You line up at 6:00am on the east side of Ferrill Lake in City Park, the sky just lightening over the plains. The first miles roll along 17th Avenue and Colfax, past the gold-domed Capitol, before the course drops to Confluence Park and the Cherry Creek Trail. Then comes the moment everyone talks about: you jog through the concourse of Empower Field at Mile High and out onto the warning track, the empty stands rising around you, and you will do it again later on the way home. Sloan's Lake gives you a long, flat lap with the Front Range on the horizon, then Lakewood's quieter streets before you climb gently back east. The air is thin at 5,280 feet, so respect the hills and the six-hour clock. Finish in the park with twenty-some thousand weekend runners around you.
Starts and finishes in City Park and loops west through downtown, Confluence Park, Empower Field at Mile High (through the stadium twice), Sloan's Lake and Lakewood with rolling hills at roughly 5,280 ft elevation. Course map ↗
Registration for 2027 is already open (via RaceRoster). Prices step up through the season. For 2026 the organizer's FAQ said online registration closed Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 11:59pm and reopened at the expo; a 2027 close date is not yet posted. No refunds or deferrals for any reason. Register ↗
- The marathon runs through Empower Field at Mile High twice, including a pass on the stadium's warning track, and covers about seven miles of rivers, lakes and bridges including Sloan's Lake. ↗
- The Colfax Marathon was first held in 2006 with about 4,000 participants; the course moved to a City Park start/finish in 2008. ↗
- Race weekend drew 25,000 runners in 2024 and 21,000 in 2023, making it the largest marathon weekend in the Rocky Mountain region. ↗
- Course limits are 6 hours for the marathon, 3:25 for the half and 2.5 hours for the Urban 10 Miler; the race offers no refunds or deferrals. ↗
- Only 2.5% of 2026 marathon finishers ran Boston-qualifying times (3.6% in 2025), reflecting the altitude and rolling profile. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.