Garmin Marathon Toledo features fast, mostly flat courses for all race lengths — marathon, half-marathon, 10K and 5K. The marathon course is ideal for runners completing their first marathon or chasing a PR. Starting and finishing in downtown Toledo, the route highlights the city’s landmarks and natural beauty. Runners pass …
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Garmin Marathon Toledo features fast, mostly flat courses for all race lengths — marathon, half-marathon, 10K and 5K. The marathon course is ideal for runners completing their first marathon or chasing a PR. Starting and finishing in downtown Toledo, the route highlights the city’s landmarks and natural beauty.
Runners pass through Hensville, near the Toledo Museum of Art and along the Maumee River — crossing it twice. The course winds through the Glass City Metropark, past the Hollywood Casino and into the Rossford and Perrysburg communities.
Runners will trek through iconic Toledo scenery, including the W.W. Knight Nature Preserve and the Toledo Zoo, before finishing near Maumee Bay Brewing Co.
Start/finish: The race will begin and end at the intersection of Summit Street and Jefferson Avenue. Participants will head southwest on Summit Street from the start.
The Garmin Marathon Series is a celebration of community, connection and the joy of running. Created for runners, by our runners, our races blend competition with a fun, welcoming atmosphere for athletes of all levels.
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Great inaugural race by Garmin
This is located in downtown Toledo which is relatively dead at the weekend. There is huge ongoing investment in the riverfront area and within a short time this place is … MORE
This is located in downtown Toledo which is relatively dead at the weekend. There is huge ongoing investment in the riverfront area and within a short time this place is going to be a lot busier.
I really liked the course – relatively flat aside from 2 big bridges and a couple smaller ones. Interesting running through the various parts of downtown. Some beautiful parts near the river. Love the fact that they have huge paired murals on the big industrial buildings.
Crowd support was great and the volunteers did a truly fantastic job. For its first event – I think Garmin did a pretty stellar job too.
Loved the pulled pork as part of the finisher food.
First Garmin Race!
The race starts off strong, with a mostly flat and fast first eight miles. I felt like I was cruising, hitting my target splits and feeling fantastic. However, somewhere around … MORE
The race starts off strong, with a mostly flat and fast first eight miles. I felt like I was cruising, hitting my target splits and feeling fantastic. However, somewhere around mile 8, the humidity must have caught up with me. My legs started to feel heavy, and I struggled to maintain pace for the rest of the race. It was a classic “bonking” scenario. The streets were lined with spectators who cheered non-stop, their energy a much-needed push when I felt like giving up. While the community support was fantastic, a minor disappointment was the lack of 1:35 and 1:40 pace groups. Not the end of the world, but it was a bit of a surprise on race day.
The course itself has a couple of memorable features to note. You run over a grated drawbridge. While it’s a neat experience, you have to be careful with your footing to avoid turning an ankle. The biggest challenge, though, comes late in the race. At mile 12(ish), the high-level bridge presents a tough incline. It’s a brutal climb, especially after you’ve already pushed yourself for the previous miles. It’s a moment that tests your mental and physical fortitude. The saving grace is that you get the decline as you make the turn onto the home stretch. You then cross the finish line on a gentle incline, but thankfully the crowd “brings you home” and you hardly notice.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this race. A lot of my “cons” were due to my personal running. The race coordination itself was amazing and I would love to run the course again!
Excellent inaugural race
This was Garmin’s first race and they didn’t disappoint! The swag bag included very practical tools including a tech shirt and for all distances run. The scenery was a mix … MORE
This was Garmin’s first race and they didn’t disappoint! The swag bag included very practical tools including a tech shirt and for all distances run. The scenery was a mix of city and the river. It has some elevation gains – including the last mile there’s a high level bridge that increases 100ft elevation. If you plan ahead for it – you’ll be ok. Strong support of fuel on course including gels twice, Gatorade and water and porta potties throughout the course. The community supported well too. Weather was average for early fall. Local runner pacers were available at good paces. I used one the first mile to set my pace well and she was helpful. I liked the out and back of part of the course. It was good to see other runners!
A perfect half marathon
This might be my new favorite race. Flat, fast, beautifully organized, and full of great energy. I even came away with a PR, so maybe I’m biased—but everything about this … MORE
This might be my new favorite race. Flat, fast, beautifully organized, and full of great energy. I even came away with a PR, so maybe I’m biased—but everything about this experience was smooth and runner-friendly.
Packet pickup at the Glass City Convention Center was well-run and efficient. The expo itself was a nice size—big enough to feel exciting without being overwhelming. As a bonus, I was able to test out (and ultimately buy) a new Garmin watch since my old one died the week before. Great timing for Garmin’s inaugural half!
The course is flat, fast, and scenic. The course winds through varied areas so you’re never stuck staring at the same stretch for too long. Crowd support was steady, and the pacers were excellent. The bridge at mile 12 was the biggest mental test, but nothing too intimidating. Weather this year was perfect.
I can’t wait to run this again next year!