RunRace USA › Maryland › Baltimore Marathon
The complete, course-first guide
Baltimore Marathon
Saturday, October 17, 2026 · 8:00 a.m.
S. Paca Street and W. Camden Street, beside Camden Yards
The race in 60 seconds
First run in 2001, Baltimore Marathon has had time to become part of the city's running calendar. The route forms an open loop, finishing in the same part of the city without returning to the exact start point. The modeled line carries about 1211 feet of total climb and ranges from roughly 3 to 332 feet above sea level. Look for Washington Monument (Mount Vernon Place), Bank of America Building (10 Light Street), Transamerica Tower (100 Light Street), 414 Light Street in the flyover, with recognizable forms modeled from architectural records.
Fly the course
The whole course, built from the best available published route trace and an extruded model of Baltimore. Scrub it, change the camera, or let it play. Nothing here is a video: it is drawing the city live.
Route statusOlder community course trace; confirm the current edition before relying on individual turns. Camden Yards start matches; the race's current interactive map is login-walled Plotaroute
The route line uses the best published course trace available. Public-domain USGS and USDA aerial photography plus USGS 3DEP elevation are baked into RunRace USA, so the flyover makes no paid map API or third-party runtime requests. Buildings, roads, parks and water use OpenStreetMap, ODbL. This is photographic terrain with modeled architecture, not photogrammetry. Bridge approaches, elevations and facade details are approximations; the organizer's published route remains the reference.
The elevation profile
This Marathon profile covers 26.2 miles, ranges from roughly 3 to 332 feet, and contains about 1211 feet of modeled climb.
- , mile 0.0 to 3.17: 283 feet up, 1.7% average.
- , mile 17.83 to 19.55: 154 feet up, 1.7% average.
- , mile 21.06 to 22.26: 53 feet up, 0.8% average.
- , mile 5.51 to 5.82: 46 feet up, 2.7% average.
- , mile 15.24 to 15.81: 46 feet up, 1.5% average.
- , mile 3.73 to 3.97: 43 feet up, 3.3% average.
- , mile 16.31 to 16.88: 41 feet up, 1.3% average.
- , mile 24.06 to 24.85: 41 feet up, 1.0% average.
The route at a glance
Gold is the selected modeled course; route provenance is stated beside the flyover.
Race-week weather, measured
At the start line, October 13-21 averaged a low of 50°F and a high of 67°F across 2016-2025. The same window reached 83°F at its warmest and 38°F at its coldest. Measurable rain appeared on about 22% of sampled days. Treat the range, not just the average, as the packing list.
Pace it by effort
The profile and grade strip come from the same route currently loaded in the flyover. Use even pace as a baseline, then protect effort on the highlighted climbs and exposed sections.
| Finish | Even pace | Halfway |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 6:52 /mi | 1:30 |
| 3:30 | 8:01 /mi | 1:45 |
| 4:00 | 9:09 /mi | 2:00 |
| 4:30 | 10:18 /mi | 2:15 |
| 5:00 | 11:27 /mi | 2:30 |
| Published course limit, 7:00 | 16:01 /mi | 3:30 |
Build your race weekend
The course
Live 3D flyover, synchronized elevation, route map, mile-by-mile shape and local landmarks.
Where to stay
43 mapped places to stay, compared by the endpoint that matters.
Expo and logistics
Packet pickup, the published weekend schedule, transit, parking and current entry tiers.
Spectators
Route-aware viewing anchors and a plan that respects the actual course geography.
The weekend
A city guide built around the places modeled beside the course.
Race listing
Dates, distances and the official registration link.
Common questions
Where exactly does the marathon start, and when?
8:00 a.m. from S. Paca Street and W. Camden Street, beside Camden Yards. The 10K goes off with it. The half starts at Pratt & Light at 9:30 a.m., the 5K from the same spot at 7:30 a.m. Worth knowing: the race's own Marathon page still says 'Starts @ 8am from Russell & Camden Sts.' while the FAQ and Schedule of Events both say S. Paca & Camden. Two pages to one, and Paca is the one stated under an explicit start-line heading in the FAQ.
Is there a time limit?
Seven hours, a 16:00 per mile pace. Walkers are welcome and start at the back of the field behind designated walker pace signs. Anyone who falls off that pace gets a choice: take the SAG vehicle back to the Inner Harbor, or finish the course off the road on the sidewalks as a pedestrian. The race also asks walkers to stay no more than two abreast.
Is it a Boston qualifier?
Yes. Certified course MD23001LMJ, and the race says times are shared with the B.A.A. automatically for entry consideration.
Can I pick up my bib on race morning?
No. The race states it in capitals: there is NO race-morning packet pickup. Your only options are Friday, October 16 between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Baltimore Convention Center, or paying $35 to have it mailed, which has to be added by October 1. If you were planning to fly in Friday night, that is your trip-planning constraint.
Can someone else collect my packet?
Yes, if you are running the live race and cannot make the expo. They need the QR code emailed to you around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15, plus a copy of your photo ID. One person is limited to picking up a single packet that is not their own.
Can I get a refund, or hand my entry to a friend?
No on both. The race states no refunds and no race transfers to another person. What you can do is defer to 2027 for a $30 processing fee, available until two weeks before race day and processed yourself through RunSignUp.
How hard is the course really?
The climb is miles 16 to 20, which the race compares directly to Boston's Heartbreak Hill; its own Marathon page pins the worst stretch at miles 17 to 19. You get relief with the flat loop around Lake Montebello, then the final five miles run mostly downhill into the harbor. The course also passes through the Maryland Zoo by the penguin exhibit and finishes on Pratt Street in the shadow of the USS Constellation.
Are there pacers?
For the full marathon, yes: 3:10, 3:20, 3:30, 3:40, 3:50, 4:00, 4:15, 4:30, 4:45, 5:00 and 5:15. Free, run on even splits, and you must sign up at the expo booth on Friday because there is explicitly no race-day signup. Meet your group at the start at 7:40 a.m. Groups at 4:15 and slower will likely walk the fluid stations. There are no pacers for the half marathon.
What is actually on the course?
16 water stops with water and Gatorade, each staffed by a volunteer group, each with at least two porta-johns and a self-help bin of band-aids and vaseline. Bananas and Herr's salty snacks at miles 8, 11, 20.5 and 23.5. No energy gels are handed out at all, so carry your own. MedStar medical support at miles 2.5, 7, 10, 13.5, 16, 20.5 and 24. You may run with your own hydration pack.
Is there bag check?
Yes, 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Clear bags only, handed out at the expo and also available race morning. No oversized bags or luggage, and all bags are searched, so arrive early. Marathoners check at buses near the stadium lots; after the marathon starts those buses relocate behind West Shore Park and the Visitor Center at the Inner Harbor for retrieval. Half and 5K runners use a tent behind the Visitor Center. Unclaimed bags move to the information tent after 1:30 p.m.
Are headphones allowed?
Permitted but strongly discouraged. The hard rule: anyone competing for an award or prize money who is visibly wearing or carrying any audio device is ineligible for that award under USATF Rule 144.3. If headphones stop you hearing an official's instruction, you will be asked to hand the device over.
Will it sell out, and when does registration close?
The marathon field is capped at 2,200 runners, inside a stated total of 15,000 across all events. Online registration closes October 15 at 11:59 p.m. ET; the Marathon page separately gives a close of 6:00 p.m. on October 16, or earlier if the field fills. In-person registration is available at packet pickup if space remains.
What do I get, and when are awards?
An Under Armour performance shirt with a Baltimore front logo and your distance on the back, plus the crab-shaped medal that opens; the 2026 medal reveals the Washington Monument in Mount Vernon, tied to America 250. 5K and 10K awards at 10 a.m., full and half at noon, both at the Main Stage in the Celebration Village at West Shore Park. Only overall winners are called to the stage. Age group awards go to the top three non-elite men and women in each division from 19-and-under through 70-74, and they are mailed in November after results are official.
What is the age minimum?
13 for the marathon, half and Baltimoron-a-Thon; 10 for the 10K; 5 for the 5K. Younger runners may be eligible with a waiver requested from [email protected].
What is banned on the course?
Pets, skateboards, bicycles, roller blades, baby joggers and any other vehicle other than official race vehicles. Wheelchair athletes in both rim and handcycle categories are welcome across all distances, but pace restrictions may apply, so email the race before you enter.
Is there a way to pay less?
Two. Social Teams of 10 or more get $10 refunded to each member's card once the team hits 10, regardless of when each person signed up or which live distance they chose, and teams of 40 or more get a tent at the finish line. Beyond that, price simply steps up on the calendar: registering before September 1 saves $5 on the marathon and before race week saves $15.
What is the last day I can change anything?
October 2. That is the deadline to upgrade, downgrade, defer, change your shirt size, switch between virtual and live, or edit your personal registration details. Adding packet mailing is a day earlier, October 1, per the pickup page. After October 2 the only change available is a downgrade, and only in person at the expo.
What is the Baltimoron-a-Thon?
The 5K and the half marathon on the same day for an extra medal. Field capped at 500, ages 13+, and you must finish the 5K in under an hour and the half in under five hours (19:00 per mile). Register for it as a single option; if you sign up for the two races separately you have to merge the entries with the race to be eligible.
What is the .05K?
162 feet of running at Union Craft Brewing, 1700 W. 41st St, hosted by 98 Rock. $15 gets a bib and a commemorative shirt, net proceeds go to the Baltimore City Firefighters Local 734 Widows & Orphans Fund, and there are costume prizes. Check-in 5:30 p.m., warm-up 6:30 p.m., gun at 7:00 p.m. Sign up by October 5 to guarantee your shirt size. Confirm the date directly with the race before building travel around it: the official page says 'Thursday, October 16' and October 16, 2026 is a Friday.
Where should I train on the course before race day?
Falls Road Running hosts the official supported preview run on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 7:00 a.m. from the Pulaski Monument in Patterson Park (Eastern & Linwood). It offers 10-mile and 20-mile routes on the real course with three water stops, free and untimed, on open roads with no bathrooms provided. Parking in Canton and Patterson Park is difficult, so arrive early. The race notes that 7:00 a.m. means 7:00 a.m.
Register for the 2026 Baltimore Marathon →on RunSignUp
Course geometry provenance is stated beside the player; elevation profiles always use the same route loaded there. City geometry is OpenStreetMap, ODbL. Aerial imagery is from USGS and USDA; other images carry their own source credits. Weather figures use Open-Meteo reanalysis for October 13-21 across 2016-2025 at the start line. Schedule, prices and expo hours were checked in August 2026 and are the fields most likely to move: confirm them on thebaltimoremarathon.com before you book anything. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.