Duke City Marathon
Albuquerque, NM
- Marathon, Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Duke City Marathon, New Mexico’s longest-running and premier fitness event returns – don’t miss your chance to run history and celebrate a century of Route 66! The Duke City Marathon course starts at Mayor Kinney Civic Plaza, the civic center of Albuquerque. Harry Kinney was Albuquerque’s mayor in 1984, … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Oct 18):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 72 | 74 | 84 | 65 | 75 |
| L (°F) | 46 | 54 | 50 | 42 | 50 |
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Not recommend
Didn’t receive the correct medal at the finish line. They ran out and gave medals with the previous year’s date instead. The course itself was okay, but the on-course support … MORE
Didn’t receive the correct medal at the finish line. They ran out and gave medals with the previous year’s date instead. The course itself was okay, but the on-course support was lacking, especially considering the expensive entry fee and lack of included extras.
I also asked where the donations were going, but nobody seemed to have an answer, and my follow-up emails were never answered.
MIXED
SCENERY, volunteers & spectators 5 stars. The hotel recommended was right in the action; the convention center was open, so nice to not have to be in the cold; race … MORE
SCENERY, volunteers & spectators 5 stars. The hotel recommended was right in the action; the convention center was open, so nice to not have to be in the cold; race production not anything special, they ran out of medals, never crossed a finish line and did not receive a medal; been 3 mo and still waiting for my medal as are others. It’s holiday time and weather so giving them extra time so again, beautiful scenery, not too technical course. Also, arrived to expo later, and most all the vendors were gone, it was empty in there…glad that wasn’t my first half-marathon experience! update finally rcvd my medal yay 🙂
Flat and mostly scenic
The Duke City Marathon was well organized from bib pick up to course markings. I completed this race for my 45th state. Logistics were very easy. I stayed at the … MORE
The Duke City Marathon was well organized from bib pick up to course markings. I completed this race for my 45th state.
Logistics were very easy. I stayed at the host motel which was the DoubleTree. It connected directly to the Convention center where the expo was. It also provided a free shuttle to the airport. It is located walking distance to the start/finish line. You can also wait inside the Convention Center before the race starts to stay warm and use inside rest rooms.
The expo was on the small size and they did not really have a run store there to sell any running gear besides Gu shots. It was very easy to get your bib. Swag included a long sleeve colorful shirt and a medal coin.
Race day had perfect running weather with cool temperatures and no humidity at the 7:00am start. The attitude did affect me and I ran at a slower pace to avoid getting winded. The start was a bit congested going through a narrow start line, but eased up within the first mile. The entire course is on asphalt roads and bicycle trails. It is mostly flat and the roads are in good shape with few pot holes. The first neighborhood you run through has been used in many movies and TV shows including Breaking Bad. If you are a fan, you can easily recognize some of the homes used in the show as well as run past the Dog House on Central street. I saw hot air balloons during the race as well as the Rio Grande River, which looks more like a creek to me! Plenty of volunteers and water stops that had Gator Aide. There were no Gu Shots or food at the rest stops.
The finish area was nice with a few vendors and plenty of space to relax. The food was limited and they were giving out slices a white bread, that was a new one for me! You could also print out your results and get an age group award if you placed.
Overall, I would recommend this race and Albuquerque in general. The bus system is free. There are a number of homeless people in the area, but I did not experience any concerns. Many restaurants to choose from that are within walking distance from the DoubleTree.
Got BBQed in ABQ
Expo was in the Albuquerque Convention Center, a building with beautiful carpets and interior decorations in the lobby...and then the room the actual expo was in had grocery store-style linoleum … MORE
Expo was in the Albuquerque Convention Center, a building with beautiful carpets and interior decorations in the lobby…and then the room the actual expo was in had grocery store-style linoleum flooring. Pretty small expo that only used half the available space.
Most of the marathon was just running north on bike trails along the east bank of the Rio Grande river for about 10 miles, and then back south. It’s almost completely flat. The race starts 15 minutes before the sunrise, and clouds don’t exist in Albuquerque, so expect the sun to start hitting about an hour and a half in (although we don’t really run east into the sun). Although it’s kind of lazy to relegate a marathon to some bike trails, I had to admit it was one of the most scenic urban marathons I’ve done–we ran past desert trees and bushes and sagebrush, saw hot air balloons in the sky, and “danced across the Rio Grande” in a way that would make Duran Duran proud. I think local air force soldiers were handing out water at most stops on the trail.
Around mile 11, we run past some northern houses and even some ranches, vineyards, and cacti; before we continue south at mile 16. A few more sunny miles on the Rio Grande trail before heading into the city at mile 21, swinging through Spanish-influenced Old City at mile 22, and looping by the Botanical Garden at ile 24 before finishing next to the Convention Center.
Would have liked them to close off the roads (and bike trails) more so we didn’t get random bikers scorching past us at mile 21. The course was really good about having water every mile, except in the last 4 miles they only had it at mile 22 and mile 24. My Strava clocked almost 26.9 miles; idk if that’s a me problem. Even in October, the air is really dry, the elevation of 5500 ft is no joke, and the sun will cook you in the later miles, so watch out.
Flat course. Lacking course essentials
Overall, the full marathon race was fine. It is an out & back. A little repetitive on the way back. No corrals at the start. You run approx.. 2 miles … MORE
Overall, the full marathon race was fine. It is an out & back. A little repetitive on the way back. No corrals at the start. You run approx.. 2 miles downtown/city before running along the paved trail next to the Rio Grande. You don’t get to see the river much, but the trees were beautiful. Also, you do get to see Hot Air Balloons in the distance. Even though it is a flat course approx. between miles 12-14, it has rolling hills, much more than I expected. The city section of the race was blocked off, but the paved trail was open for others’ use. We only incurred one upset cyclist. Otherwise, everyone not in the race was pretty nice. Crowd support is pretty low. There were about 500 full marathoners. More people completed the half.
Fuel/Water: They had plenty of water/Gatorade stations. However, for anyone who plans to finish in over 5 hours, a couple of their water/Gatorade stations were bone dry. I suggest bringing your own water. Also, have a post-race fuel plan. They had a slice of bread and an apple. We were staying at the DoubleTree a block away from the start & finish, so we were able to grab food and drinks.
Bathrooms: Porta potties around miles 0, 2, 6, 20 & 24. Many men are taking a break in the bushes along the paved trail since there is a long gap between 6 and 20.
I completed as a training marathon. I was just out there to have a good time. I would suggest this course for half-marathoners.
Out and Back Course; Friendly People
The Big 5 Duke City Marathon is an option for a NM race. The flat course is bonus for those traveling from sea level. Although it is flat, be prepared … MORE
The Big 5 Duke City Marathon is an option for a NM race. The flat course is bonus for those traveling from sea level. Although it is flat, be prepared for some overpass/underpass ascents and descents in miles 11-14. The challenge for me was the many miles on the paved trail on the way back since the field of marathoners was spread out. Additionally, I was very surprised how few runners talked with each other, particularly those near the 4-hour pacer group. The pacer had headphones in for the for first 11 miles, so there was not encouragement to be had.
The finisher food was abysmal – dry whole wheat bread, apples, and water. I assume the bananas were eaten prior to my return, but as a middle of the pack marathoner, I would suggest there was inadequate supply.
The best part of the race, including the expo, was the friendliness of the volunteers. They took pride in their tasks and were helpful.
Duke City revisited
Never got our bibs in the mail even though we had the mail out option. We live 3 hours away so we had to go to expo to get bibs … MORE
Never got our bibs in the mail even though we had the mail out option. We live 3 hours away so we had to go to expo to get bibs and shirts. No explanation provided from the race.
Course was same as last year but I did the Half this year and the full last year.
Bananas and Apples were at the finish line. Hard to find water or electrolytes at the finish line. Brought my own due to last year and it was in the car very cold. Parking was 10.00 a car at the civic center.
Good smaller venue race
Overall this was an enjoyable race and I would consider running it again. I chose this race as my Half for New Mexico. Albuquerque was a nice city with a … MORE
Overall this was an enjoyable race and I would consider running it again. I chose this race as my Half for New Mexico. Albuquerque was a nice city with a good downtown area.
Packet pickup at the health expo worked well. The expo was small compared to other larger cities like Dallas, Chicago, etc. It was smaller than other smaller venues like Little Rock as well. The race shirt was a nice long-sleeve performance shirt. You also get a souvenir race coin in a nice box which was a nice keepsake.
Race coordination was well done in my opinion. I had a chance to introduce myself to the Race Director, Burt and mention I was an Ambassador for RaceRaves. The one thing that bothered me about the race coordination was the initial race lineup and start. It was in a small cramped area between the finisher row, porta potties and bag check. I would highly recommend the race staff move the bag check to somewhere else and let the runners line up further along 3rd street.
The race itself was good. It starts out in downtown and leads out from there. It was pretty cool running through downtown, right now old Route 66. The paved path next to the Rio Grande river was very nice, very flat and easy. It would have been nice to have views of the river itself instead of just a side channel. Water stations were well manned and fully stocked. No additional supplements than the normal water and Gatorade, which was fine for me.
Very Unfriendly for Back of the Packer
Race was ok for first 13.1 and last 13.1 turned into a hot mess. No gels and hot water for second half Bicyclers were aggressive and purposely ran runners off … MORE
Race was ok for first 13.1 and last 13.1 turned into a hot mess.
No gels and hot water for second half
Bicyclers were aggressive and purposely ran runners off course
No food or cold water at finish.
After 6 hours roads were not patrolled and cars were on the course.
Decent race, nice area and weather
So my big complaint about this event would be that I missed a cutoff from the Half course, and ended up running additional mileage on the 10K course, which trashed … MORE
So my big complaint about this event would be that I missed a cutoff from the Half course, and ended up running additional mileage on the 10K course, which trashed my official time for the Half. Very disappointed and frustrated I ended up just walking once I got 13.1 on my personal device. An additional 1.5-2 miles of walking to the finish line. Really pissed my good half time was unofficial and not recorded as a true finish time. Multiple events share parts of the same course and start 15 minutes apart. That congestion, and a volunteer that didn’t direct me the right direction, or adequate signage, really frustrated me! Otherwise the rest of the event is pretty good. Definitely could use more porta potties near the start line! Long lines before race start for those. Expo was good, event course was streets and a lot of paved walking/biking trails. Somewhat scenic. Weather was very good. Finisher medal was pretty nice. I left quickly after the race to shower and get checked out of my hotel in time. So didn’t really experience the post race stuff or food. Overall is was a great out of state trip for me to NM. I very much enjoyed Albuquerque, Santa Fe, sightseeing, and hiking during my trip.
flat and sunny in NM
With multiple distances starting within 15 mins of each other and no corrals, the start line can get a little crazy but once you get going, it thins out quickly. … MORE
With multiple distances starting within 15 mins of each other and no corrals, the start line can get a little crazy but once you get going, it thins out quickly. After the first few miles on city streets, the course moves onto a paved hike/bike trail following a stream. This can make it difficult for spectators to come out so keep your personal cheering section closer to the start/finish.
flat fall course
Ran this course as my 2nd 1/2 marathon course. I live in ABQ, so all my training was completed at elevation. The course itself was flat and well maintained. My … MORE
Ran this course as my 2nd 1/2 marathon course. I live in ABQ, so all my training was completed at elevation. The course itself was flat and well maintained. My time was slower than courses completed at lower elevation. I loved the course through the neighborhoods and along the Bosque. Beautiful views of the changing fall colors on the cottonwood trees along the Rio Grande. The volunteers did a great job with consistent water/gatorade stations throughout the course. Only things I would change would be (1) add more free parking options and (2) open more bathrooms before the race [there were only 5-10 stalls for women]. Also I wish there was more energy at this event, it’s kinda a sleepy race— hard to get that race day adrenaline.
Nice course, Finish Line Needs Improveme
The course is well described on the website. It's a very slight, barely noticeable uphill on the Bosque Trail, then it turns on the Paseo Trail which is welcome rolling … MORE
The course is well described on the website. It’s a very slight, barely noticeable uphill on the Bosque Trail, then it turns on the Paseo Trail which is welcome rolling hills at that point. Then the turn around, rolling hills back to the Bosque, past Tingley Park and back to the finish line. It’s an out and back. You do have to deal with half marathoners until they get to their turn around but once they turn around it’s pretty open. Overall it’s a good course. Finish line left a lot to be desired! I finished just after 5 hours and was offered warm water, a slice of bread and an apple. That was probably the biggest ‘con’ of the race.
If you look flat.,
I signed for this race on a win and I have learned my lesson. Do not read what the race director writes as it is fluff and review what you … MORE
I signed for this race on a win and I have learned my lesson. Do not read what the race director writes as it is fluff and review what you write. I wish I had read the one where the runner said he would not repeat. The race had great communication when I asked about water stations and gu. There were plenty of water stations with great volunteers and I packed two gu as there would be done on the course . The half started on time and it was flat and you ran on streets and some trails. This meant I had to spend less time weaving in and out. This was the 40th so you had your choose of red or yellow shirts and you got a special coin for running. They had a small expo which is a surprise now and they did have pacers – for half for folks running 2-00 and 2:15. The post race was not much to write home about and they must not be reading our reviews as there was water, slice of bread , banana, and apple. Because I have run so many races , I assumed the beer would be free . Now I know to look at my bib and no beer tickets means you pay for the beer. The price was great for the race and if you don’t rank swag when you pick a race, this is for you. The suggested hotel was right across from the starting line, I liked the course and the weather was hreat
Nice river run, but altitude was tough
Most of the run is along the river which was very scenic and flat. There was water and gatorade every mile, but not a lot of spectators or other support. … MORE
Most of the run is along the river which was very scenic and flat. There was water and gatorade every mile, but not a lot of spectators or other support.
I didn’t think 5000 ft of elevation would be a big deal even though I live and train at sea level. However, it was much more of an impact on me than just slowing me down a little. My heart rate was over 90% from the very start of the race and by mile 10 I was getting light headed and tunnel vision. I needed to walk much of the middle of the race as a result.
My advice to any other flat landers coming in for this race is to take the time to acclimate and do a better job than I did at listening to your body through the race.
A view from the back of the pack
Nice, well run event. Course begins in downtown and migrates out to a multi-use concrete trail, out and back. The volunteers and support stations were plentiful. I only saw 1 … MORE
Nice, well run event. Course begins in downtown and migrates out to a multi-use concrete trail, out and back. The volunteers and support stations were plentiful. I only saw 1 porta-potty stop on the course. The host hotel is conveniently located steps to the starting line. Pre-run gives full access to the convention center and numerous restrooms. No serious negatives. Like most races, only water and beer available which for non-drinkers is disappointing. Happy to do the event as a destination run but would probably go elsewhere in the future for a destination run.
Great run and nice hiking in New Mexico
My first time in New Mexico so I wanted to explore a bit before the race. New Mexico has many hikes in the Albuquerque area and all were fantastic, but … MORE
My first time in New Mexico so I wanted to explore a bit before the race. New Mexico has many hikes in the Albuquerque area and all were fantastic, but to the race… Enjoyable HM course. No hills and plenty of scenery. Worth running for sure. Expo and post race activities/food was good as well. Stress free from a person traveling to the race.
Mediocre at best
Course was flat and fast, out and back Expo and packet pick up was easy with plenty of options. No signage to let know where to go or if you … MORE
Course was flat and fast, out and back
Expo and packet pick up was easy with plenty of options. No signage to let know where to go or if you were in the right place.
Staff and volunteers were helpful.
Aid stations had water and Gatorade, and there was an ample amount of them. I did not see any gels or nutrition.
Nice medal and shirt for swag
Post races was seriously lacking for a race event with around 2,000 runners, with apples, bananas, and wheat bread.
Overall a okay race, but would not not run again.
Convenient and straightforward
This race is in Albuquerque, and has a lot of locals and fifty staters running. I wish I had stayed in the host hotel—parking was needlessly confusing, for a small … MORE
This race is in Albuquerque, and has a lot of locals and fifty staters running. I wish I had stayed in the host hotel—parking was needlessly confusing, for a small “city” and getting from the parking garage ($10) to the start was a maze through event spaces without signs.
The good news—we could wait inside this warm building with flush toilets before the start. Race started on time, with different events starting after the full.
As you can see from the course map, it’s 13.1 miles out and back; ten of those miles are on a bike path with water and Gatorade every couple of miles. No portapotties except at the start and maybe mile 2/24. The web site said there would be one at the turn around but there wasn’t. Fine for the boys… no gu.
The weather was windy and overcast but not as rainy as forecast. The shirts were offered in two colors on registration form but my choice was not honored. Medal was nice. Same logo as shirt which is reasonably attractive. The shirt has too much letter/design “coating” for me to wear as a running shirt though.
Overall it was a flat course and I liked Albuquerque—the people are so nice and laid back. I felt very much a type A east coaster! Just a few nitpicks.
Where was the post race event?
It’s really too bad the marathon ended with such disappointment after a solid, well organized race (from expo, start, nice flat route, many water stops & enthusiastic volunteers). I was … MORE
It’s really too bad the marathon ended with such disappointment after a solid, well organized race (from expo, start, nice flat route, many water stops & enthusiastic volunteers).
I was a little panicky about the weather being from upper Michigan leaving my warm and water resistant gear at home. But handled the light rain, then peeks of sun and a little wind that often was at my back. It’s good it was not hot and sunny as there was no shade to speak of. I did not have bathroom issues (thank goodness). Good thing because I really don’t remember true porta potties anywhere except mile 2.
The expo was small but those groups that were there were enthusiastic! The start was well organized and I appreciated the ability to stay dry and warm in the huge convention center. The course was not hard but I’m a slow runner, and also had a slower than usual time waiting for my friends to bring me my traditional mile 20 fireball shot. Lol!.. Medal was nice!
Ok now let’s discuss this post race. Apples, 2 pieces of bread (not even anything special about it). No chocolate milk and the supposed “beer garden” was pay to drink even for those who ran??? I think there was water in cups, but I just got done drinking water and Gatorade for the past 5 hours. I know this race will get some flack for this, as I haven’t heard anyone compliment that aspect even those that finished well before me, so it’s not like they really ran out, it’s all that was offered. Hopefully future races they can turn that around or just plan to have your friends and family bring a well stocked cooler for the end!