Run on the Mother of all Roads. The Williams Route 66 Marathon showcases the best of what Tulsa has to offer! Start your race in downtown Tulsa, home of the largest concentration of Art Deco architecture outside of Miami, and then make your way through Tulsa’s vibrant and diverse neighborhoods and the campus of Tulsa University. If there’s one thing you can count on at the Williams Route 66 Marathon, it’s tons of on-course support from the local community and plenty of fun. Our neighborhoods host block parties all along the course to welcome and cheer on the runners! The Williams Route 66 Marathon is a USATF certified course and a Boston Qualifier (see Boston Athletics Association for qualifying times)

The Williams Route 66 Marathon Relay consists of three to five legs, with distances varying from 5 to 5.6 miles in length. This consistent distance allows team members to train together as a team, making it the perfect corporate initiative. Racers will compete on a USATF certified course while being electronically timed.

The 5k Run and Walk starts and finishes at Guthrie Green, taking runners on a 3.1-mile tour of Tulsa’s artistic and hip Tulsa Arts, Blue Dome, Pearl District and through downtown Tulsa. After your race, stick around and cheer on participants in the Fun Run and Walk or get brunch at one of the many local restaurants in the area!

Are you one of those people who isn’t totally exhausted at the end of a marathon? Do you wish those 26.2 miles were actually a little longer? If you want more, the Center of the Universe Detour will give you more! This free and optional detour will add 0.3-mile to your run and is only for participants in the full marathon.

The Center of the Universe detour offers runners a unique opportunity to run an extra 0.3-mile (and complete the World’s Shortest Ultramarathon) to visit Tulsa’s historic Center of the Universe. Stand on the designated spot and speak or shout! Participants who stand at the center of the brick circle and talk will hear themselves echo, but others outside the circle will not hear the echo. Eerie! No wonder we call it the Center of the Universe!

No pre-registration is required for those who wish to participate in the detour. Simply decide when you arrive! Participants who take the detour will receive a very nice color inlaid coin when they get to the Center of the Universe. This experience is totally unique to the Williams Route 66 Marathon and will certainly be one of the most memorable parts of your day, should you choose to take it! You’ll also be rewarded with a beer when you take the detour.