You'll line up just outside the Fargodome at 7 a.m. on a late-May Saturday, when the Red River Valley has finally turned green and the morning air still has a bite. The course is as flat as anything you'll run, under 300 feet of total climb, and it threads neighborhood streets where the trees throw shade over long stretches and residents drag lawn chairs to the curb. Around the middle you cross the Red River into Moorhead, Minnesota, picking up a second state without noticing a hill, and the Concordia and MSU Moorhead campuses bring mascots and students out to cheer. Then you make your way back to the Fargodome, where the finish is indoors, loud, and out of the wind. The full is capped at 2,000 and the course stays open seven hours, so there's room to run your own race.
Very flat, mostly shaded neighborhood streets that start just outside the Fargodome, cross the Red River into Moorhead, Minnesota, and return to finish inside the Fargodome. Course map ↗
2027 registration is open (Oct 2026). Price increases scheduled 11/1/2026, 1/17/2027, 2/28/2027, 3/28/2027 and 5/9/2027. Caps: 2,000 marathon, 6,500 half, 5,000 10K; 5K uncapped. No refunds; deferral available via booking management. Current prices not shown on official pages (Let's Do This listed marathon at $94). Register ↗
- The inaugural Fargo Marathon was run May 14, 2005; founder Mark Knutson's name is on the Friday-night 5K. ↗
- The marathon is capped at 2,000 runners, the half at 6,500 and the 10K at 5,000. ↗
- The full course stays open seven hours, a 16-minute-per-mile pace. ↗
- The course crosses the Red River into Moorhead, Minnesota, passing the Concordia College and MSU Moorhead campuses. ↗
- Find My Marathon lists 279 ft of total gain and a 'Very Flat' profile; the course is USATF-certified for Boston qualifying. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.