Thousands of runners launch from the start line for last year's annual Donna Marathon through Jacksonville's Beaches. | Donna Marathon
Published on January 29, 2026 at 11:58 am
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Thousands of marathoners will brave bitter cold Sunday, and drivers could encounter widespread diversions as the 19th Annual DONNA Marathon loops through Jacksonville, Neptune and Atlantic beaches.
The 26.2-mile marathon route will be closed to all traffic and on-street parking as runners make their way along North 1st and 2nd streets, Ocean Boulevard and through multiple neighborhoods, beginning and ending at the Seawalk Pavilion.
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“This year’s theme, Destination: Love, celebrates the powerful reminder that no one runs alone,” said a new release for the event. “Every start line crossed and every finish line reached brings us closer to a world without breast cancer.”
Journalist Donna Deegan, a three-time breast cancer survivor and now mayor of Jacksonville, established the DONNA Foundation in 2003.
The foundation has helped more than 20,000 families, securing more than $6.5 million in financial services and debt relief. The organization also has given more than $3.3 million in support of critical research as the only marathon dedicated to those living with breast cancer.
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DONNA Marathon events
This weekend’s events begin at 7 a.m. Friday with a 3-mile Run/Walk starting at Southern Grounds & Co. on First Street in Neptune Beach.
Then comes a health and wellness Expo from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hilton Jacksonville at Mayo Clinic on Transformation Way, plus the Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center’s mobile mammography unit. It offers 3D screening mammograms. To request an appointment, click here.
On Saturday, the Athlete’s Village will open at 6:30 a.m. at the Seawalk Pavilion on 1st Street North in Jacksonville Beach, with parking and shuttle service from the Hilton Jacksonville at Mayo Clinic.
The DONNA 110 Ultra Marathon, a 110-mile journey, will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Seawalk Pavilion. The 5K will start at 8 a.m., also at the Seawalk Pavilion, then a family fun run will start there at 9:30 a.m.
Then Sunday will bring the Donna National Marathon To Finish Breast Cancer, the half marathon, the Visit Jacksonville Donna Booby Trap Challenge and Pete’s Bar Donna Crawl start.
The official race will begin at 7:30 a.m., with the Pete’s Bar crawl at 7:45 a.m., starting alongside the marathoners before veering off to complete a 2-mile course, ending at Pete’s Bar.
That means access to all three beach communities may be inhibited on race day. The Jacksonville Beach Police Department posted a Facebook reminder.
“The race will begin at 7:30 a.m. and is expected to conclude by 3:30 p.m.,” the post states. “This is a reminder there will be street closings and traffic delays throughout the race route. No vehicles will be permitted to park on impacted city streets beginning Saturday after 6 p.m. through Sunday, until streets are opened for access.”
The parking ban includes all Beaches community streets affected by the race, with vehicles parked on the race course towed, race officials warn.
Full spectator information is here. Free parking for all weekend events is available in Mayo Clinic Lot E-8. Spillover parking in Lot E-6 will be available Saturday and Sunday.
