M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon
Burlington, United States · May · Independent
Why people love it
- About 16 km (10 mi) of Lake Champlain bike path and a pass through Church Street Marketplace.
- Whole-town support: drummers, sprinklers, popsicles and maple syrup, about 20,000 spectators in 2024.
- Two loops let friends see you several times.
- Compact waterfront start and finish with easy bib pickup and bike medics.
- Boston qualifier; reported BQ rate was 11% to 16%.
Watch out for
- Memorial Day weather swings from 9 to 32 °C (48 to 90 °F); 2016 was halted for heat.
- The Battery Street and mile 7 climbs repeat on lap two; about 260 m (855 ft) of gain.
- Cramped start, relay runners and narrow paths slow you down.
- Little real food at the finish in some years.
- Downtown hotels book out months ahead and are pricey.
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 4.1 from 36 ratings and FindMyMarathon mostly 5 of 5 from 13: great crowds and lake; repeated hills, heat and thin finish food. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.9
Easy expo and shuttle, a well-marked course and plentiful aid, but a 30 minute late start in 2023 and a wrong-turn spot near 24 km (14.9 mi). · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.6
Big crowds and two loops help, but repeated hills, heat risk and a cramped start with relay traffic make it harder. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage2.8
About 260 m (855 ft) of gain on two loops, plus heat in many years; a six-time finisher calls PRs difficult. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful3.9
About 16 km (10 mi) of Lake Champlain bike path, Church Street Marketplace and park sections. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points2.9
A cramped start, relay runners and narrow paths slow you down, and two loops mean lapping slower runners. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceMixed3.2
Paved roads and lake path, with a short muddy off-road section on each loop in wet years. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed4.0
Roads are closed along the route, though the lake path is narrow and shared in places. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessRolling3.2
Gain is 166 to 261 m (544 to 856 ft) depending on source; climbs near 11 km (mile 7) and 32 km (mile 20). · Medium confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
Two identical loops from Waterfront Park, so no net drop. · High confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSmooth3.5
Compact waterfront start with an easy shuttle and no toilet waits in 2018; the start is cramped and was 30 minutes late in 2023. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingSome pace groups3.4
Pace groups and timing are not described in detail by reviewers. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportStrong4.3
About 20,000 spectators in 2024, with drummers, bands, sprinklers, popsicles and maple syrup; the Beltline and Greenway are quieter. · High confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.3
Plentiful aid with ice pops, pickle juice and orange slices, and runners credit volunteers in the heat. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.8
Start wind about 10 km (6.2 mi)/h (6 mph); the lake path may breeze, but no wind complaints. · Low confidence
- Air temperatureWarm or cool2.8
The start is about 14 °C (58 °F), but 2022 and 2023 reached 25 °C (77 °F) and 2016 hit 32 °C (90 °F). · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.5
Memorial Day swings from 9 to 32 °C (48 to 90 °F); the 2016 race was halted for heat and 2026 had steady rain. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.4
The two-loop layout lets friends see you several times, and the waterfront start and finish is compact. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Burlington sits at about 70 m (230 ft) beside Lake Champlain. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early2.9
Downtown hotels sell out months ahead on Memorial Day weekend. · Medium confidence
- Hotel valueNormal2.6
Prices are high on race weekend; a reviewer used affordable college dorms about 1.6 km (1 mi) uphill from the finish. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.0
Start, finish and expo are at the waterfront, a short walk from downtown hotels. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.4
Burlington airport (BTV) is about 5 km (3 mi) away; street parking is restricted on race morning. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.9
Reviewers cite an easy expo and shuttle, though 2022 start information was hard to find. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.5
Church Street Marketplace and Burlington's food scene; free Ben & Jerry's at the finish in 2018. · 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 inEasy3.5
Open registration, but the 2024 edition sold out with nearly 5,000 participants across marathon and relay. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyFair3.3
Fee not found; reviewers praise the crowds and finish treats but note thin post-race food and swag mix-ups. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Burlington, Chittenden County, United States
- Typical month
- May
- Latest or next date
- 30 May 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 1,472 athletes
- First held
- 1989
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- laps
- Climbing
- 260 m (855 ft)
- Descent
- 260 m (855 ft)
- Start time
- 07:15
- Cutoff
- 7 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Paved roads and lake bike path, with a short muddy off-road section on each loop in wet years
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Yes
- Air temperature
- 10–22 °C (50–72 °F)
- Humidity
- 65% to 82% at the start
- Altitude
- 70 m (230 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Burlington International (BTV), 5 km (3 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Waterfront / Downtown Burlington, Church Street
- Booking
- Downtown hotels sell out months ahead and are pricey on Memorial Day weekend. A reviewer used affordable college dorm lodging about 1.6 km (1 mi) uphill from the finish.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves (36 ratings)Raced 2026 · aggregator · mostly positive
4.1 of 5 from 36 ratings (20 written reviews 2022 to 2026). Runners agree on lake scenery, big neighborhood support and easy logistics. Complaints: two loops mean the same hills twice (about 856 ft / 261 m by watch), heat on sunny years, thin post-race food and swag mix-ups.
“Hills were sneaky on a sunny day”
- FindMyMarathon race reviews (13)Raced 2025 · aggregator · very positive
Thirteen reviews, mostly 5 of 5 from 2012 to 2025. Great crowd and the two-loop layout allows repeated viewing; many small hills; one 6-time finisher calls it difficult to PR. Heat and little shade in several years, cramped start and relay congestion.
“Great race for late May”
- Vanessa Junkin, She Runs by the Seashore, 2018Raced 2018 · blog · very positive
Thirtieth running. Battery Street and a hill near mile 16 (26 km) stood out; 696 ft (212 m) gain by watch. Drummers, Taiko drummers, maple syrup shots and ice pops, though the Beltline and Greenway were quieter. Overcast weather and no wait at the start toilets. Old course with Route 127 out-and-back.
- Duff Runs Tough, 2018 race report (posted 2023)Raced 2018 · blog · Positive
A 4:31:17 PR on the old course. Battery Street hill near mile 15 was 'the only thing on every runner's mind'. Strong whole-town support, freeze pops and pickle juice handed out, free Ben and Jerry's at the finish. Rose to about 21 °C (70 °F) and she struggled after mile 20 (32 km).
“The whole town really does come out to cheer everyone on”
- Run Colby Run, 2016 recapRaced 2016 · blog · Mixed
Relay runner during the 2016 heat: about 32 °C (90 °F) by noon, WBGT above 82, no shade or breeze on the Beltline, and officials stopped the race around the four-hour mark for the first time ever. Spectators with hoses, ice, popsicles and orange slices were credited with keeping runners going.
Show 3 more
- WCAX local news, 2024 finishersRaced 2024 · article · mixed-positive
The 35th race sold out with nearly 5,000 marathon, relay and hand-cycle participants. Organizers estimated 20,000 spectators. One runner said the heat hit immediately and was 'uncomfortably hot'; another credited crowds with momentum when everything hurt.
“uncomfortably hot”
- Runner's Connect race guideRaced 2027 · article · neutral
Two 13.1 mile loops, 544 ft (166 m) total climb, main climbs at mile 7 and 20 (11 km and 32 km). Start temperatures 11 to 18 °C (52 to 64 °F), humidity 65% to 82%, add 5 to 10 minutes in warm years. Promotional source, used for course facts only.
- VTDigger and RunVermont coverageRaced 2021 · article · neutral
Race first held 28 May 1989; about 7,500 participants in a normal year. 2021 was cut to a 13.1 mile half over the new two-loop layout that has since become the marathon course.
Raced M&T Bank Vermont City 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 M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.