The Fargo Marathon is one of the best small-town marathons in the United States, and for good reason. The course offers 26.2 miles (or 13.1 if you opt for the half marathon) of Midwestern charm, a town-wide cheering section, and 50+ live bands and DJs to keep you entertained and motivated. It truly is an experience like no other.
The fun doesn’t stop there. The event is a week-long celebration of running and endurance that includes 7 total events from our extremely popular Friday Night 5K to our Furgo Dog Run and Cyclothon events. Everyone is welcome to participate, spectate, and enjoy, so what are you waiting for? Secure your spot today. Uff-da!
The marathon course is USATF-certified and an official Boston qualifier.
Marathon
The Essentia Health Fargo Marathon course is a 26.2-mile party unlike any other. Starting and ending inside the FargoDome, you’ll be treated to over 50 bands and DJs lining the route. Plus, you’ll be welcomed around town by Fargo’s incredible residents who cheer on every runner as they go by throughout the day. You couldn’t ask for better entertainment and support as you complete 26.2 miles.
When you return to the FargoDome, you’ll receive our VIP treatment via being able to watch yourself cross the finish on the high-definition jumbotron above you while thousands of people in the stadium cheer you on. There’s no better way to finish your race.
And as always, the Essentia Health Fargo Marathon is a USATF-Certified Course and a Boston Qualifier!
Half Marathon
Recognized as one of the fastest half marathons in the region, the Fargo Half Marathon includes the best pieces of Fargo all wrapped up in 13.1 miles!
The race starts inside the Fargodome and then takes you through tree-lined residential streets and on to the bike path trails along the Red River. The half marathon course continues through historic 8th and 9th Streets before you hit Broadway and the awesome Fargo Theatre! After that, it’s back to the Fargodome for your indoor jumbotron celebrity finish line!
Very flat! Very fast! Very fun!
And don’t forget about the DJs and live bands along the way….at least one per mile!
10K
The Fargo 10K will be on Saturday and start at 7:45 a.m. INSIDE the Fargodome! The route will take you through some beautiful North Fargo neighborhoods and will wind back around to make your grand finish inside the Fargodome.
5K
Get ready to join thousands of runners at North Dakota’s LARGEST road race. That’s right, the Fargo Friday Night 5K is a massive celebration of running and all things Fargo, and attracts more runners than any other race in the state!
With an amazing and electric atmosphere, this is a can’t-miss 5K. The race kicks off at 6:30 p.m. and starts and finishes INSIDE the Fargodome with an epic after-party, so you’ll be rockin’ and runnin’ from the inside out!
The event is capped at 6,000 runners and will sell out prior to registration closing, so be sure to reserve your spot as soon as possible!
Youth Run
In 2005, about 100 kids lined up at the bike path along the Red River on a Friday night to kick off the very first event of the inaugural Fargo Marathon. Fast forward to our Youth Run in 2016, and we had over 2,800 kids who took part in the Fargo Marathon Youth Run!
This year’s Youth Run will feature two different distances: 1/2 mile and 1 mile featuring the thrills and excitement of TNT Fitness – who help prepare the kids with fun music and stretches & warm ups and get them ready to run! The race is open to all children 12 and under. Parents/Guardians are welcome to run alongside their children or push them in a stroller, if necessary. The different age groups will start in waves so congestion is kept to a minimum. Safety is our first priority! All kids will finish inside a secured, fenced-in area.
Cyclothon
We know that not everyone likes to run, and there are a lot of folks that like to ride their bike. The Fargo Marathon Cyclothon is the perfect way for you to be able to participate in the Fargo Marathon week of festivities, feel the energy of the excitement from all of the participants, and do it while on your bicycle!
The Cyclothon will happen on Monday, May 16, and start at 6:30 p.m. for both the 15-mile and 26.2-mile. The races will start and finish at the Buffalo Wild Wings just off of 19th Avenue North in North Fargo. The courses will be a nice loop of North Fargo, Harwood, and Moorhead, circling back to the finish line at BWW. Every finisher will receive an official Fargo Cyclothon shirt and finisher’s medal.
Make sure to stop at Buffalo Wild Wings just across the street after the race! They will be hosting an ‘after party’!
Furgo Dog Run
Have a furry running buddy? Then we have a run/walk for you, too!
Introduced at the 2016 Fargo Marathon event, the FurGo Dog Run, sponsored by NutriSource, was an instant success with dogs and dog owners, alike! Over 400 participants took on the 1.5-mile course with a canine and loved it!
Join us on Tuesday, May 17, at 6:30 p.m. as we shoot for 500 participants (that will be something to bark about!). Complete with your doggy goody bag, finisher’s shirt, finisher’s medal, and your dog’s very own finisher’s medal, it’s an event you will not want to miss! This race often fills up fast, so be sure to register early!
Go Far Challenge
Are you one who really likes a challenge? Then the Bell Bank Go Far Challenge is for you!
The concept is simple: run or walk the 5K on Friday evening and then run the 10K, Half Marathon, or Full Marathon Saturday morning!
You’ll receive: a 5K shirt and a finisher’s medal, a shirt and finisher’s medal from your Saturday race, an exclusive Fargo Go Far Challenge running hat, and all the bragging rights you want!
This event was introduced in 2010 and was an instant success! We have limited space for 1,500, so if you’re “up to the challenge”, then we advise you to sign up now!
LESS
Highly recommended race
If you're looking to check North Dakota off your list, this is a great race to consider. The volunteers were super friendly and everything was well organized. The course was … MORE
If you’re looking to check North Dakota off your list, this is a great race to consider. The volunteers were super friendly and everything was well organized. The course was fairly flat, and starting and ending in the Fargodome was a fun and unique aspect of the race. The course lets you see many of the highlights of the town. Aside from the race itself, Fargo is actually a fun place to visit, so give yourself an extra day or two to check out the town and the surrounding area.
uff da! That's a lot of turns
If you are a 50 state runner, there are not many choices in North Dakota. Luckily, this is a good race. The race expo is a two day event. I … MORE
If you are a 50 state runner, there are not many choices in North Dakota. Luckily, this is a good race.
The race expo is a two day event. I was there as soon as it opened, so there was a little bit of a line, but it moved quickly. There were a few vendors and it’s a chance to look at the Fargo Dome. They had hand towels on the way out the door. This was an important pick-up as I’ll explain later.
Race day starts in the dome. This is a great place for a race start due to the restrooms and in case of poor weather. It’s also nice for non-running family members. They are able to sit in the stands and wait and the concession stands are open as well.
There are 3 distances running at once, 10K, half and full marathon. Each one has it’s own start time and each course differs slightly. There are no corrals, but there are pacers where runners should align themselves. Of course there are those at the front that go out at a 9 min pace.
The course is mostly flat. There are a couple underpasses and a bridge, but the overall gain was less than 400 feet. You travel through a lot of neighborhoods, around a park and through Moorhead College. About 4 of those miles are in Minnesota. The only issue, it that there are a lot of turns which can slow the momentum at times. Luckily, most areas are well marked and there are volunteers there to help. There were a few places that were a little lonely, but the college and neighborhoods had pretty good support. Family’s were out cheering for random strangers and was like a block party.
There seemed to be a good amount of fluid stations offering water and powerade. There was at least one Gu station and orange slices. I didn’t notice many port-a-johns along the way, but you generally only notice if you need one. Luckily, I did not need one.
The weather was good. It sounds like you can get just about anything in Fargo this time of the year. It was a little warm for me by the end, mid-sixties, with lots of sun and a moderate breeze.
Runners finish inside the dome with a video of themselves on the big screen. The DJ announces your name and where you’re from. There were donuts and some other snacks at the end. Parking and getting into/out of the dome were pretty easy. They do also offer a shuttle service.
Runners receive a nice sweatshirt, backpack and a decent sized medal. Overall, it was a good race experience.
Fargodome great place to start & finish
Nicely organized race on a flat course with great spectators for its size. Nice medal and sweatshirt. good weather with a cool start and a sunny finish MORE
Nicely organized race on a flat course with great spectators for its size. Nice medal and sweatshirt. good weather with a cool start and a sunny finish
Run North Dakota
We’ll put together smaller race. Flat course with great support from local community. Course goes through lots of residential areas of town. Great swag. Big medal! MORE
We’ll put together smaller race.
Flat course with great support from local community. Course goes through lots of residential areas of town.
Great swag. Big medal!
Big time marathon - small town heart
The Fargo Marathon is always well organized, and this one was no exception. I've run the full marathon twice before, but this was the first time running the half. The … MORE
The Fargo Marathon is always well organized, and this one was no exception. I’ve run the full marathon twice before, but this was the first time running the half. The course runs south of the Fargodome, then zigzags a little at the southern end of the course before heading back north to the Fargodome. You can see the Fargodome for about a half a mile from the finish, but it is deceptive because you have to circle around it to get to the entrance where the finish is located. The course mainly goes through residential areas, and the residents come out to cheer and set up impromptu aid stations, including one that was serving mimosas. The swag was nice. This year the marathon and half marathon runners received a hoodie. The one disappointment this year was that the post-race party was canceled without telling any of the runners. I heard some were hanging around waiting for the free beer, but none of the volunteers knew that it was canceled. This is something they need to fix for next year. The weather was really pleasant this year and the Fargo Marathon races always make for a fast race.
Nice Production
This was a great race. I ran it because I am running 50 states and this was the best ND race. Fitz is the announcer and reason enough to run … MORE
This was a great race. I ran it because I am running 50 states and this was the best ND race. Fitz is the announcer and reason enough to run this race. The “shirt” was a nice hoodie. We had perfect weather which, from what I am told, is not the normal. It is a very flat course. The community is really supportive. I have never been offered so many orange slices in my life during any race. They start and finish in the Fargodome. That means real restrooms and no matter what the weather is you will be comfortable foe the start. They even have showers open for runners after the race! If you are looking to run in ND or just want a fast course with a great start finish line and great swag then this is the race to run.
Good one if you need to knock off ND
Really good race. Course was flat and pretty fast. The corals were on the honor system so we know how that usually works. Once out of the Fargodome you had … MORE
Really good race. Course was flat and pretty fast. The corals were on the honor system so we know how that usually works. Once out of the Fargodome you had lots of room to spread out though. Course went through some really nice neighborhoods, parts of NDSU and downtown Fargo. Lots of people lined the course for support with lots of music and extra drinks. The finish line was in the Fargodome as well which was pretty cool. Gear check was probably the worst I’ve ever seen though. There were 4 or 5 lines and they were all super long. i happened to get in one that was about half as long as the others and still stood around for about 15 mins. When I finally got up front the guy told me I could hop the fence and get my own bag since it would be quicker 🙂 The web site advertised an after party downtown Fargo at 3 PM. Lots of runners down there only to find out there was no party this year and it hadn’t been removed from the web site. Small things like this don’t really bother me but I know it does others so thats why i mentioned it. All in all it was a good race and a good time and thats why I would recommend it.
FLAT & lots of crowd support
I loved the flat route and all the crowd support! Starting/ending in the Fargodome was a little odd but also kinda nice. The weather in 2023 was great, but if … MORE
I loved the flat route and all the crowd support! Starting/ending in the Fargodome was a little odd but also kinda nice. The weather in 2023 was great, but if it wasn’t the Fargodome would be a life saver. Swag was a comfy sweatshirt and nice reusable bag. Plus lots of good giveaways at the expo. Great race!
Tour of Fargo on foot
After 26.2 miles on foot I feel like I've seen everything Fargo has to offer. North Dakota is one of only a few states that would dare to have a … MORE
After 26.2 miles on foot I feel like I’ve seen everything Fargo has to offer. North Dakota is one of only a few states that would dare to have a race in May. Weather was great, you can count on 40s/50s in the morning warming up to low 70s by the end. Course is flat as promised. A few gentle hills but otherwise as easy as they come. If I could make any course complaints the reliance on out-and-backs to pad distance was a bit repetitive. Great crowd support and glad the organizers largely keep the race distances independent from each other. Having now done a good handful of races I can say it really makes a difference not tripping over half-marathoners or 10K-ers. Sweater they give you is pretty bad but you do get a lot tech shirts with this hobby.
Uff da! See how FAR you can GO in Fargo
Ran Fargo in 2023 as my 32nd Sub 4 state. 2023 was their 19th year, and you can tell it's a very well oiled machine. From prerace communications/Expo/Course/Swag, they have … MORE
Ran Fargo in 2023 as my 32nd Sub 4 state. 2023 was their 19th year, and you can tell it’s a very well oiled machine. From prerace communications/Expo/Course/Swag, they have it down pat. Being able to start/finish inside the FargoDome is a great feature. You can’t go wrong choosing Fargo as your ND marathon. My only suggestions for improvement would be to start it earlier than 0730 if you hold the Marathon on May 20. Maybe 0730 works if you hold it May 6? It gets warm on the course and there isn’t lots of shade.
One of the Best I’ve Run
This marathon has all of the amenities of a big city marathon, but the friendly, kind people that you would expect to meet in a small town. Fargo is such … MORE
This marathon has all of the amenities of a big city marathon, but the friendly, kind people that you would expect to meet in a small town. Fargo is such a lovely city, and the people treated us really well. The marathon was very well organized and executed. everyone in town got behind it. It’s a very flat course through some very beautiful neighborhoods, where many of the neighbours would come out and support the runners. .
One of my favourite races ever
The people and the neighbourhoods of this beautiful town really make this a wonderful experience for visiting racers. The race is very well organized and participants are made to feel … MORE
The people and the neighbourhoods of this beautiful town really make this a wonderful experience for visiting racers. The race is very well organized and participants are made to feel very welcome. The race winds through a number of neighbourhoods and everybody comes out to support the runners. The course is very flat, the scenery is very pretty. The logistics of this race are top notch. My only complaint is that the anthem singer had no idea how to sing the Canadian national anthem, which was a little bit offensive, but that’s the only negative thing I can say about this whole experience ,
For the 50 state crowd, they emphasize saving the best for last, meaning that this is a special event, for those who have the other 49 states conquered, but honestly, I am very glad that I didn’t wait.
Full of energy and nice urban course.
Absolutely no complaints here, perfectly organized race. The announcer was fantastic, I'm from Tulsa and she does ours as well. Start and finish indoors, can't beat that. I stayed a … MORE
Absolutely no complaints here, perfectly organized race. The announcer was fantastic, I’m from Tulsa and she does ours as well. Start and finish indoors, can’t beat that. I stayed a 1/2 mile from start. Aid stations were awesome, course was well marked we had great weather until the headwind at the last couple of miles but so what. Free pictures and they were out to us that evening, spectacular!!! Really nice jacket, lightweight.
A great, fast course
Overall, the Fargo Marathon 2022 was excellent, though not without challenges. The course this year had to be rerouted twice due to flooding. The final course still started in the … MORE
Overall, the Fargo Marathon 2022 was excellent, though not without challenges. The course this year had to be rerouted twice due to flooding. The final course still started in the Fargo Dome and went through many of the same neighborhoods, but cut out most of the scenic paths along the river (they were all under water). The final course was flat, fast, and fun. There were a lot of pace groups in 5 minute intervals and the pacers I ran with (3:55 and 3:50) were excellent, encouraging, and entertaining. There were great fans throughout the course. Water/Powerade stops were available every two miles or so. The only downside in terms of the race is that they only had one GU stop at around 20 miles.
The swag this year was a nice change of pace from other races. Instead of a T-shirt, marathon runners received a warm jacket that will be useful for fall/winter running. The medal was fine–I think EnMotive uses the same medal for every event and just replaces the small medal in the middle, which isn’t as nice or as fun as a personalized medal, but it was still solid.
Overall, it was a great race. The race director should be applauded for making the race work despite the challenges of the river.
Beautiful run and perfect weather!
Easy race with a flat course, great training run for distances and working on speed. Town was awesome with a post race party and music throughout the course. Everyone was … MORE
Easy race with a flat course, great training run for distances and working on speed. Town was awesome with a post race party and music throughout the course. Everyone was extremely friendly and welcoming!
Go far in Fargo
Race expo, start, and finish were all at the Fargodome, home to the local college football team (North Dakota State). Plenty of free parking for every event, no need to … MORE
Race expo, start, and finish were all at the Fargodome, home to the local college football team (North Dakota State). Plenty of free parking for every event, no need to worry. It’s a hype atmosphere inside, waiting to start, and they sing both the Canadian and American national anthems.
The course changed for 2022 because of heavy flooding. IDK what it was in previous years, but for 2022 this means a LOT of neighborhoods. It’s hard to think of what else there even is on the course besides neighborhoods. We crossed into neighboring Moorhead, MN around mile 11, ran past their downtown, and onto two beautiful college campuses around mile 15 (Concordia-Moorhead and MSU-Moorhead). We come back to North Dakota around mile 18 and run through the pretty downtown at mile 23 before finishing inside the Fargodome. Shoutout to the guy at mile 21 with the sign that said, “Feeling tired? There’s a Taco Bell just ahead that will give you the runs!” That sign made my day.
Great crowd support for a small state like this–it rivals the best I’ve seen in Maine and Indiana. Cheap to register (~$85), free photos, great production, plenty of pacers. A perfect race to run if you are (A) a 50-stater, (B) trying to qualify for Boston, or (C) a local. If you aren’t one of those three, WTF are you even doing in Fargo?
Great race, amazing support
I loved this race. The fact that it starts and ends inside with bathrooms readily available? That in and of itself is a huge selling point! The community comes out … MORE
I loved this race. The fact that it starts and ends inside with bathrooms readily available? That in and of itself is a huge selling point! The community comes out big time to support runners and the swag is amazing! I am going to make this an annual race once all my fifty are done!
My overall experience
There was fantastic course entertainment, from bands, to dj’s and other things as well. The medal is super cool and I will be looking at a lot. All of the … MORE
There was fantastic course entertainment, from bands, to dj’s and other things as well. The medal is super cool and I will be looking at a lot. All of the event organizers were super friendly, and will definitely be making a return trip for the full marathon
Cool and mostly flat
Packet pickup was a breeze at the fargo dome. We stayed at an Airbnb about 5 minutes away from the Fargo Dome. Parking was very easy in the morning. The … MORE
Packet pickup was a breeze at the fargo dome. We stayed at an Airbnb about 5 minutes away from the Fargo Dome. Parking was very easy in the morning. The start is inside the dome. It was a little confusing as to where to drop your bags. A long line formed and we realized that was for the half because you couldn’t see the signs. Larger or higher signs would be better. You cannot obtain GPS prior to the start. At some point I ended up with more than .20 over the race distance.
The race had to be altered due to flooding. Many turns and the 10k spilled into the full. 10k gunners were 4-5 wide and I had to make my way around them. The race in 2022 was not as flat as I anticipated but it was mostly flat. The portions on sidewalks are not ideal. The city definitely was very supportive of runners for the most part. We did make our way to the 27th mile after party but it was just too cold to continue sitting outside. The weather was great for running.
Well Organized, Lots of Course Support
The expo was a trip around the Fargodome with lots of freebies and plenty of opportunities to buy merchandise. Since the start and finish are inside the done there are … MORE
The expo was a trip around the Fargodome with lots of freebies and plenty of opportunities to buy merchandise. Since the start and finish are inside the done there are plenty of restrooms and lots of room to talk, stretch, etc pre and post race. The half, marathon, and 10K were all the same day but the starts were staggered but have different courses at the start to reduce crowding. The course was altered days before the race due to flooding so we ran mostly in neighborhoods. But a lot of people were out cheering despite it being a little cold. The medal was the same as the 5K, just a different ribbon. The pullovers are nice but ran small. They let me trade up a size though. All the volunteers/workers were friendly and helpful. Post race was water, chocolate milk (Yay!!!), one beer or Truly, doughnuts (Yay!!!) , potato chips, and banana. Finishers were announced inside and the big screens showed those about to enter the dome and the finish line. I seriously diubt that North Dakota has a better race for 50 staters.