Bayshore Marathon
Traverse City, United States · May · Independent
Why people love it
- Top-50 Boston qualifier: 19.2% of 2025 finishers qualified, on a course that is flat after an early climb.
- Bay views most of the way and a finish on the high school track.
- Marathon capped at 2,000 runners; typical morning 6 °C (43 °F).
- Plentiful aid and a post-race ice cream tent.
Watch out for
- Sells out, with waitlists in 2026; the half once sold out in 20 minutes.
- Warm, humid years happen: highs of 28 to 29 °C (82 to 85 °F) in 2022 and 2023.
- Hotels are scarce and pricey on Memorial Day weekend.
- Half marathon buses leave as early as 05:00; bathrooms were short in 2026.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Moderate
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.3
RaceRaves 4.6 out of 5 from 19 ratings and MarathonGuide 4.7 from 3. Warm praise for the bay and the track finish; complaints are small. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.2
RaceRaves production 4.4 out of 5; smooth logistics and plentiful aid. Dings: too few bathrooms in 2026, 05:00 half buses and a one-vendor expo. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly4.1
Flat after the first 0.8 km (0.5 mi), a 6 hour cutoff, strong support and glowing first-timer reviews. Sells out fast. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.2
Top-50 Boston qualifier with 19.2% of 2025 finishers qualifying. About 110 m (360 ft) of gain, mostly flat and cool when the weather behaves. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course scenerySpectacular4.5
RaceRaves scenery 4.6 out of 5: lakefront homes, cherry blossoms and clear bay water along the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.4
Out-and-back means two-way passing, half marathoners join the course and one reviewer found aid stations crowded. The marathon field is capped at 2,000. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceGood4.4
100% paved per the organiser and reviewers; no complaints about potholes found. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.5
Little reported on closures. A 2017 reviewer notes heavy traffic after the race and a 2023 reviewer mentions residential roads. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessMostly flat4.2
Gain about 110 m (360 ft), one 70 m (225 ft) climb in the first 0.8 km (0.5 mi), otherwise flat. · Medium confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
Out-and-back, net 0 m (0 ft). · High confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting3.3
Marathon start 07:15 at the college; half-marathon buses leave from 05:00, which one runner calls too early. Bathrooms are short (2026) and parking is busy. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingGood3.5
Timed and USATF certified, but no athlete mentions pace groups or splits. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportStrong3.7
Several reviewers describe lively lakeside crowds and a 2017 runner found them bigger than expected. Others felt alone late in 2024. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.2
Reviewers report plentiful aid, some private stops with beer or candy, and bananas, bagels and ice cream at the finish. One notes crowded stations. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindSome wind3.4
Race-day peak wind about 22 km (13.7 mi)/h (13 mph) on average, on an open bay shoreline; reviewers do not complain of wind. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant3.8
Usually 6 °C (43 °F) at dawn, 20 °C (68 °F) by afternoon, but 2022 and 2023 hit 28 °C (82 °F) or more. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.0
2022 to 2026 race-day highs ranged 18 to 29 °C (64 to 85 °F). 38% chance of rain on average; showers at the 2026 start. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.7
Out-and-back along the bay lets spectators see runners twice; the finish on the high school track has bleachers and cheering fans. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.9
Traverse City is about 190 m (620 ft) above sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early2.8
Memorial Day weekend in a resort town; reviewers say hotels are scarce and priced up. · Medium confidence
- Hotel valuePricey2.4
One 2026 reviewer calls hotels pricey; resort pricing in a holiday weekend. · Medium confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving3.2
Start at Northwestern Michigan College near downtown; finish at the high school; shuttles for the half. Some hotels are walkable, others not. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.4
Small Cherry Capital Airport about 5 km (3 mi) away, otherwise a long drive from Detroit or Chicago. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.6
Small expo (one vendor reported), simple bib pickup, post-race ice cream; heavy traffic afterwards. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.6
Traverse City is a well-known lake town with wineries and food; reviewers praise the area, cherry blossoms and Moomers ice cream at the finish. · Medium confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inHard2.4
Marathon capped at 2,000; all distances sold out for 2026 with waitlists. Open entry, so not a lottery, but you must register early. · High confidence
- Value for moneyGood value3.6
Fee about $139 to $149; RaceRaves swag 3.8 out of 5 with praised shirts, a track finish, custom ice cream flavour and good post-race food. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States
- Typical month
- May
- Latest or next date
- 29 May 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 1,700 athletes
- First held
- 1983
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- out-and-back
- Climbing
- 110 m (360 ft)
- Descent
- 110 m (360 ft)
- Start time
- 07:15
- Cutoff
- 6 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- 100% paved road
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Yes
- Entry fee
- About $139
- Air temperature
- 6–20 °C (43–68 °F)
- Humidity
- High, about 81% race-day average per RunDida; muggy in some years
- Altitude
- 190 m (625 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Cherry Capital (TVC), 5 km (3 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Downtown Traverse City, East Bay waterfront, Old Mission Peninsula
- Booking
- Memorial Day weekend in a summer resort town: reviewers call hotels pricey. Book months ahead.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves Bayshore MarathonRaced 2026 · aggregator · very positive
19 reviews, 4.6 out of 5 overall, scenery 4.6, production 4.4, difficulty 2.5, swag 3.8. Runners agree the bayshore is beautiful, flat after an early hill and well run. Complaints: bugs, humid years, few bathrooms, long finish lines, pricey hotels.
“Views on nearly every mile.”
- MarathonGuide race reviewsRaced 2023 · aggregator · very positive
Three reviews, 4.7 out of 5 average. Two runners give 5.0 and praise organisation, scenery and the track finish; a third praises the course and spectators. 1,618 marathon finishers in 2025.
“Fantastic race that exceeded my expectations.”
- 9and10 News race-day reportRaced 2022 · article · very positive
40th anniversary edition with a record field. Runners quoted call the course relatively flat and the day perfect; one calls Bayshore a bucket-list race that is hard to get into.
“perfect day to run”
- Run To The Finish and BibRave reviewsRaced 2019 · aggregator · Positive
Several older reviews describe a flat shoreline course after an early hill, plentiful aid and finish food, a fantastic track finish, but a one-vendor expo, sparse photos and entries that sell fast.
“fantastic track finish”
- Michigan Runner Girl (Substack)Raced 2024 · blog · very positive
A hometown runner who ran her first marathon here in 2011 calls the roads on the Old Mission Peninsula and East Grand Traverse Bay 'incredibly picturesque' and the race the unofficial start of summer. Paywalled, no course detail.
“incredibly picturesque”
Show 1 more
- Record-Eagle and 9and10 2026 race coverageRaced 2026 · article · neutral
2026 edition drew more than 8,000 runners across distances in morning showers; the race is a FindMyMarathon top-50 Boston qualifier and gained USATF sanctioning with an elite field. Not a runner review.
“(none)”
Raced Bayshore Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
Training for Bayshore Marathon? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.