Missoula Marathon Weekend of Events

The course

The marathon is point-to-point, starting in Frenchtown and running from the countryside into downtown Missoula.² There is a hill at the halfway point.² The race FAQ puts the descent between miles 15.2 and 15.6.¹

The half marathon is also point-to-point, with a stretch along the river.³ The two courses merge at mile 15.6 of the marathon, which is mile 2.5 of the half marathon.¹

Both races finish just past the Beartracks Bridge, formerly the Higgins Avenue Bridge, in front of the Wilma Theater.¹

The marathon has 15 aid stations and the half marathon has 8.¹ The courses are coned and marked but remain open to traffic.¹

Boston qualifying and certification

The marathon is a USATF certified course, number MT22003MF, and meets the Boston Marathon qualifying criteria.¹ The race sends its results to the Boston Athletic Association each year.¹

The half marathon course is certified as MT22002MF.⁴ Both races are USATF sanctioned.¹

Time limit and cutoffs

Both the marathon and half marathon courses officially close at 1:30 p.m., a schedule built on a 7.5-hour marathon.¹

The marathon has two enforced cutoffs: mile 11.63, at aid station 6, by 9:20 a.m., and mile 15.8, at aid station 8, by 10:32 a.m.¹ Those are based on 17.2-minute miles.¹

Wheelchair and handcycle athletes start five minutes ahead of each race, at 5:55 a.m. for the marathon and 6:55 a.m. for the half marathon.¹

Buses to the start

There is no parking and no drop-off at either the marathon or the half marathon start.¹ Bus transport is how runners get there.

Marathon buses run from 4:15 to 5:00 a.m. and half marathon buses from 5:15 to 6:00 a.m., loading near the Adams Center at the University of Montana.¹ Participants with a disability may drive personal vehicles to the start lines.¹

After the race, the walk from the finish back to the Adams Center is three-quarters of a mile along the Clark Fork River path.¹

Strollers are allowed, but in the marathon and half marathon they have to fold and fit between the seats of the shuttle buses.¹ Gear check at the starts accepts only the gear bag the race provides.¹

Race weekend schedule

The 2027 weekend runs from Friday, June 25, through Sunday, June 27.¹ A Beer Run starts at 6:00 p.m. on Friday from Caras Park Pavilion, with a free beer from Big Sky Brewing Company for finishers over 21.¹¹

On Saturday, the Tony Banovich 5K starts at 8:00 a.m. and the Kids Marathon, about 1.2 miles, at 10:00 a.m.¹ On Sunday, the marathon starts at 6:00 a.m. and the half marathon at 7:00 a.m.¹

The 5K is named for the late race director of the Missoula Marathon and executive director of Run Wild Missoula.¹⁰

Expo and packet pickup

The expo and packet pickup are at Caras Park Pavilion, 123 Carousel Dr, on Friday, June 25, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, June 26, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.¹ There is no packet pickup on race day.¹

A friend can pick up your packet for you.¹ For late arrivals, there is a packet pickup at Missoula Airport near baggage claim from 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.¹

Downtown street parking is free after 5:00 p.m. on Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday.¹

Field limits and registration

The marathon has a registration limit of 2,150 and the half marathon 3,500.²³ The 5K is limited to 2,000 and the Kids Marathon to 550.¹ There is no race-day registration for the marathon.²

• Entry fees are non-refundable unless you bought race insurance during registration.⁵
• Starting with the 2027 weekend, bib transfers are not permitted.⁵
• There are no deferrals to 2028.⁵
• Dogs are not allowed in any of the races, apart from ADA service animals.¹
• Music devices and earbuds are strongly discouraged.¹

What finishers get

Marathon and half marathon runners receive a short-sleeve technical shirt, a gear bag, a finisher medal and free downloadable race photos.¹ After finishing, runners walk to the post-race area in Caras Park for food and free beer.¹

Prize money in the marathon and half marathon is $1,000, $500 and $300 for the top three men, women and non-binary runners.⁴ Overall prizes are decided on gun time.¹

Course records and recognition

The men's marathon record is 2:20:27, set in 2014, and the men's half marathon record is 1:02:38, set in 2026.⁹ The women's half marathon record is 1:14:29, from 2019.⁹ The race's pages give the women's marathon record, set in 2024, as both 2:43:30 and 2:43:40.⁹⁴

The race says it has been named the best marathon in the U.S. by Runner's World readers and twice by the BibRave 100.⁶ Runner's World has also listed it as a top marathon for back-of-the-packers.⁷

The results archive runs from 2007 to 2026, with no races in 2020 and 2021.⁹

Weather, travel and charity

The race FAQ says to expect high 40s to low 50s at the start and low to mid 70s if you finish around noon.¹

The host hotel is the Edgewater Missoula.¹² The city's Mountain Line bus system is zero fare and runs to the airport.¹²

Run Wild Missoula and the marathon have partnered with Youth Homes for more than a decade.¹³