RunRace USA › Michigan › Detroit › The course

One route, three synchronized views

The Detroit course

26.2 miles · about 422 modeled feet of climb · roughly 574 to 636 ft elevation

Fly the course

The whole course, built from the best available published route trace and an extruded model of Detroit. Scrub it, change the camera, or let it play. Nothing here is a video: it is drawing the city live.

Route statusOrganizer-linked course file. Google My Maps '2026 Detroit Free Press Marathon' linked from freepmarathon.com/course-maps/. KML downloads (145 KB); contains a 'Marathon' LineString layer: 354 pts, measured 42.49 km / 26.40 mi, dips to lat 42.30 confirming the Windsor, Ontario loop. Also has Start Line placemark, every mile marker, and separate Intl Half / Motor City Half layers.

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.

Elevation, mile for mile

Marathon elevation26.2 miles · about 422 ft of climb
520 540 560 580 600 620 640 660 680 Mile 0.0 to 0.2: -0.3% Mile 0.2 to 0.4: -0.2% Mile 0.4 to 0.6: -0.2% Mile 0.6 to 0.8: -0.9% Mile 0.8 to 1.0: -0.2% Mile 1.0 to 1.2: -0.1% Mile 1.2 to 1.4: +0.8% Mile 1.4 to 1.6: +0.1% Mile 1.6 to 1.8: -0.7% Mile 1.8 to 2.0: +0.2% Mile 2.0 to 2.2: +0.2% Mile 2.2 to 2.4: +0.1% Mile 2.4 to 2.6: +0.1% Mile 2.6 to 2.8: +0.1% Mile 2.8 to 3.0: +0.2% Mile 3.0 to 3.2: +0.1% Mile 3.2 to 3.4: +0.1% Mile 3.4 to 3.6: +0.1% Mile 3.6 to 3.8: +0.2% Mile 3.8 to 4.0: -0.3% Mile 4.0 to 4.2: +0.1% Mile 4.2 to 4.4: -0.1% Mile 4.4 to 4.6: -1.1% Mile 4.6 to 4.8: +0.4% Mile 4.8 to 5.0: +0.1% Mile 5.0 to 5.2: -0.0% Mile 5.2 to 5.4: +0.2% Mile 5.4 to 5.6: +0.1% Mile 5.6 to 5.8: +0.1% Mile 5.8 to 6.0: +0.3% Mile 6.0 to 6.2: -0.1% Mile 6.2 to 6.4: +0.0% Mile 6.4 to 6.6: +0.1% Mile 6.6 to 6.8: +0.2% Mile 6.8 to 7.0: -0.2% Mile 7.0 to 7.2: -0.0% Mile 7.2 to 7.4: -0.4% Mile 7.4 to 7.6: -1.6% Mile 7.6 to 7.8: +0.0% Mile 7.8 to 8.0: +0.3% Mile 8.0 to 8.2: +0.1% Mile 8.2 to 8.4: +1.0% Mile 8.4 to 8.6: -0.1% Mile 8.6 to 8.8: -0.6% Mile 8.8 to 9.0: -0.2% Mile 9.0 to 9.2: +0.1% Mile 9.2 to 9.4: -0.0% Mile 9.4 to 9.6: +0.3% Mile 9.6 to 9.8: -0.2% Mile 9.8 to 10.0: -0.4% Mile 10.0 to 10.2: +1.0% Mile 10.2 to 10.4: +0.1% Mile 10.4 to 10.6: +0.3% Mile 10.6 to 10.8: +0.3% Mile 10.8 to 11.0: +0.2% Mile 11.0 to 11.2: -0.0% Mile 11.2 to 11.4: +0.2% Mile 11.4 to 11.6: -0.3% Mile 11.6 to 11.8: -0.1% Mile 11.8 to 12.0: -0.2% Mile 12.0 to 12.2: +0.1% Mile 12.2 to 12.4: -0.2% Mile 12.4 to 12.6: -0.2% Mile 12.6 to 12.8: +0.3% Mile 12.8 to 13.0: +0.1% Mile 13.0 to 13.2: +0.1% Mile 13.2 to 13.4: +0.1% Mile 13.4 to 13.6: -0.1% Mile 13.6 to 13.8: +0.2% Mile 13.8 to 14.0: -0.1% Mile 14.0 to 14.2: -0.3% Mile 14.2 to 14.4: -0.1% Mile 14.4 to 14.6: -0.2% Mile 14.6 to 14.8: -0.3% Mile 14.8 to 15.0: -0.2% Mile 15.0 to 15.2: -0.3% Mile 15.2 to 15.4: +0.1% Mile 15.4 to 15.6: +1.1% Mile 15.6 to 15.8: -0.3% Mile 15.8 to 16.0: +0.2% Mile 16.0 to 16.2: +0.1% Mile 16.2 to 16.4: +0.3% Mile 16.4 to 16.6: -0.0% Mile 16.6 to 16.8: -0.1% Mile 16.8 to 17.0: +0.1% Mile 17.0 to 17.2: +0.4% Mile 17.2 to 17.4: -0.1% Mile 17.4 to 17.6: +0.0% Mile 17.6 to 17.8: -0.7% Mile 17.8 to 18.0: -0.8% Mile 18.0 to 18.2: -0.8% Mile 18.2 to 18.4: -0.9% Mile 18.4 to 18.6: -0.9% Mile 18.6 to 18.8: -0.1% Mile 18.8 to 19.0: +0.0% Mile 19.0 to 19.2: +0.0% Mile 19.2 to 19.4: +0.0% Mile 19.4 to 19.6: -0.0% Mile 19.6 to 19.8: -0.1% Mile 19.8 to 20.0: +0.0% Mile 20.0 to 20.2: +0.2% Mile 20.2 to 20.4: +0.1% Mile 20.4 to 20.6: -0.1% Mile 20.6 to 20.8: +0.1% Mile 20.8 to 21.0: -0.0% Mile 21.0 to 21.2: +0.2% Mile 21.2 to 21.4: +0.1% Mile 21.4 to 21.6: +0.2% Mile 21.6 to 21.8: -0.1% Mile 21.8 to 22.0: -0.0% Mile 22.0 to 22.2: -0.1% Mile 22.2 to 22.4: -0.1% Mile 22.4 to 22.6: -0.1% Mile 22.6 to 22.8: -0.1% Mile 22.8 to 23.0: +0.3% Mile 23.0 to 23.2: +0.0% Mile 23.2 to 23.4: -0.2% Mile 23.4 to 23.6: -0.1% Mile 23.6 to 23.8: -0.1% Mile 23.8 to 24.0: +0.0% Mile 24.0 to 24.2: +0.1% Mile 24.2 to 24.4: +0.2% Mile 24.4 to 24.6: +0.1% Mile 24.6 to 24.8: -0.1% Mile 24.8 to 25.0: +0.1% Mile 25.0 to 25.2: +0.3% Mile 25.2 to 25.4: -0.1% Mile 25.4 to 25.6: +0.2% Mile 25.6 to 25.8: -0.1% Mile 25.8 to 26.0: +0.1% Mile 26.0 to 26.2: -0.1% 5 10 15 20 25 mile the Underwater Mile +60 ft
steep up up flat down steep down

This Marathon profile covers 26.2 miles, ranges from roughly 574 to 636 feet, and contains about 422 feet of modeled climb.

  • the Underwater Mile, mile 7.71 to 8.89: 60 feet up, 0.9% average.

Click anywhere on the profile to move the flyover to that point. Changing distance in the player changes the profile and plan map with it.

The course on a map

1 5 10 13 15 20 25 26
Marathon route26.2 miles
course featured climb start/finish

Gold is the selected modeled course; route provenance is stated beside the flyover.

The climbs that shape the day

the Underwater Mile

Mile 7.71 to 8.89

60 feet of modeled rise ยท 0.9% average.

Mile by mile

Every row uses the same modeled route and elevation surface as the player. Net change shows the shape of that mile; the common sparkline scale makes hard and easy sections comparable.

MileShapeModeled netWhat happens
1-11 ft
20 ft
3+9 ft
4+5 ft
5-10 ft
6+3 ft
7+1 ft
8-14 ft
9+16 ftOne Woodward Avenue
10-2 ft
11+24 ft
12-2 ft
13+2 ft
14+7 ft
15-15 ft
16+7 ft
17+2 ft
18-5 ft
19-17 ft
20-4 ft
21+4 ft
22+4 ft
23-4 ft
24-4 ft
25+1 ft
26+2 ft

The city model is race-specific

Get your bearings with these local landmarks along the course. Their map positions and recorded dimensions guide the 3D models; small architectural details remain approximate.

Renaissance Center (Detroit Marriott central tower)

Near mile 8.0

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 222 meters.

One Woodward Avenue

Near mile 8.5

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 131 meters.

Westin Book Cadillac Hotel

Near mile 9.0

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 106 meters.

Book Tower

Near mile 9.1

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 145 meters.

Hudson's Detroit

Near mile 9.3

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 209 meters.

Detroit Masonic Temple

Near mile 10.3

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 64 meters.

Ally Detroit Center (One Detroit Center)

Near mile 26.2

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 185 meters.

Penobscot Building

Near mile 26.2

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 172 meters.

Published course records

Men2:13:07Greg Meyer, 1980
Women2:34:16Elena Orlova, 2004

Record information comes from the race dossier; verify the current record book with the organizer.

Route provenance

Organizer-linked course file. Google My Maps '2026 Detroit Free Press Marathon' linked from freepmarathon.com/course-maps/. KML downloads (145 KB); contains a 'Marathon' LineString layer: 354 pts, measured 42.49 km / 26.40 mi, dips to lat 42.30 confirming the Windsor, Ontario loop. Also has Start Line placemark, every mile marker, and separate Intl Half / Motor City Half layers.

Course lines can change between editions. Confirm late adjustments on the official race site →

Know the line. Run the line.

Register for the 2026 Detroit →on Enmotive

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 14-22 across 2016-2025 at the start line. Schedule, prices and expo hours were checked in 2026-08-31 and are the fields most likely to move: confirm them on www.freepmarathon.com before you book anything. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.