The event will offer two distances showcasing iconic areas of historic Savannah
SAVANNAH, Ga. – In partnership with the city, local organizations and leaders, the inaugural Savannah Southern Half Marathon will debut on Nov. 15, 2025. Organizers have announced that the event will offer two distances, the marquee half marathon (13.1 miles) and the Fleet Feet 5K (3.1 miles) that offer one-of-a-kind tours of the City of Savannah. Registration for the brand new event is now open.
“The City is looking forward to the Southern Half Marathon and to welcoming the runners and their families to the most beautiful place in America,” said Faye Q. DiMassimo, Chief of Planning and Economic Development for the City of Savannah. “The race route will showcase many of our special and historic locations enhancing the runners experience while celebrating health, community and our unique spirit. Our southern hospitality is the finest and we’re excited to see the energy the race brings to our historic streets.”
The scenic courses will start at Forsyth Park and lead runners on a tour of Savannah’s best. Participants will weave through the heart of the city, and into historic neighborhoods lined with oak trees and draped in Spanish moss while passing porch swings and church bells. After running through the iconic Savannah Bananas stadium, participants will wrap up in Daffin Park to enjoy the Finish Festival, featuring local music, food and more.
“We wanted to make sure that the charm of Savannah was truly embraced and highlighted with the Savannah Southern Half,” said Crystian Kumnick, Managing Director of Motiv Sport, producer of the Savannah Southern Half. “This city’s culture and community is really one-of-a-kind, and through working with local representatives and officials, we are confident that Savannah will be captured in an amazing light with the Southern Half.”
For those looking to include the whole family, organizers are encouraging parent runners to bring along their young children for the Fleet Feet 5K, a stroller-friendly course.
“This event isn’t just about the miles – it’s about bringing people together, showcasing our beautiful downtown and supporting local tourism and business in a big way,” said Mike Nadeau, owner of Fleet Feet Savannah / Pooler / Bluffton. “We’re proud to partner with Crystian Kumnick and Motiv, whose track record in producing top-tier race events speaks for itself, to bring this exciting new race to Savannah’s vibrant running community. Let’s lace up and get after it.”
Organizers say that the Savannah Southern Half was built with the “race-cation” spirit in mind to attract tourism and highlight the city as a destination. While not only building a course that highlights the local culture, the event has also implemented additional features to race weekend that will continue the runner’s experience past the Finish Festival. All participants of the Savannah Southern Half will have access to a free shuttle from the Finish Festival to Downtown Savannah to continue celebrating their feat in the heart of the city. Other Savannah Southern Half features include a Hotel Program with discounted rooms available at a variety of local hotels, discounted city tours to explore and learn more about the local community and a “Show Us Your Bib” program in partnership with Visit Savannah, a program offering discounts to race participants from businesses in Savannah’s Historic Landmark District and nearby areas.
“On behalf of the Savannah/Chatham County tourism industry, we welcome the Southern Half Marathon event and MotivSports to our community,” said Joseph Marinelli, President & CEO of Visit Savannah. “Over the last couple of decades, our city has successfully hosted a number of marathons, half-marathons and 5K events and welcomed runners and their friends and families from around the globe. As a true ‘bucket list’ destination, Savannah welcomes all with open arms and our own unique style of Southern hospitality.”
The Savannah Southern has partnered with the American Cancer Society for its 2025 event. Those interested in fundraising can join Team DetermiNation and receive a complimentary half marathon race entry when a minimum of $600 has been fundraised, or a complimentary 5K race entry with a minimum of $350 fundraised. Additional benefits of joining Team DetermiNation include American Cancer Society apparel, team gatherings and a finish line experience with fellow team members.
For more information about the Savannah Southern Half, visit www.southernhalf.com and follow the event on Facebook and Instagram.
ABOUT SAVANNAH SOUTHERN HALF AND MOTIV SPORTS
The Savannah Southern Half Marathon is a new running event set to launch in 2025. The race offers participants a scenic journey through iconic areas of the city through two distance options, a half marathon and a 5K. The courses weave participants through the heart of the city, through historic neighborhoods lined with oak trees and draped in Spanish moss while passing porch swings and church bells. After running through the iconic Savannah Bananas stadium, participants will wrap up in Daffin Park to enjoy the Finish Festival. Virtual participation opportunities are also available for both distances. The Savannah Southern Half is produced by Motiv Sports. Motiv Sports was founded in 2015, and creates, markets, manages, and delivers world-class endurance events all around the world.