Missoula Marathon
Missoula, MT
- Marathon, Wheelchair Marathon, Half Marathon, Wheelchair Half Marathon, 5K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Missoula Marathon is the brainchild of a group of local, dedicated members of Run Wild Missoula who want to share the area’s beauty and Missoula’s unique feel with runners from all over. Run Wild Missoula is a non-profit, 501(c)3 running club with the mission to support and promote running … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jun 27):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 52 | 74 | 65 | 74 | 94 |
| L (°F) | 47 | 58 | 50 | 53 | 48 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Rainy but Amazing!
Montana in general and Missoula specifically is about the friendliest place I’ve ever been and this race really showed it. Weather was actually pretty decent for runners (chilly, rainy, no … MORE
Montana in general and Missoula specifically is about the friendliest place I’ve ever been and this race really showed it. Weather was actually pretty decent for runners (chilly, rainy, no chance of overheating) but must have been miserable for volunteers. No matter, they were amazing, encouraging, and enthusiastic even into the 5th hour of the marathon! Course is beautiful (would have been more so with less fog and cloud cover) and the hill in the middle (miles 13-15) was no joke, but this one deserves its reputation and is 100 percent worth the time and travel!
Must do race
I really enjoyed this race. It's doable with or without a car. I stayed downtown and walked everywhere. I did the Big 3 Challenge which was the beer run Friday, … MORE
I really enjoyed this race. It’s doable with or without a car. I stayed downtown and walked everywhere.
I did the Big 3 Challenge which was the beer run Friday, 5K Saturday, and Half on Sunday. The treat for that was a nice medal hanger saying Missoula Marathon. People were great, friendly. They definitely had enough volunteers that any issue was promptly taken care of. Plenty of water stops. This was a pretty flat race which was good for me cause my knee was acting up.
Most amazing race I’ve ever participated
So manny amazing people participate and cheer you on you really feel special when running this race! Even if you run it alone you always have someone to run beside … MORE
So manny amazing people participate and cheer you on you really feel special when running this race! Even if you run it alone you always have someone to run beside and you make so many new friends!!! 100% recommend!!
Beautiful Course
Really enjoyed this race. The elevation is around 3,200 feet so if you're coming from sea level, recommend running a couple days there before the race. Weather was perfect, mid … MORE
Really enjoyed this race. The elevation is around 3,200 feet so if you’re coming from sea level, recommend running a couple days there before the race. Weather was perfect, mid 40s with a little drizzle.
Parking for the race was pretty easy. We found a spot on the street right outside of the university. Bus lines were organized, steady flow getting on.
Pre-race start was lively. While it didn’t seem like there were a lot of port-a-lets, the line went pretty fast.
Start had a bit of a stagger. It was a little crowded early on but then it thinned out (about 3,200 people for the half). First half of the course was so beautiful. Lots of downhill. 2nd half was nice, but more residential. Saw some horses and goats in the 2nd half. Lots of aid stations with great volunteers. It’s a pretty quiet course so if you need constant crowd support or entertainment, this isn’t the race for you.
Energetic finish line. Post race food was a cold veggie noodle bowl. They also had Core Protein drink, beer and a few other things.
Overall, I recommend this race. If you’re trained up and acclimated to the elevation, definitely a PR course!
Great Montana Race
Everything was well organized and put together. I'm from NY so the elevation was a bit of a struggle for me. Water stations were well manned and fully stocked. Crowds … MORE
Everything was well organized and put together. I’m from NY so the elevation was a bit of a struggle for me. Water stations were well manned and fully stocked. Crowds were fun, scenery was beautiful. A deer actually ran out in the course around mile 11.5. As a city girl, that was the highlight of the race. Details on the medal were nicely done! From start to finish I have no complaints except that gradual incline was very deceiving
A Race by Runners, For Runners
This race is well-organized, provides clear communication, pays attention to the small details that matter to runners, and is put on by an enthusiastic and friendly running community. TRAVEL: - … MORE
This race is well-organized, provides clear communication, pays attention to the small details that matter to runners, and is put on by an enthusiastic and friendly running community.
TRAVEL:
– Missoula Marathon offers travel discounts for flights and has a partner hotel with limited rooms — look at the FAQ’s on their website for travel discounts before booking
– The MSO Airport is small, clean, efficient, and I highly recommend using this airport.
– You can get downtown with free public transportation via https://mountainline.com/ or a quick 15-20min. Lyft/Uber
– **If you have an early departing flight after the race and are using Lyft/Uber to get to the airport, request/schedule the prior afternoon as real-time availability in the early morning is limited**
– I stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn Downtown which I highly recommend. It is within walking distance (1-2 blocks) of the expo and the Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning; it is a 0.75 mile walk to the shuttle pick-up on U of MT campus on race morning (I recommend doing a trial run/walk the day prior to map out the walk in the morning); the hotel is walking distance to restaurants, shops, and 2 blocks from the local running store; the hotel rooms also have a kitchen if you want to prepare any meals.
EXPO:
– The expo is small and efficient — has running fuel and gear in case you need it. Everyone was very friendly and down-to-earth.
– The swag included a drop bag that is reusable knapsack, instead of a clear, plastic one, and the bib is in the shape of MT which I though was a nice touch
– The short-sleeved tech t-shirt was true to size
RACE:
– We took a one-way shuttle to the start and volunteers were there to ensure you were on the right shuttle
– Once at the start, it was over an hour of just huddling outside in the cold/rain/wind for that day since I was on the first shuttle; besides the weather (40s), it was plenty of time to stretch, each breakfast, drop bag, use port-a-potties, etc. They also provided water, coffee, and bagels which is a nice touch.
– The first 9-10 miles are pretty straight and flat. Farmlands and hills for scenery. Nice stretch to just settle into your pace but did get repetitive.
– There is a long, gentle hill/incline at miles 12-13, and then a short, steep climb at mile 14.5-15. This was not too difficult for me as I train on hills, but it did negatively affect many runners. Then it’s all downhill (literally).
– The course is otherwise flat before and after the hills in the middle section
– The course is at approx. 3k elevation. I train at sea level and did not feel like it affected me.
– The last 10 miles are in town, the residents come out to cheer you on, although we may have had a muted experience due to the rain.
– There are a lot of turns towards the end, so trust your watch and the mile markers, and know that you are closing in on the finish despite the multiple turns
– Local police kept traffic blocked for us
– Aid stations were frequent and fully stocked, no issues getting what I needed. Each station had plenty of volunteers and each station was prepared. They are every 2-2.5 miles for the first portion, and then more frequent in the latter miles — just what you need
– We merged with the half marathon at mile 15.6 and there were orange cones keeping marathoners to the left all the way to the finish
FINISH AREA:
– After finishing they provided the medal, water, and then post-race food by a local catering company (post-race area is in the same park as the expo). The food was underwhelming but healthy — a rice noodle bowl with cabbage and edamame. And ice bins with Coke products and Core Power milk. Very disappointing but also refreshing to not see just bananas and junk food.
– There are also food and coffee trucks in the finish area and restaurants within a few blocks downtown
Overall a great experience and I highly recommend to every runner!
Great race to complete the 50th States
I am a veteran of more that 100 distance events. I would put this race with the very best including the likes of Boston and Chicago. The organization was outstanding. … MORE
I am a veteran of more that 100 distance events. I would put this race with the very best including the likes of Boston and Chicago. The organization was outstanding. The volunteers were friendly and well prepared. They also stuck it out during a rainy day. (Ive seen volunteers bail when the weather is bad). The course is scenic with only one hill ironically on “Big Flat Road”. I didn’t but I think you could run this race fast on a good day. If you can swing it the Earl’s VIP package was worth it. Coach bus to the start. Lost of swag.
Fantastic and very well organized race!
This was an extremely fun but also tricky run with a steep hill about halfway through. Perfect for a beginner. I have absolutely no complaints. The volunteers were absolutely wonderful … MORE
This was an extremely fun but also tricky run with a steep hill about halfway through. Perfect for a beginner. I have absolutely no complaints. The volunteers were absolutely wonderful and everything was well thought out and organized. The most organized event I have ever encountered.
Great race
This was my first ever half marathon last year and I had to do it again. It's put on well for the most part. The course is pretty flat and … MORE
This was my first ever half marathon last year and I had to do it again. It’s put on well for the most part. The course is pretty flat and there’s often a lot of spectators. Overall I highly recommend.
Everything was perfect!
Beautiful course! Amazing volunteers and exceptional experience! From volunteering at the Expo, running in the Beer Run, participating in the Tony Banovich 5K and finally the Half Marathon… everything was … MORE
Beautiful course! Amazing volunteers and exceptional experience! From volunteering at the Expo, running in the Beer Run, participating in the Tony Banovich 5K and finally the Half Marathon… everything was PERFRCT! I can’t wait for next year!
Great weekend for the whole family
Great point to point race course. Amazing community support. Events for the whole family. The course is great rain or when it is sunny. Good communication from the race organizations. MORE
Great point to point race course. Amazing community support. Events for the whole family. The course is great rain or when it is sunny. Good communication from the race organizations.
Great Production. Beautiful course
“The last best race”. Expo: Smaller, but everything I need. It is right at Caras Park near downtown and where the finish line will be. If you go on Saturday … MORE
“The last best race”.
Expo: Smaller, but everything I need. It is right at Caras Park near downtown and where the finish line will be. If you go on Saturday morning they also had an amazing farmers market with lots of yummy sourdough options. The expo had a free hair braiding table which was a huge plus for me. It was easy to grab your bib and bag and check out some vendors.
Race Day: The race was at 6:00am. I stayed at Renaissance hotel downtown because I wanted to be close the finish line. Getting to the race start was a breeze. It was about 15 min walk to Adams Center at the University of Montana to jump on a school bus shuttle which takes you to the start in Frenchtown. You need to be on the shuttle by 5:00am. It was a cooler morning with very light rain. We really lucked out with the weather since it remained cooler with clouds and light rain picking up again around 8:30. They had many porta potties at the start and at the shuttle pickup. All marathoners start together with no corrals. It was a smooth race start. They also had small fireworks to kick us off.
Course: Mostly road with a small section on the sidewalk. This course seems flat when you run, but there is a slight incline and minor hill slightly after mile 13. This course is beautiful. You run along lush green mountains with a couple river water passings. You also run in tall trees and neighborhoods. I really enjoyed the scenery in the 1st 15 miles and then it becomes more residential. Toward the end of the course the road has a ton of roundabouts which I found annoying since I just wanted to run in a straight line. The half marathoners do not start with the full marathoners (Loved this). We come together in the latter half of mile 15. They do a great job of full marathoners on the left of the road and half marathoners on the right. It was pretty quiet course until we got closer to the end, even then there weren’t a ton a spectators likely due to the rain, but the ones who showed up in the rain brought their energy!
Fuel/Hydration: No issues. Every couple of miles there was water & Powerade. There were handful of stations with fuel (GU). They had plenty for everyone and honestly one of the better race productions I have seen.
Other: The volunteers and police were amazing, so nice! Plus all the runners also seemed so happy. It was a such a perfectly organized event. Good job to the race director. It is my ideal size with 1,700 full marathoners.
Overall, I highly recommend this race. It had easy logistics. A beautiful course and wonderful day.
One of my new favorites
A very well-organized and a perfect-sized race - small enough for easy logistics but large enough so you are with other runners throughout the course. The shuttle to the start … MORE
A very well-organized and a perfect-sized race – small enough for easy logistics but large enough so you are with other runners throughout the course. The shuttle to the start line was a breeze with multiple pickup locations. The marathon course takes you along beautiful farmlands for the first 20 miles before winding through Missoula’s neighborhoods and into downtown. It was a net uphill course but it didn’t feel like that at all except one pretty big hill in the middle. They also had aid stations every couple miles with a few more toward the end. All in all, I highly recommend Missoula Marathon for those who want to run Montana and those who like mid-sized races.
Point to Point, Fun
Pros: - Good organization. Lots of logistics that they do right. Fun, smallish expo. - Swag. Great medal, great technical shirt and trucker hat. Cons: - The bussing could be … MORE
Pros:
– Good organization. Lots of logistics that they do right. Fun, smallish expo.
– Swag. Great medal, great technical shirt and trucker hat.
Cons:
– The bussing could be better. I waited in our bus for about 45 mins before it left. Not sure why, but when the race starts so early every minute counts.
– Almost no food at the finish line, just water and a milk.
– Holiday Inn at the finish line. Excellent service (they will come get you at the airport and also drive you anywhere within a 5 mile radius during your stay), however they’re undergoing significant renovations so lots of construction work. I’d confirm with them that it’s over before booking again.
An absolute must
It's easy to see why this race is so highly rated! Race production - Great communications leading up to the event; I felt all my questions were answered. Very nice … MORE
It’s easy to see why this race is so highly rated!
Race production – Great communications leading up to the event; I felt all my questions were answered. Very nice touch having packet pick up at the airport until the last plane landed. Given the size of the race, the only thing I would have liked to see different was the start could have benefitted from waves and corrals based on estimated pace. Walkers were scattered throughout the shoot and made the first couple of miles rather congestion
Course – Starts off in gorgeous rural areas and slowly works it’s way into residential before ending in a very festive downtown. Run support was pretty solid most of the course. There were plenty of runners so you never worried about directions but there was still plenty of signage and volunteers making sure you stayed on track
Aid stations – a little spread out the first 5ish miles but then became pretty frequent. I only remember seeing water and electrolytes but all the stations were staffed with plenty of people
Swag – higher end of quality and originality. Very nice merchandise at the Expo and finisher’s area at pretty reasonable prices
Beautiful even with the rain
Beautiful, flat course. It was perfect for someone who’s never ran a half marathon before. Lots of volunteers and everything ran smoothly. There was never a time where you could … MORE
Beautiful, flat course. It was perfect for someone who’s never ran a half marathon before. Lots of volunteers and everything ran smoothly. There was never a time where you could be lost. Lots of hydration stations. 10/10 would recommend
Despite the rain, a great race!
Glad I did this race for state #41! Really well produced event. I stayed within walking distance to the shuttles which was nice, super organized and efficient and not too … MORE
Glad I did this race for state #41! Really well produced event. I stayed within walking distance to the shuttles which was nice, super organized and efficient and not too long of a drive to the start. Lots of time and space to warm up. It rainedddd and rained – which was perfect for running, and it was a great course.
Lots of scenic views and some residential, ending in a cool area of downtown. Saw goats and horses along the way! Elevation is no joke coming from living at sea level, but plenty of aid stations.
Great volunteers. My only piece of feedback was around retrieving our gear bags – for some reason one truck accounted for about 1200 numbers, compared to the others had only 600-800. It was a crazy long line and just freezing and raining standing forever. I didn’t even check out any post race food because I was so frigid I had to flea the scene.
All in all – great, well-organized event. Lots of fun shops and cafes to check out in Missoula. Super nice people. Great medal and the bib was in the shape of Montana. Bought a cute sweatshirt at the expo. Def recommend!
Great race! Amazing volunteers
This was a really fun 5k around Missoula, with a great little jaunt through the campus and across the river on a really cool bridge. My only real "complaint" was … MORE
This was a really fun 5k around Missoula, with a great little jaunt through the campus and across the river on a really cool bridge. My only real “complaint” was i wish the expo was bigger! There were only a few swag options to buy, would be cool to have more! Especially hats. Overall great experience and look forward to the marathon next year!
The Missuola Half Delivered!
Expanded by ~20%, still tight and polished: Cold rain and unseasonably chilly temps couldn’t dull the magic of the net‑downhill, point‑to‑point Missoula Half. Stunning scenery along the river, crisp mountain … MORE
Expanded by ~20%, still tight and polished:
Cold rain and unseasonably chilly temps couldn’t dull the magic of the net‑downhill, point‑to‑point Missoula Half. Stunning scenery along the river, crisp mountain air, and the whole town that shows up to impress. From the expo to police cheering on runners, the vibe made it a perfect destination race for out‑of‑towners. Flying in from SoCal made it an unforgettable weekend getaway, and a 2:12 time felt admirable given the weather. I’d absolutely run it again.
Nearly flawless logistics
This was my 11th marathon, and I have to say everything about this race is perfect for those coming from out of town. Here are my thoughts! - Getting in … MORE
This was my 11th marathon, and I have to say everything about this race is perfect for those coming from out of town. Here are my thoughts!
– Getting in and out of airport is easy. There are a good number of flights from major hubs such as Dallas, Minneapolis and Seattle. Not hard to reach!
– Plenty of downtown hotels that are close to finish line and within walking distance of the shuttles. Had a minimal wait for a shuttle and was at the start line with an hour to spare. Once at starting line, there was coffee, water and bagels.
– The first half of the marathon is very flat with few turns. Very easy to settle into a rhythm. Once you hit about mile 14, there is a steep climb. Once you’re past that, it is briefly downhill, but once you go downhill, there is a slight net uphill to the finish line. It’s not hateful. Totally a doable PR/BQ course, but if you’re looking for the fastest possible course, or on the brink of being able to BQ, you might find a course that will shave a minute or two off.
– The finish line has a festival feel. It was nice that they have a large seating area under a tent for runners to enjoy a drink and free light meal. Very few marathons seem to offer this, so I found that as a nice touch.
– Another benefit to this race is it’s one of the few that offers Marathon Foto services for free!!! Not many marathons seem to do that these days!
– my only suggestion for race organizers is to specify the v neck is a women’s cut.