Detroit Free Press Marathon 2026

Date
Race weekend: Saturday to Sunday, October 17 to 18, 2026
Start time
7:00 AM start (Detroit)
Entry fee
From $25
Go to the race website

The Marathon, International Half and Relay closed Sept. 8 and are sold out with a waitlist; the Motor City Half is also sold out. The 5K, 1-Mile and kids races are open online through Oct. 8, and domestic races may reopen at the expo if space remains. No refunds; transfers and deferrals are allowed.

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Events and entry fees

EventDistanceWhenEntry feeCap
Saturday, Oct 17, 2026
1-Mile1 MileOct 17, 20268:25 AM$40–
5K5KOct 17, 20268:50 AM$70–
Meijer Little Detroit DashKidsOct 17, 202610:05 AM$25–
Kids MarathonKidsOct 17, 202610:30 AM$35–
Sunday, Oct 18, 2026
International Half-MarathonHalf MarathonOct 18, 20267:00 AMSee registration–
MarathonMarathonOct 18, 20267:00 AMSee registration–
Marathon RelayRelayOct 18, 20267:00 AMSee registration–
Motor City Half-MarathonHalf MarathonOct 18, 202610:30 AM$170–

Fees and dates are from the race's official website on the date shown below; confirm them there before you register.

Race day planning

What a typical finish looks like

A typical finisher at a marathon in Michigan runs 4:13:25, about 9:40 a mile, based on 13 races with published results. Women typically finish in 4:30:23 and men in 4:03:21.

Light and altitude

Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:47 AM, and the 1-Mile starts at 8:25 AM. The start sits about 650 feet above sea level.

Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.

Start location and course

Fort Street between the Lodge Service Drive and Third Avenue, downtown Detroit, Detroit, MI

The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.

Typical race-day weather

Around October 18 the day usually runs from 46°F at dawn to 61°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 25% of days. Cold snaps dip to 37°F and hot years reach 72°F.

Based on 75 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.

Race guide

What runners should know about Detroit Free Press Marathon, in brief, from the official race website.

Schedule and packet pickup

Expo and bib pickup

The free expo is at Huntington Place, 1 Washington Blvd., Friday Oct. 16 from 1 to 7 p.m. and Saturday Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bibs are assigned at pickup and there is no race-day pickup. For US-only events a friend may collect a packet with a printed confirmation email.

Schedule and packet pickup

Sunday start and finish

Corrals on Fort Street open at 6:15 a.m. and close at 6:55. Adaptive athletes start at 6:58 and the main field at 7:00 in waves three minutes apart; the Motor City Half starts at 10:30 with no corrals. The only gear check is on Monroe near Campus Martius, 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The finish is on Woodward at Congress.

Parking and travel

Getting there

The free People Mover opens at 5:30 a.m. Sunday. The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel is closed to cars from 6:15 to 10:15 a.m. From Windsor, shuttle buses leave Bruce Avenue at Riverside Drive West between 5:15 and 6:15 a.m. for 15 Canadian dollars each way, card only, and drop off at Mariner's Church.

Shirt and medal

What runners get

Every participant gets a long-sleeve technical shirt, which the race says runs small. Finishers of every race get a medal sized to the distance, plus water, Gatorade, a heat blanket and snacks in the recovery area. Kids Marathon runners log 25.2 miles at home and run the final mile on Saturday.

Rules and FAQ

Passports and the Canada crossing

The Marathon, International Half-Marathon and Relay Leg 1 enter Canada, so runners need a valid travel document such as a passport, passport card or enhanced driver's license, and must show it in person at the expo to get a bib. A past offense like a DUI can bar entry to Canada. The race cannot rule on eligibility.

Rules and FAQ

Time limits and ages

Limits are 6.5 hours for the Marathon and Relay (finish closes at 2 p.m.), 4 hours for the International Half (course closes 11:45 a.m.), 3.5 hours for the Motor City Half, 1 hour 10 minutes for the 5K and 20 minutes for the mile. Marathoners must be 16 or older; half and relay runners 14 or older.

Full details on the official race website

Facts on this page come from the race's official website (freepmarathon.com, freepmarathon.com/marathon, freepmarathon.com/international-half-marathon, freepmarathon.com/pricing), checked Sep 25, 2026. Confirm dates and fees there before you travel.

Race details

Where
Fort Street between the Lodge Service Drive and Third Avenue, downtown Detroit, Detroit, MIMap
Course
Road
Start elevation
About 650 feet
Distances
Marathon, Half Marathon, Relay, 1 Mile, 5K, Kids

Organize this race? Add details or a correction

Plan your race

Quick answers

When is Detroit Free Press Marathon?
It is a race weekend, Saturday to Sunday, October 17 to 18, 2026: 1 Mile, 5K, Kids on Saturday; Half Marathon, Marathon, Relay on Sunday.
How much does it cost?
Entry starts at $25 before processing fees.
What distances can I run?
Marathon, Half Marathon, Relay, 1 Mile, 5K, Kids.
Where does it start?
Fort Street between the Lodge Service Drive and Third Avenue, downtown Detroit, Detroit, MI.

About the race

Detroit's marathon starts downtown on Fort Street, crosses the Ambassador Bridge into Windsor, Canada, then returns to tour Woodbridge, Eastern Market and the Dequindre Cut before finishing by Campus Martius. An international half and a US-only Motor City half run the same Sunday; Saturday's shorter races use Atwater Street.