Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K or Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon — which comes out ahead?

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K and Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon split the available advantages, so the better choice depends on which metric matters most to the runner.

Route comparison snapshot

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K

Mapped route
Held
Elevation profile
Held
course flatness
1.7% Favoured
flat grade share
70.8%
lower ascent
41 m
climbing density
8.2 m/km
net elevation
11 m
maximum grade
6.8%

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon

Mapped route
Held
Elevation profile
Held
course flatness
1.8%
flat grade share
95.6% Favoured
lower ascent
99 m
climbing density
4.7 m/km
net elevation
65 m
maximum grade
7.4%
Head-to-head comparison
MetricGreat Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5KGreat Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Flat grade share70.8%95.6%
GAP factor (% slower than flat)1.7%1.8%
Uphill share19.0%3.3%
Steep-up share0.8%0.1%
Downhill share10.2%1.1%
Total ascent (m)41 m99 m
Climbing density (m/km)8.2 m/km4.7 m/km
Longest climb length (m)220 m2,970 m
Longest climb gain (m)7 m19 m
Longest climb average grade3.1%0.6%
Total descent (m)30 m35 m
Net elevation (m)11 m65 m
Max absolute grade6.8%7.4%
Start elevation (m)330 m271 m
Finish elevation (m)341 m336 m

Only metrics available for at least one side are shown. A ✓ marks the better value for each metric (higher-is-better aware). Scores are out of 100 when available. Ascent, climbing density, max absolute grade and median finish describe course or field context and are not marked as better or worse.

Same-distance comparisons are most meaningful; cross-distance metrics are contextual.

Race facts that change the decision

Race facts comparison
FactGreat Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5KGreat Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Schedule

Exact race date not confirmed.

Exact race date not confirmed.

LocationTownsend, TennesseeTownsend, Tennessee
Actual distance5 km21.1 km
raceindex.org mapped route heldHeldHeld
raceindex.org elevation profile heldHeldHeld
Course typeUnavailablePoint To Point
SurfaceUnavailableRoad, running mostly along Old Walland Highway, Cameron Road and Webb Road, finishing on the Townsend Historical Trail.
Elevation characterUnavailableGently Rolling
TerrainUnavailableRoad, Mixed
SceneryCountryside, Mountain, Parkland, Forest, Riverside, HistoricMountain, Countryside, Riverside, Parkland, Forest, Historic
AtmosphereDestination, Scenic Tour, CommunityDestination, Scenic Tour, Community
TechnicalityUnavailableNon Technical
Total ascent41 m99 m
Climbing density8.2 m/km4.7 m/km
Total descent30 m35 m
Net elevation11 m65 m
Max absolute grade6.8%7.4%
Flat grade share70.8%95.6%
GAP factor1.7%1.8%
Entry modelOpenOpen

Schedule

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K

Exact race date not confirmed.

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon

Exact race date not confirmed.

Location

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Townsend, Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Townsend, Tennessee

Actual distance

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
5 km
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
21.1 km

raceindex.org mapped route held

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Held
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Held

raceindex.org elevation profile held

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Held
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Held

Course type

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Unavailable
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Point To Point

Surface

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Unavailable
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Road, running mostly along Old Walland Highway, Cameron Road and Webb Road, finishing on the Townsend Historical Trail.

Elevation character

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Unavailable
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Gently Rolling

Terrain

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Unavailable
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Road, Mixed

Scenery

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Countryside, Mountain, Parkland, Forest, Riverside, Historic
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Mountain, Countryside, Riverside, Parkland, Forest, Historic

Atmosphere

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Destination, Scenic Tour, Community
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Destination, Scenic Tour, Community

Technicality

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Unavailable
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Non Technical

Total ascent

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
41 m
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
99 m

Climbing density

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
8.2 m/km
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
4.7 m/km

Total descent

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
30 m
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
35 m

Net elevation

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
11 m
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
65 m

Max absolute grade

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
6.8%
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
7.4%

Flat grade share

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
70.8%
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
95.6%

GAP factor

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
1.7%
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
1.8%

Entry model

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K
Open
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Open

Facts are shown only when they exist in the sourced race record; Not held means no sourced value is held for that race.

Common questions

Which is flatter, Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K or Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon?

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K has the lower GAP factor, making it the flatter course on our route model and more favourable on gradient alone.

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How figures are calculated →