Swank and Wallace win Nashville Half Marathon

Vanderbilt University’s Audrey Swank and Bethel University’s Hudson Wallace won the 2026 Nashville Half Marathon on Saturday as 3,800 runners took over Music City for Run Nash’s annual race. The sold-out 5K, charity fundraising and a course through Nashville’s key neighborhoods underscored the event’s draw as both a competition and community showcase.

Why it matters: - The Nashville Half Marathon & 5K brought 3,800 registered runners into downtown Nashville and surrounding neighborhoods, showing the event’s scale and the city’s appeal as a race destination. - The race also supported local and national charity partners, including the American Cancer Society, extending the event’s impact beyond competition. - Women made up 51% of registered participants, underscoring broad participation across genders and experience levels.

What happened: - Vanderbilt University student Audrey Swank of Fairbanks, Alaska, won the women’s half marathon title in 1:24:47. - Bethel University student Hudson Wallace of McKenzie, Tennessee, won the men’s half marathon title in 1:13:21. - The 2026 Nashville Half Marathon & 5K took place Saturday under clear skies and 70-degree temperatures at the start. - Run Nash hosted the event in Nashville. - The 5K sold out in advance with 750 registered participants.

The details: - Swank is a junior studying music at Vanderbilt University. - Swank ran the event for the second straight year and said she was returning after a slower race last year. - Wallace is a senior on Bethel University’s cross-country team. - Wallace ran the Nashville Half Marathon for the first time and said the hills made the course challenging but scenic. - The half marathon course passed through downtown, The Gulch, Music Row and Nissan Stadium. - Runners came from across the United States and from abroad. - In the 5K, Drew Taylor of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, won the men’s overall title in 18:24. - Cam-Ranh Chandler of Nashville won the women’s overall 5K title in 19:20. - The half marathon men’s podium also included Baden Brown of Nashville in 1:17:20 and John Baker of Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1:17:56. - The half marathon women’s podium also included Hailey Day of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1:26:11 and Hannah Seubert of Eugene, Oregon, in 1:27:52. - The event welcomed runners and walkers ranging from first-timers to athletes chasing personal records. - Malain McCormick, race director, said the event sold out the 5K and was helped by charity partners, volunteers and the Nashville community. - The American Cancer Society participated through its DetermiNation Endurance Series. - Over the past five years, the American Cancer Society race team has raised more than $200,000 through the event. - This year’s race also supported Move Music City, Achilles International and the T.J. Martell Foundation.

Between the lines: - The results highlight Nashville’s growing role as a destination race city, with a course built around recognizable neighborhoods and landmarks. - The mix of elite competitors, local runners and first-time participants suggests the event is positioned as both a competitive race and a community gathering. - The charity component gives the event a larger purpose that may help sustain participation and sponsorship.

What's next: - Run Nash directs runners and interested participants to complete race results and upcoming events. - The American Cancer Society’s DetermiNation program will continue linking endurance events to cancer fundraising. - Swank said she thinks she may return next year to defend her title.

The bottom line: - The 2026 Nashville Half Marathon & 5K combined fast times, a sold-out field and strong charity support into one of Music City’s signature running weekends.