Madison Marathon
Madison, United States · November · Independent
Why people love it
- Start and finish at Capitol Square, walkable from downtown hotels.
- Route passes Lake Mendota, campus, the Arboretum and Lake Monona.
- Free beer, baked potato bar, medal and long-sleeve shirt.
- About 6% of 2025 finishers qualified for Boston.
Watch out for
- Mid-November start averages 2 °C (36 °F), with snow and wind chill in some years.
- Gain of 259 m (851 ft), mostly in the second half, with an uphill finish.
- Marathoners run alone for the first half, and crowds thin late.
- Two recent reviewers report a rude race director and bib or routing problems.
- Entries have sold out early, according to a 2025 reviewer.
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: Very tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.6
RaceRaves rates it 3.8 of 5 from 22 ratings. Reviewers like the city and swag; two harsh recent reviews cite the race director. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
Well-marked course with marshals and a good expo. Problems include a bib issue, misrouted 10K runners, late corral placement and few toilets on course. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.0
About 259 m (851 ft) of hills, cold weather and thin crowds after the half split. One 2024 first-timer recommended another race. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage2.5
About 6% of 2025 finishers qualified for Boston. The course is hilly, cold and exposed to lake wind in places. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful3.9
RaceRaves scenery is 3.8 of 5: lakes, the Arboretum, campus and Capitol. One reviewer says the lakes are rarely visible. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.0
Narrow start and late corral placement. Marathoners run alone in the first half, then share roads with half and 10K runners. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceGood3.5
Mostly paved streets. One 2024 reviewer reports wet, slippery path sections. · Low confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.0
Reviewers say the course is only partly closed in places, with runners dodging cones. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessRolling2.9
Gain of 259 m (851 ft), with frequent modest hills and two steep climbs. · Medium confidence
- Net downhillEven2.9
A loop with no net change and an uphill last 0.8 km (0.5 mi) to the Capitol. · Medium confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting3.2
Capitol Square start at 07:00. Reviewers report narrow, late corral placement and too few toilets at the start. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingGood3.6
Pace groups and professional timing per the organiser. An older reviewer says pacer signs were raised late. · Medium confidence
- Crowd supportDecent3.4
Some reviewers report strong crowds and large bib names for cheering. Others found the course lonely after the half split. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.6
Plentiful water and good stations, but plastic cups are hard to drink from and reviewers want toilets on the course. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindSome wind2.8
Lake winds made it feel colder in 2023 and 2025, according to reviewers. · Medium confidence
- Air temperatureWarm or cool2.5
Average start about 2 °C (36 °F). Reviewers ran in -4 to 4 °C (25 to 39 °F) with wind chill. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityUnsettled2.4
Mid-November highs ranged from 1 to 19 °C (33 to 67 °F) in five years. One reviewer suggests an earlier date. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.6
Capitol Square start and finish with a loop through neighbourhoods. Large bib names help cheering. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.7
Madison is about 270 m (890 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 availabilityGood3.9
Downtown hotels are walkable to the start. Entries sell out, but no one reports hotel shortages. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.5
No source quotes prices. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalk to everything4.5
Capitol Square is walkable from downtown hotels and the expo venue. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy3.6
Dane County airport is about 9 km (5.6 mi) away. Chicago and Milwaukee are a drive. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.9
Expo near the Capitol and a walkable start, though some bib mix-ups were reported. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.4
A lively lakeside university city. Reviewers love the venue and the post-race baked potato bar. · 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 inRegister early3.2
One 2025 reviewer says it sells out early. Registration is through Race Roster. · Low confidence
- Value for moneyFair3.3
Reviewers call it expensive, paying USD 65 to 110 in earlier years. RaceRaves swag is 3.5 of 5, with a free beer. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
- Typical month
- November
- Latest or next date
- 15 November 2026
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 1,900 athletes
- First held
- 2001
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- loop
- Climbing
- 259 m (850 ft)
- Descent
- 259 m (850 ft)
- Start time
- 07:00
- Cutoff
- 6 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Paved city streets plus some path sections
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Yes
- Air temperature
- -2–9 °C (28–48 °F)
- Humidity
- About 82% race-day average per RunDida
- Altitude
- 270 m (885 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Dane County Regional (MSN), 9 km (6 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Capitol Square / downtown, Monona Terrace area
- Booking
- Capitol Square start and finish is walkable from downtown hotels; one reviewer recommends the HI hostel.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves Madison Marathon and Half MarathonRaced 2026 · aggregator · mixed-positive
22 reviews, 3.8 out of 5 overall, difficulty 3.5, scenery 3.8, production 3.8, swag 3.5. Runners like the Capitol Square venue, lakes, aid and swag but cite hills (second half), cold wind, a lonely second half, few toilets and cost; two 2024 and 2025 reviewers criticise the race director.
“Varied course and well-marked.”
- MarathonGuide race reviewsRaced 2024 · aggregator · Positive
2024 review by a former race director: 5.0, over 1,800 marathon finishers, good expo, well-marked scenic course, ample water. Older reviews are mixed on hills, toilets at the start and thin crowds; 1,911 finishers in 2025.
“ample water stations”
- BibRave Madison Marathon reviewsRaced 2018 · aggregator · mixed-positive
Hills modest but frequent with tough climbs near miles 9 and 17, 0 °C (32 °F) starts, small field of about 1,500 so seeding is easy, volunteers praised, plastic cups and late pacer signs criticised.
“The hills are pretty modest.”
- Isthmus (Madison)Raced 2007 · article · Positive
A 2007 May edition recap of a first-time finisher through central Madison neighbourhoods with a great finish crowd. Old and from before the move to November, so used only for context.
“(none)”
Raced Madison 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.
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