- Expect street closures all over the city. The race says so plainly, so leave extra time for everything.
Philly race gifts for the cheer crew
For the people standing at mile 20, and the runner who passes them.
Run Like There's a Cheesesteak at the Finish (sign poster)$29.99Get the poster
My Runner Ran Philly, I Ran the Cheesesteak Line$39.99Get the tee
Cracked at Mile 20$39.99Get the teeManayunk Owes Me an Apology$39.99Get the tee
Finisher gifts ship in time for Christmas: order by Mon, Nov 30.
See all Philly race giftsCheer in something they'll laugh at
Standing on a curb for hours? Wear the joke so your runner spots you from a block away.
Spectator. Trained 0 Miles. Cheered All 26.2.$39.99Get the tee
Professional Finish Line Photographer$39.99Get the tee
Support Crew: Snacks, Signs and Your Car Keys$27.99Get the tote
Marathon Wife, I've Heard About Every Single Mile$54.99Get the sweatshirt
Order by Mon Nov 30 for Christmas delivery in the US.
See all support crew giftsPhiladelphia Marathon cheering spots by mile
| Mile | Spot (from the official station list) | Area | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.9 | Columbus Boulevard, south of Spruce Street | Early miles | Your earliest legal look. Runners are fresh and still waving. |
| 5.1 | 219 S. 6th Street | Historic district | The "look how great they're doing" photo. |
| 7.1 | 3025 Walnut Street | University City | Runners have settled into pace, so they're easier to spot. |
| 8.3 | 34th Street and Mantua | University City side | A second early look if you're already nearby. |
| 10.2 | Carousel House, 4300 Avenue of the Republic | Fairmount Park | A park setting, often with more room to stand. |
| 11.8 | Lansdowne Drive at Sweetbriar Lane | Fairmount Park | Just before halfway, when the cheering starts to matter. |
| 13.5 and 15.3 | Fountain Green Drive and Reservoir Drive | Fairmount Park | Two sightings from one place, around halfway. |
| 17.8 and 22.3 | Kelly Drive and South Ferry Road | Along the Schuylkill River | Two sightings, and the second one is when they really need you. |
| 18.9 and 21.3 | 5026 Ridge Avenue | Between Kelly Drive and Manayunk | Another twice spot, on the way out and the way back. |
| 19.8 and 20.2 | 4266 Main Street | Manayunk | Runners pass a few minutes apart. Mile 20 lives here. |
| 24.6 | Kelly Drive, just south of Fountain Green Drive | Along the river | Under two miles to go. Scream accordingly. |
| Finish | North and South Viewing Areas | Art Museum | The race calls these the best places to watch near the finish. |
Spots worth a closer look
Columbus Boulevard and the historic district (miles 2.9 to 5.1)
The early miles are the happy miles. At Columbus Boulevard south of Spruce Street, runners have barely warmed up. By 219 S. 6th Street at mile 5.1, they're in the historic district. If you want a smiling photo, this is your window. Later photos are more honest.
University City (miles 7.1 to 8.3)
The station at 3025 Walnut Street sits at mile 7.1, and 34th Street and Mantua comes up at mile 8.3. The race page mentions University City residents cheering here, so you'll have company.
Fairmount Park (miles 10.2 to 15.3)
The Carousel House on Avenue of the Republic is at mile 10.2 and Lansdowne Drive at Sweetbriar Lane at mile 11.8. Then comes the first twice spot: Fountain Green Drive and Reservoir Drive, listed at both mile 13.5 and mile 15.3. That's two looks without moving, on either side of halfway.
Kelly Drive and Ridge Avenue (miles 17.8 to 22.3)
Kelly Drive and South Ferry Road is listed at mile 17.8 and again at mile 22.3. Further along, 5026 Ridge Avenue is listed at mile 18.9 and mile 21.3. Stand at either spot and your runner passes on the way out, disappears for a while, and comes back looking noticeably more tired. Make the second cheer louder.
Manayunk: Main Street (miles 19.8 and 20.2)
The station at 4266 Main Street is listed at mile 19.8 and mile 20.2, so runners pass you, turn back, and pass you again a few minutes later. Mile 20 is where marathons stop being polite. A familiar face on Main Street does real work.
Kelly Drive near the end (mile 24.6)
Kelly Drive just south of Fountain Green Drive is listed at mile 24.6. If you can only pick one late spot, this is a strong one.
The finish: North and South Viewing Areas
The official FAQ says the North and South Viewing Areas are the best places to watch near the finish. Enter the North Viewing Area from the north side of Kelly Drive at 25th Street. The South Viewing Area is reached through the other spectator entry points. After 8:00 a.m., the checkpoint at 25th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue leads only to the North Viewing Area.
Make your Philly sign free: their name and one line, big enough to read at race pace, ready to print at home.
How to see your runner more than once
The twice spots do most of the work for you. Here's the math for a runner averaging 9 minutes per mile, starting at 7:00 a.m.:
- Mile 5.1, historic district: about 7:46 a.m.
- Mile 13.5, Fountain Green and Reservoir: about 9:02 a.m.
- Mile 15.3, same spot: about 9:18 a.m.
- Mile 17.8, Kelly Drive and South Ferry Road: about 9:40 a.m.
- Mile 22.3, same spot: about 10:21 a.m.
- Finish: about 10:56 a.m.
Treat these as estimates and start looking a few minutes early. Our free marathon spectator planner has a Philadelphia preset and does this math for your runner's pace.
Three rules I learned the hard way:
- Pick one early spot and one twice spot. Historic district, then Kelly Drive or Ridge Avenue, is a plan you can actually pull off.
- Decide on the finish the night before. A late Kelly Drive sighting and the finish don't leave much time between them, and the finish area has security checkpoints. Pick one.
- Tell your runner which side of the road you'll be on, for both directions. On an out and back, the side flips on the way home.
The race FAQ lists SEPTA buses 7, 32, 38, 43 and 48 for the Art Museum area. Expect detours on race day and check SEPTA before you go.
Track them and be easy to find
The official race app lets you follow a runner by bib number and add them to your favorites. Its Send a Cheer feature puts a short note, and a photo if you like, on your runner's app on race day. If your runner keeps their results anonymous, ask them for their bib number before race morning.
Then make yourself visible. One bright layer, a sign with their name in huge letters, and a photo of your outfit sent to your runner that morning. Our free marathon sign maker prints a big, readable sign at home, and our funny Philadelphia Marathon signs are written for this exact course, including double sided ideas for the twice spots.
What to carry between spots
Pack light: snacks, water, a portable charger, a dry layer for your runner and your sign. For carrying it all, the Support Crew: Snacks, Signs and Your Car Keys tote ($27.99) says exactly what's inside. It's canvas, not clear, so it's for the course. Bring a clear bag if you're heading into the secure finish area.
For the outfit, the Spectator. Trained 0 Miles. Cheered All 26.2. tee ($39.99) is honest in a way runners respect. If you're the one with the camera at the finish, there's the Professional Finish Line Photographer tee ($39.99).
The full packing list is in what to bring to a marathon as a spectator, and every other part of the day is in our Philadelphia Marathon spectator guide 2026. For sign lines that work at any race, see our funny marathon sign ideas.
More for race day: what to wear to watch the Philadelphia Marathon, gifts for Philadelphia Marathon finishers and the Philadelphia Marathon spectator guide.
Gifts for the runner you're cheering
They will want to talk about this race for weeks. These help.
Legs Currently Unavailable$54.99Get the sweatshirt
26.2 and Won't Shut Up About It$34.99Get the hat
26.2 Car Decal$6.99Get the decal
Stairs Are Another Story$22.99Get the mug
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See all finisher giftsFrequently asked questions
When is the 2026 Philadelphia Marathon?
Sunday, November 22, 2026. Push rim wheelchairs start at 6:55 a.m. and runners and walkers start at 7:00 a.m. at 22nd Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Where can I see my runner twice at the Philadelphia Marathon?
The official 2026 station list has four spots runners pass twice: Fountain Green Drive and Reservoir Drive (miles 13.5 and 15.3), Kelly Drive and South Ferry Road (17.8 and 22.3), 5026 Ridge Avenue (18.9 and 21.3) and 4266 Main Street in Manayunk (19.8 and 20.2).
Can I watch the start of the Philadelphia Marathon?
Not from inside the secure area. The official FAQ says spectators aren't permitted into the secure running area until 8:00 a.m., and the marathon starts at 7:00 a.m.
Where is the best place to watch the Philadelphia Marathon finish?
The race recommends its North and South Viewing Areas near the Art Museum. Enter the North Viewing Area from the north side of Kelly Drive at 25th Street.
How do I track a runner at the Philadelphia Marathon?
Use the official Philadelphia Marathon race app. Follow your runner by bib number, add them to your favorites, and use Send a Cheer to put a note on their app on race day.
Run & Tell is an independent shop. This guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Philadelphia Marathon or TIAA. Course details can change, so always check the official race website before race day.
