You'll start on the North Dakota State Capitol grounds at 7 a.m. on a September Saturday, with the tall limestone capitol tower at your back and the first crispness of fall in the air. The course heads out along paved trails that parallel the Missouri River, mostly flat with a few long, gentle rollers, before turning back toward the capitol. It's a small race, a couple hundred marathoners, so you'll often have the river path to yourself and the aid stations feel like neighbors handing you cups. Roads aren't fully closed, so stay alert at crossings. The full is USATF-certified, meaning a qualifying time counts for Boston, and the course stays open until 2 p.m., a full seven hours. It's North Dakota's longest-running marathon, and it still feels like a hometown event.
A relatively fast, flat out-and-back on paved trails paralleling the Missouri River, starting and finishing on the North Dakota Capitol grounds, with roads not fully closed to traffic. Course map ↗
2027 registration not yet open as of Oct 2026 ('Registration Coming Soon'). 2026 entries ran through Race Roster; fees non-refundable, optional refund protection sold at checkout. 2026 prices not visible (registration closed). Register ↗
- Billed as North Dakota's longest-running marathon; the 2023 race was its 42nd year, putting the first running in 1982. ↗
- The 2026 marathon had 242 finishers; the weekend's 2023 total of 1,834 finishers across all events was a record. ↗
- The full marathon is USATF-certified, so times count for Boston qualifying and Abbott age-group rankings. ↗
- It is not a closed course: traffic control is limited and runners must watch for cars on open roadways. ↗
- Find My Marathon lists 482 ft of gain and loss and a 2.9% Boston-qualifier rate in 2026 (8.3% in 2025). ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.