the sunsphere finish and neyland stadium: knoxville's landmarks on the course
By PaceKit Team · Updated April 2026
The Knoxville Marathon has had two iconic finish lines in its history, and both of them say something about what this city is.
the neyland stadium era (2005-2018)
From 2005 to 2018, the race finished on the 50-yard line of Neyland Stadium. It was the only road race in the country to finish inside a Division I football stadium, and not just any stadium. Neyland holds 101,915 people, making it the sixth-largest stadium in the United States and one of the most storied venues in college football. Crossing that finish line, running through the tunnel and onto the field where the Volunteers play, was unlike any other marathon finish in the country. The stadium was mostly empty on race day, obviously. But the echo of your footsteps on the turf, the goalposts visible at both ends, the sheer scale of the thing. Runners describe it as surreal.
the sunsphere era (2019-present)
In 2019, stadium renovations forced the finish line to relocate to World's Fair Park, and it's stayed there since. The new finish trades the intimacy of the stadium for the spectacle of the Sunsphere, a 266-foot steel tower topped with a 75-foot gold-plated glass sphere, built for the 1982 World's Fair. The Sunsphere is one of only two remaining structures from the fair (the other is the Tennessee Amphitheater), and it has become the defining visual landmark of the Knoxville skyline.
Running toward the Sunsphere in the final mile, after 25+ miles of neighborhoods and river crossings and rolling hills, is the closest thing this race has to a signature moment. The golden sphere catches the late-morning sun and it's visible from several blocks away, which means you can see your finish getting closer for the last half mile.
the stadium today
The course still passes Neyland Stadium in the opening miles. You don't go inside, but you run past it on Neyland Drive, close enough to see the orange seats through the gates and the Vol Navy dock on the river. For Tennessee fans running this race, that stretch alone is worth the entry fee.
The Sunsphere itself has an observation deck that offers panoramic views of the Smokies, the Tennessee River, and the UT campus. It's worth visiting the day before the race if you want to see the course from above. The interior has been renovated and the viewing platform is free.