United States

San Antonio, TX

Our Guide to Running in San Antonio, including suburbs and residential neighborhoods

Fast-growing San Antonio is now the 7th-largest city in the United States. The city has a rich and varied history, with the iconic Alamo, located downtown, as are other historic landmarks including the 17th century missions and the San Fernando Cathedral. The city is large and sprawling. There are good running options for running in San Antonio’s downtown, as well as numerous parks and greenways outside the city core.

The centerpiece of running in downtown San Antonio is the famed River Walk, though it can get crowded. We’ve also put together a San Antonio Highlights tour, including some historic residential neighborhoods. For quieter, less city-congested runs, we recommend Brackenridge Park and Olmos Basin Park are close to downtown. The Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills residential neighborhoods are great for running. Further out, just past the airport, are McAllister Park and Eisenhower Park, and opportunities to get a taste of Texas Hill Country running. Eisenhower Park is also the northern terminus of the Salado Creek Greenway, which connects several parks east of I-10. West of I-10, the Leon Creek Greenway runs for 20+ miles. A favorite section is between Bandera Rd. and Highway 53 (just east of UT San Antonio).

Notes: San Antonio is spread out and car-centric. Also, runners should note that the weather is generally sunny year-round, but is brutally hot from June through September.

Editor's Picks

Some of our favorite runs in San Antonio, TX

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The weather in San Antonio is fantastic for running, mild to warm, between October and May. The summer months are hot but not quite as brutal as other Texas cities. Snow and freezing temps are rare. Geographically, the city is fairly flat, but there are hills just beyond the city.san-antonio-climate

Most of the hotels in the city are located in the heart of downtown. Some are located along the River Walk, with a basement entrance to the walk itself, others are only a few blocks from the downtown area itself. With the airport only 10 miles (a 15–20 minute drive) from the downtown area, if you have to stay near the airport, a visit to the downtown sites and a run past the landmarks is still easily achievable.san-antonio-stay

Best bets in the downtown area are San Antonio Running Company and Run Wild Sports.

RunWild Sports. Multi-sports boutique store between downtown and Brackenridge Park.

San Antonio Running Company — Located in the heart of Downtown San Antonio. They also promote the Spectrum Trail Race Series and a number of trail and off-road races, including ultramarathons in Colorado and Big Bend Ranch State Park.
Group Runs: Wednesday 6pm., followed by Yoga for Runners

Fleet Feet San Antonio. In Alamo Heights. Note: moving spring 2016 to the Quarry Mall, just north of Olmos Basin Park.
Group Runs: Tuesdays, once per month ‘destination runs’. More info

We Run San Antonio — Founded in 2004 as a small running group, We Run has expanded into one of the most successful training programs and stores in the area. Stores located in Alon Park and Leon Springs areas, offers customized training programs and has a specific New Runner Program.

Soler’s Sports — Alamo Heights. Specialized for triathletes.
Group Runs: Sunday mornings, with up to 80 people of all levels and ages attending, and fun runs on Wednesday evenings of 4–5 miles.

Run On (iRun Texas) — Three locations: Stone Oak, Bitters (near UT San Antonio), Dominion. Lots of training programs and events.

San Antonio Road Runners has an active group. Click on ‘where we run’ for additional running route options.

Looking for road or trail races in this area? Find them on RaceRaves, the best online race calendar and reviews community for runners!

Find races in San Antonio, TX

Event Calendar

Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. December. Starts and finishes at the Alamodome, the race winds through the city, passing major landmarks and neighborhoods such as The Alamo, Trinity University, the Blue Star Arts District, Padre Park and Mission San Jose, and the Riverwalk. Also held on the same day are a half marathon, 10K, 5K, Relay, and Kids Rock race.

Brewery Running Series. Numerous fun run events throughout the year that all start and end at local breweries.

I Ran Marathons Park Series – A series of eight marathons held over the course of eight days in San Antonio in mid February. Participants can choose to run all eight, or a combination of each. Also included are half marathon and 10K options.

Alamo 13.1 Half Marathon – March.Begins and ends in front of the historic Alamo, and is started off with a cannon blast.

Carnival of Venice Half Marathon – Just before the annual four-night Fiesta Celebration, this half marathon will be held for the first time in 2016. Started in 1891 to honor the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto, the purpose behind Fiesta San Antonio has changed over the years to now commemorate a celebration of the city itself. A 5K will also be held the same day.

Spectrum Trail Racing Series – A series of trail racing events throughout Texas (and some beyond), these races are held throughout the year and vary in length from 10K to 50K.