You line up at 7:00 a.m. outside the Baird Center on Wisconsin Avenue, marathoners and half marathoners together, with an indoor waiting area nearby if the October morning is raw. The course reaches the water quickly; more than 40 percent of it runs beside Lake Michigan, and the organizers say this is the only race allowed over the Hoan Bridge, which you cross twice, near mile 8.5 and again near mile 25, with the harbor and skyline spread out beneath you. Those bridge climbs and the lake wind are why this is no longer the pancake-flat point-to-point from Grafton that older runners remember; expect roughly 750 feet of gain. You must reach the bridge by 9:15 a.m. and finish by 1:30 p.m. The finish sits inside Henry Maier Festival Park, with the Badgerland Striders after-party waiting.
Mostly-loop road course from the Baird Center in downtown Milwaukee to Henry Maier Festival Park with more than 40 percent of the route beside Lake Michigan and two crossings of the Hoan Bridge (near mile 8.5 and mile 25), described by findmymarathon as rolling hills and moderately challenging. Course map ↗
Open now for 2027 (official homepage: 'Registration now open'). Marathon limited to 2,500 runners. For the 2026 edition the lowest price ($85) was offered January 1 only, with increases on Jan 2, Jan 31, Mar 15, May 15, Jul 15 and Sep 1, and online registration stayed open until capacity or October 1; 2027 price schedule not yet posted. No refunds or deferrals (race insurance offered at registration); distance transfers allowed through mid-September. Register ↗
- The full and half start together at 7:00 a.m. on the south side of the Baird Center (400 W. Wisconsin Ave.); the course is USATF certified (#165331), limited to 2,500 marathon runners, and is 'the only race that crosses over the iconic Hoan Bridge'. ↗
- The race originated in 1973 as the Wisconsin Mayfair Marathon and transitioned to its current format in 1981 under the Badgerland Striders Running Club; Steve Benson's 2:14:09 course record dates from 1981. ↗
- In 2022 the official race was canceled over permit issues and the running community staged 'Not The Lakefront Marathon', a free race with aid stations. ↗
- findmymarathon lists 752 ft of gain and 759 ft of loss, a 'Mostly Loop' road course, and 1,592 finishers in 2025 with 3.1 percent of them hitting a Boston qualifying time. ↗
- The event's 'Own the Hoan Challenge' rewards runners who complete Saturday's 5K plus a Sunday distance; a Badgerland Striders after-party follows the finish. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.