Upper Cumberland Haunted Half Marathon is a running race on October 24, 2026 in Cookeville, TN, with entry fees from $45 to $165.
From the Organizer
Join us for the 19th annual Haunted Half Marathon, Relay & 5K October 24th! Runners will enjoy seeing the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Tennessee, this Halloween-themed race takes runners on a loop course through the small city of Cookeville, where runners and walkers will start the race on the campus of Tennessee Tech University.
From the starting line near the intersection of North Dixie Avenue and B Street on the Tennessee Tech campus, runners head south on what is basically a clockwise loop through the city’s downtown and out into some of the more rural areas just outside town.
Runners make their way through mostly city streets and retail shops in the first couple of miles and then head into more residential neighborhoods in the later miles.
As mentioned above, the Haunted Half Marathon, Relay & 5K is open to both runners and walkers, provided they can reach the finish line within 3 hours — which means for half-marathon and relay teams they’ll need to maintain a pace of 13.8 minutes per mile or better. The race route will be closed after 3 hours, which means no police or ambulance services will be present on the road route. The finish line will stay open till 10:30 am. This requires a 13.8 minute-per-mile page or faster.
Runners who don’t want to cover all 13.1 miles of the race themselves should know the race also features a three-person relay event. The first leg of the race is 4 miles, followed by the second leg (4.7 miles) and the third leg, which is 4.4 miles.
If you prefer a 5K run, we have that too! 5K runners will start from the same start line and finish line, as well as the first mile of the half marathon.
Entrants must be at least 12 years of age on the day of the race to participate in the half marathon or 10 years of age on the day of the race to participate in the 5k and have a guardian sign the race liability form.
Race Weather & Climate
Located along the Upper Cumberland Plateau of eastern Tennessee, about 80 miles east of Nashville and roughly 100 miles northwest of Knoxville, Cookeville typically sees mild to moderately warm weather in October, while rainfall totals average just over 3.4 inches for the month, making October the city’s driest month of the year.
On race day (Oct. 24), the average low is 42ºF and the average high is 69ºF.
Events
Weather
It's too far out for a forecast, so here's what weather on this date is normally like in the area. A race day forecast will replace this as race week approaches.
Typical High
69°
Typical Low
42°
Chance of Rain
31%
Based on US Climate Normals data from Cookeville, 4 mi from the venue.
Host City
Population
35,544
as of 2023
City Elevation
1,133 ft
Nearest Airport
BNA
Nashville International Airport · 66 mi
Time Zone
Central Time
From Endurance Grid
A mid-size host city. Enough lodging and amenities to keep race weekend easy, without big-city sprawl.
Race Location
Your Next Start Line
Every finish line starts with a single decision. Claim your spot at Upper Cumberland Haunted Half Marathon, put it on the calendar, and turn “someday” into a start date.
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Days to train
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From Endurance Grid
Endurance Grid is here to help you understand the sport, decide if it’s the right fit, and learn how to prepare. For course distances, logistics, and race-day specifics, always defer to the race organizer’s event page.
With running, there's a distance for every fitness level, a community at every start line, and nothing beats the feeling of crossing a finish line you trained for.
Running is an endurance sport that rewards consistency, and showing up every week compounds in ways that will surprise you.
From 5K to marathon, running races are an accessible entry point into endurance sport. There's a distance for every fitness level and a community at every start line.
Coming Up
The Great Chase Race
Less than a mile away
Ryan Burnett Memorial 5K
3 miles away
Wings and Wheels Runway Rush 5k
8 miles away
Run 4 Don 5K & 15K
16 miles away
Plan your trip
Coming from out of town? There's more to Cookeville than race day. We'll help you line up nearby lodging, flights, a rental car, and things to do so you can make the most of your racecation.
Plan your trip to CookevilleFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Upper Cumberland Haunted Half Marathon
Oct 24, 2026