Virginia · Marathon · 50K · 10K
Marine Corps Marathon
Marine Corps Marathon is a marathon, 50K, 10K, 17.75K (separate spring date) and 8K event held in Arlington, Virginia. Its next confirmed date is Sunday, October 31, 2027. About 30,000 runners take part across all distances.
- Race day
- October 31, 2027
- Location
- Arlington, VA
- Field size
- ~30,000 runners
Race details
- Date
- Sunday, October 31, 2027
- Location
- Arlington, Virginia
- Distances
- Marathon, 50K, 10K, 17.75K (separate spring date), 8K
- Field size
- About 30,000 runners
- Course
- 213 m (~700 ft) gain
- Registration
- marinemarathon.com
- Official website
- marinemarathon.com
Registration, course & weather
- Start time
- 7:20 AM EDT
- Course profile
- Loop course; Road surface; 699 ft gain, 666 ft loss (estimated from third-party elevation data); USATF certified; Boston qualifier
- Typical race-day weather
- about 62°F at the start, 93% humidity, 6 mph wind (based on the 2023 race day, measured near the city center rather than the exact start line; Open-Meteo, checked September 24, 2026)
About the Marine Corps Marathon
Established in 1976 and run by the US Marine Corps, this iconic marathon starts and finishes in Arlington, VA and tours the monuments of Washington, DC. It is one of the most popular marathons in the country and draws runners from all 50 states and dozens of countries.
Rankings and notes
- Rankings and awards
- Third-largest marathon in the US; known as 'The People's Marathon' and the largest race in the world that offers no prize money; USATF-certified; Boston qualifier
More marathons in Virginia
Coming up next, by confirmed date.
-
Allianz Richmond Marathon, CarMax Richmond Half Marathon, & Capital One Richmond 8kRichmond, VAMarathonHalf Marathon8K5 Miles ~7,200 runners
-
Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K RelayChesapeake, VA50KMarathonHalf Marathon100K ~150 runners
More races in Arlington
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Drumstick Turkey Trot 5k & 8 MilerArlington, VA5K8 MilerVirtual with MedalVirtual with Medal and Shirt +1 more
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Sleigh Bell Strider 5k & 10kArlington, VA10K5KVirtual with MedalVirtual with Medal and Shirt +1 more
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Winter Wonderland 5k & 10kArlington, VA10K5KVirtual with MedalVirtual with Medal and Shirt +1 more
-
Mistletoe Madness 5k & 10kArlington, VA10K5KVirtual with MedalVirtual with Medal and Shirt +1 more
More upcoming races in Virginia
-
Old Point National Bank Wicked 10K WeekendVirginia Beach, VA10K5KMonster MileKids Kilometer ~8,000 runners
Keep exploring
- All races in Virginia
- 5Ks in Virginia 187 upcoming races
- 10Ks in Virginia 85 upcoming races
- Half Marathons in Virginia 40 upcoming races
- Marathons in Virginia 10 upcoming races
- Running in Arlington 5 upcoming races
- 10Ks in the United States 2,572 upcoming races
- Marathons in the United States 594 upcoming races
- Fall Marathons
- October Marathons
- October races in Virginia
- Marathons in North Carolina 21 upcoming races
- Marathons in Tennessee 14 upcoming races
- Marathons in Kentucky 10 upcoming races
- Marathons in Maryland 6 upcoming races
Guides from the RaceRove blog
- 8 min read How to Choose Your First Marathon A practical checklist for choosing a first marathon based on course, weather, cutoff, travel, field size and support.
- 7 min read How to Find a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon or Marathon Near You A practical way to find running races near you: pick a distance, decide how far you'll travel, read the listing properly and confirm the details before you register.
- 9 min read How to Run a Race in All 50 States How to plan a 50-state running challenge: set your own rules, group states into trips, build a calendar around the seasons, budget for it and keep track of every finish.
- Blog All guides Planning advice for finding, choosing and travelling to races.
Marine Corps Marathon: common questions
- When is the Marine Corps Marathon?
- The next confirmed date is Sunday, October 31, 2027.
- Where is the Marine Corps Marathon held?
- In Arlington, Virginia.
- What distances does the Marine Corps Marathon offer?
- Marathon, 50K, 10K, 17.75K (separate spring date) and 8K.
- How many people run the Marine Corps Marathon?
- About 30,000 runners across all of its distances. That figure is an estimate of the field size, not an entry cap.
- How do I register for the Marine Corps Marathon?
- Registration is handled by the organiser at marinemarathon.com. Entry fees, caps and deadlines are set there.
- What time does the Marine Corps Marathon start?
- 7:20 AM EDT.
- What is the course like at the Marine Corps Marathon?
- Loop course; Road surface; 699 ft gain, 666 ft loss (estimated from third-party elevation data); USATF certified; Boston qualifier.
- What is race-day weather usually like at the Marine Corps Marathon?
- about 62°F at the start, 93% humidity, 6 mph wind (based on the 2023 race day, measured near the city center rather than the exact start line; Open-Meteo, checked September 24, 2026).
Plan this race in RaceRove
Save it to your plan, compare it with other races, check typical race-day weather and track your 50-state progress in the interactive app.