Sugarloaf Marathon & 15K
Kingfield, United States · May · Independent
Why people love it
- Net downhill: about 299 m (980 ft) lost, mostly over the last 26 km (16 mi).
- Carrabassett River and mountain views along the route.
- Small field, with 30 to 34% of finishers qualifying for Boston.
- Water and sports drink every 3.2 km (2 mi).
- USATF certified, with warm shuttle buses to the start.
Watch out for
- Road open to traffic, with a broken shoulder and diesel trucks late in the race.
- Climbs near 13 to 16 km (8 to 10 mi), then a quad-heavy descent.
- Almost no crowds, and the field thins out after 19 km (12 mi).
- Remote: 2 to 3 hours from Bangor or Portland. Book lodging early.
- Weather ranges from rain near 0 °C (32 °F) to heat near 24 °C (75 °F).
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: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.0
RaceRaves rates it 4.0 of 5 from 9 runners; two blog reports score it 5 of 5 and 10 of 10. Crowds are thin. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.7
Volunteers, warm buses and a tent earn praise. Dings: a disorganised 2016 start, short 2022 mile markers, a weak 2019 pasta dinner, few toilets. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.2
Net downhill and a small friendly field, but remote, with climbs near 13 km (8 mi), a quad-punishing descent and open roads. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.4
Net loss of about 299 m (980 ft), and 30 to 34% of finishers qualify for Boston. Climbs and a punishing descent hold it back. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful4.3
Carrabassett River, Flagstaff Lake and the Bigelow range. RaceRaves scenery is 4.0 of 5, and two reviewers scored it 5. · Medium confidence
- Room to runRoomy3.9
Point-to-point with few turns and a small field, so runners spread out. Traffic and camber affect the road edge. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceMixed2.8
Asphalt, but runners report a broken-up shoulder, road camber and rough spring patches along Route 27. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresMostly open1.5
The road is not closed to traffic. Runners share it with local cars and diesel trucks, worst in the last miles. · High confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessRolling3.2
Rolling over 8 to 16 km (5 to 10 mi) and again near 31 km (19 mi). No reliable gain figure exists. · Low confidence
- Net downhillBig drop4.5
About 299 m (980 ft) of net loss per the organiser, and 34% of 2024 finishers qualified for Boston. · High confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSmooth3.7
Warm buses and a tent, with shuttles on time in 2018. The 2016 start was disorganised. Runners bring their own bags. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingSome pace groups2.5
A 2016 runner wished for clocks and pacer teams. No recent evidence of pace groups. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportSparse1.8
A 2026 runner saw no crowd until the very end, and a 2017 runner says the field thins out after 19 km (12 mi). · High confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.8
Water and sports drink about every 3.2 km (2 mi), gels at 14 and 27 km (9 and 17 mi). One reviewer finds few toilets. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindSome wind3.4
A valley course. The 2026 race was breezy, with no strong complaints. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant4.0
Starts typically run 0 to 4 °C (30 to 40 °F) and warm to about 16 °C (60 °F). Some years were humid or hot. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.9
One runner has seen -2 to 17 °C (high 20s to low 60s °F). Rain fell in 2019, and later years were hot and humid. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyTricky2.3
A point-to-point on a remote road. Spectators cannot follow easily, though supporters can drive alongside. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeLow4.3
A western Maine valley road well below 1,500 m (4,900 ft). Start altitude is not published. · Low confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilitySells out early2.0
Lodging is limited and sells out before registration opens. · High confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.2
Resort condos work for groups. Prices were not found. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving2.5
Start in Eustis and finish in Kingfield, so shuttles are required. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeAwkward1.8
Remote: about 2 hours from Bangor and 3 hours from Portland by car. · High confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.5
Little packet-pickup wait and on-time shuttles, but the location is remote and runners supply their own bags. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodFine3.0
Small mountain towns and resort dining. A 2019 pasta dinner disappointed, while the post-race meal and wooden medal are praised. · Low 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 early2.7
A 1,500-runner limit across both races, expected to sell out quickly. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyFair3.4
No fee found. T-shirt, medal and post-race meal are included, and reviewers split on swag. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Kingfield, Western Mountains, United States
- Typical month
- May
- Latest or next date
- 16 May 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 500 athletes
- First held
- 1985
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Descent
- 299 m (980 ft)
- Start time
- 07:00
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Asphalt on Route 27, not closed to traffic, shoulders can be broken in spring
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Yes
- Air temperature
- 2–16 °C (36–61 °F)
- Humidity
- Moderate; humid in some years
- Nearest airport
- Bangor International (BGR)
- Where to stay
- Sugarloaf resort condos, Kingfield, Carrabassett Valley
- Booking
- Lodging is limited and fills before registration opens. Condos and the resort at Sugarloaf work; the start shuttle runs from Kingfield.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves Sugarloaf Marathon & 15K page (9 ratings)Raced 2024 · aggregator · Positive
Rated 4.0 out of 5 from 9 runners, difficulty 2.9, scenery 4.0. Most call it a fast, net-downhill river course good for Boston qualifying, with climbs around miles 8 to 10 (13 to 16 km) harder than expected. Recurring notes: few spectators and a thinned-out field after mile 12 (19 km), a remote town about 2 to 3 hours from Bangor or Portland, friendly volunteers, and shared road with traffic, a broken shoulder and diesel trucks near the end.
“The climbs from mile 8 to 10.5 were more difficult than I expected.”
- Team RunRun: Sugarloaf Marathon and 15K race report (Coach Salena Sykes)Raced 2018 · blog · Positive
A first-marathon Boston qualifier at 3:30 who rates it 5 out of 5. Point-to-point, net downhill, hardest climbs at miles 8 to 10 (13 to 16 km), with smaller rolling hills near miles 19 to 20 (31 to 32 km). Water and sports drink about every 2 miles (3.2 km), start shuttles on time, volunteers very encouraging. Road is open to traffic, spring surface can be rough, and spectators cannot follow easily. Start 0 to 4 °C (30 to 40 °F), later warming to about 16 °C (60 °F).
“Yes, I would say this is a tough course.”
- Team RunRun: Sugarloaf Marathon race report (Ben Curll)Raced 2023 · blog · Positive
Ran 3:26:45 and gives it a perfect 10. Scenic river course, hills at miles 7 to 10 (11 to 16 km), then a big drop in the last 16 miles (26 km) that can wreck quads without downhill training. Water and Gatorade every 2 miles (3.2 km), Gu at miles 9 and 17. He has run it in temperatures from the high 20s to low 60s F (about -2 to 17 °C (63 °F)). Warns lodging sells out before registration opens.
“Hands down, a 10!”
- Bangor Daily News race coverage and race director commentsRaced 2014 · article · Positive
Coverage reports the race director saying the course has a net loss of about 1,000 ft (305 m) but is not without hills: the first five miles (8 km) are flat and the next three roll. A column notes the last 16 miles (26 km) follow the Carrabassett River downhill. Describes Maine's oldest continuously run marathon.
Raced Sugarloaf Marathon & 15K? 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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