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):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 74 | 65 | 74 | 94 | 94 |
| L (°F) | 58 | 50 | 53 | 48 | 56 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Must-Do Missoula!
This is my favorite half marathon experience to date! Please run the Missoula Half Marathon, I promise you will not be disappointed. I went for a long weekend adventure with … MORE
This is my favorite half marathon experience to date! Please run the Missoula Half Marathon, I promise you will not be disappointed. I went for a long weekend adventure with my daughter and we had the best time. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Missoula, which is in a great location right next to the Expo/Farmer’s Market/Finish Line. They provided a shuttle to/from the airport as well as to the start line bus loading area on race morning! They were incredibly welcoming to the runners. The race itself is so well-organized. Buses to the start line ran smoothly. The course is beautiful, which made the time fly by. It felt flat and fast. The crowd support is top-notch, complete with someone playing the grand piano in his yard! The town really turns out for this event. This race is very back-of-the-pack friendly with a long time limit and plenty of well-stocked aid stations. The medal is beautiful! After the race we walked the trail along the Fort Clark River outside the hotel, explored the U of Montana campus, and enjoyed huckleberry ice cream at the Big Dipper. I hope to come back and run this race again!
Beautiful race
Great location and college town- very beautiful! Make sure to go to glacier national park which is only an hour or so away by gorgeous drive! MORE
Great location and college town- very beautiful! Make sure to go to glacier national park which is only an hour or so away by gorgeous drive!
Best Pre-race Logistics
I LOVED this race. From the people to the organization and the scenery, it was wonderful. I have never seen such an awesome set up at a start line. TONS … MORE
I LOVED this race. From the people to the organization and the scenery, it was wonderful. I have never seen such an awesome set up at a start line. TONS of prota potties, extra bags, safety pins, etc. Overall, just a great race.
Run Wild!
This was a great race and I'm so glad this was the race I choose for Montana. Missoula was overall a beautiful town, not too big not too small with … MORE
This was a great race and I’m so glad this was the race I choose for Montana. Missoula was overall a beautiful town, not too big not too small with plenty to do. I was so impressed and grateful for the ability to pick up my race bib at the airport. This was a feature that I have not seen offered before and I really appreciated it. I was not a big fan of the need to shuttle out to the start and wished there was a covered area that would have been offered with a bit of warmth. While we had the whole road to ourselves to start many participants that walked the race started with the runners and walked 4-5 people wide, which was a tricky to get around. I’m not a real serious runners, so the middle of pack is where I tried to start. Outside of these two things, the course has fantastic scenery with mountains and creeks throughout. The course was surprisingly flat and the community support was very nice. The finish across the bridge was really a fun way to end the race. The after party was well organized and had options for everyone. It was overall a fantastic race. Well done!!
Last best run is right
Super fun community event. Logistics ran SO smoothly - the volunteers were fantastic, the running community was inclusive, fun, and supportive, and the course was stacked with spectators and some … MORE
Super fun community event. Logistics ran SO smoothly – the volunteers were fantastic, the running community was inclusive, fun, and supportive, and the course was stacked with spectators and some calm time as well. I really enjoyed participating.
Flat, Fast & Fun
My partner and I moved to Missoula from Colorado a little over a year ago, and I decided training for the half would be great motivation in our new home. … MORE
My partner and I moved to Missoula from Colorado a little over a year ago, and I decided training for the half would be great motivation in our new home. I’ve completed the Moab Trail Half twice, which is a butt-kicker, so compared to that, this race was easy. Flat, fast, and fun. There were people cheering on the course the entire way, which really kept the energy and vibes high. Locals had sprinklers on and snacks along the course, and the route was well supported — one of the best I’ve seen in all of my years of running and biking. The end party was well organized and fun, as was packet pickup. Despite the large crowds, everything was organized well and went smoothly. My only recommendation for the race organizers is to offer locals a drop-off point so we don’t have to take the buses in the morning. (I totally understand why it’s organized the way it is, though!)
I also completed the “Big 3 Challenge,” which was a fun way to round out the entire weekend. As an employee at UM, it was fun to run through campus during the Beer Run and on the 5K and hear people talking about the beauty of the campus. We definitely agree. Go Griz! 🙂
I love Missoula and you will too!!
This was such a fun destination race! I brought my whole family, ran the 5k with my older daughter, my younger two kids ran in the kid's fun run, and … MORE
This was such a fun destination race! I brought my whole family, ran the 5k with my older daughter, my younger two kids ran in the kid’s fun run, and I did the half marathon to round out the weekend before we added on a Glacier and Yellowstone family vacation. We stayed at the Hilton Doubletree which was great because we could walk to everything. It was a little farther to the 5k, Kids Run, and Packet Pickup but I was able to walk right to the buses at the college the morning of the half, so it was a perfect location for us. It was a little pricey and they didn’t offer anything special (sometimes the partner hotels will provide breakfast bags or something). The packet pickup went really smooth, and they had a ton of fun giveaways for the kids. We were also able to grab some bananas and bottles of water. Loved the 5k t-shirt and the kid’s capes. Didn’t love the half shirt as much (just not a fan of the technical fabric). The 5k course was nice as was the kids run. After the 5k they didn’t hand out any drinks or snacks though and during the kids run they just got chocolate milk at the end. I’ve been to a lot of 5k’s with some additional snacks or at least bottles of water. There was a farmer’s market going on and that was amazing, so we walked over and grabbed food from there – I’m sure they had great business that day! The morning of the half I left the hotel around 5:30am – you were supposed to be at the buses by 6am and I wanted to give myself plenty of time. It was an easy walk and there were plenty of other people walking over at the same time. The bus ride was organized and when we arrived at the starting location there was plenty of room to stretch out and port-a-pots. I don’t know why we needed to be there an hour before the race started but didn’t mind sitting and waiting. It was a beautiful course and in places there was lots of crowd support. It was hot and sunny, and I got the impression that they changed the start time and course because some people commented on the sun being out earlier. The front runners of the marathon started catching up to us when we merged with that course around mile 4. The marathon started at 6am while the half started at 7am. It was only the front runners, and they had a cyclist with them to lead the way but there wasn’t a split course until a few miles later. Then there was a small portion that seemed to be on a running trail so that was a little tight and was really challenging for a bike to pass and someone made a comment about why they made the course like that which made me think it was different than prior years. Great after party and loved the medals – I just grabbed a bunch of food/snacks and went back to the hotel so we could get moving but overall, it was a great race, and I would absolutely recommend and totally do again if I was in the area!
Flat, scenic, well managed race
Excellent day in 2025, 50 degrees at start, warm by the end. It's smart they started at 6am. Shuttles to start worked well, they added a stop near my hotel … MORE
Excellent day in 2025, 50 degrees at start, warm by the end. It’s smart they started at 6am. Shuttles to start worked well, they added a stop near my hotel so I didn’t have to go downtown. I liked that half-marathon started in a different place and time, it made the marathon shuttles and start line less hectic. With over 1100 marathoners, it was a lot of people to deal with. Race crew and management was flawless. I liked the city, lots of good brewpub and restaurants. Plenty of hotels, although in late June it’s high season and they were pricey. Highly recommended overall!
Last Best Race, Last Best Place!
First time in Missoula, second ever half marathon. Missoula was INCREDIBLE! Beautiful course with little difficulty. As someone at sea level, the altitude was noticeable, but not inhibiting. Very kind … MORE
First time in Missoula, second ever half marathon. Missoula was INCREDIBLE! Beautiful course with little difficulty. As someone at sea level, the altitude was noticeable, but not inhibiting. Very kind race organizers and volunteers. Great for fast runners AND for back of the packers. I hope to back to run this race soon!
Flat half marathon - great community!
I ran the half marathon and had a wonderful time! The course runs though Missoula so it is all paved road-running. You could definitely see mountains every once in a … MORE
I ran the half marathon and had a wonderful time! The course runs though Missoula so it is all paved road-running. You could definitely see mountains every once in a while, but mostly it’s an urban race. Race packet pick up was easy in Caras Park, and they even have a free Beer 5K “race” (no time) on Friday evening that provides all finishers with a free beer at the end! The tshirt was a really nice technical shirt. You had to take a shuttle to the starting line. Shuttle pick up was near the university. I walked to the shuttle pickup from my hotel downtown, which was about 0.8 miles away. Course support was enthusiastic – if there weren’t people cheering you on, there were plenty of creative signs to motivate you! Water stops were about every few miles or so. The full marathon starts an hour before the half marathon, and at around mile 5-6 of the half, the full marathoners merge in with the course. Weather was perfect this year – low 50’s at the start and exceptionally sunny throughout the morning, warming up to mid 60’s. The finisher medal was really nice. Lots of goodies at the finish line – pasta salad and roll, bananas, water, sports drink, and bagged snacks. We enjoyed our weekend in Missoula. Run Wild Missoula puts on a great race weekend! Highly recommend!
Marvelous Montana
The race expo was outside in a wonderful park. Please be aware that parking for the expo can be a challenge. The course started out in a rural area, but … MORE
The race expo was outside in a wonderful park. Please be aware that parking for the expo can be a challenge. The course started out in a rural area, but scenic with mountains in the distance. The race support was great. I am not a fan of the yellow shirt, but the production overall to make this a destination race was great.
Such a fun race
So many aid stations, awesome medal, great people, very scenic, pretty flat, great atmosphere. Missoula is such a fun place and this was such a fun race. MORE
So many aid stations, awesome medal, great people, very scenic, pretty flat, great atmosphere. Missoula is such a fun place and this was such a fun race.
Beautiful race and course!
Incredible race. Flat most of the time which made it super smooth. There many aid stations with water and fuel so if you don’t bring a running vest/belt, you still … MORE
Incredible race. Flat most of the time which made it super smooth. There many aid stations with water and fuel so if you don’t bring a running vest/belt, you still have options. Weather was perfect as the start time helped runners avoid extreme heat. Excellent swag as well.
This was my first marathon
This was my first marathon and it will always have a special place in my heart. I am happy that in MT the humidity was low, I got to Missoula … MORE
This was my first marathon and it will always have a special place in my heart. I am happy that in MT the humidity was low, I got to Missoula at 12:30 am. Got three hours of sleep, but I still finished strong!
Amazing
This race set the bar high for my first ever half marathon. Everything from the production to volunteers to course scenery to amazing spectators was everything I hoped for and … MORE
This race set the bar high for my first ever half marathon. Everything from the production to volunteers to course scenery to amazing spectators was everything I hoped for and more. I was recommended this race by many and it did not disappoint! The only thing I’m concerned about is finding another race that lives up to what this race was. This will be a yearly tradition for me from now on!
Outstanding "Perfect" Montana Marathon
This race was my 15th marathon in 13 states, so I'll give this review with a 50-state mindset. I used to live in Montana years ago, so I was very … MORE
This race was my 15th marathon in 13 states, so I’ll give this review with a 50-state mindset. I used to live in Montana years ago, so I was very familiar with Missoula, and knew this would be a good race with decent scenery, and that it was pretty well run. As it turns out, this race largely exceeded my expectations. I’d call it a “perfect race” (maybe the best, maybe not, but likely to be top-tier for the typical 50-stater)–well executed, pretty course, great support and logistics. If I had to pout about anything, the race shirt and medal were “meh,” but I’m not a huge bling guy anyway. The one unexpected aspect (even though I could have probably just looked at a map and figured this out) was that this was largely, or 2/3rds an open rural course–so there wasn’t really much crowd support, and I’d call it light in town until the last mile or so.
The marathon is clearly a runner’s race, as the expo was large for the race size, and well organized, and in a fun location (Caras Park). That gave a good festive vibe. I’m not a huge expo fan, but this was a good one for setting positive expectations the next day.
The Start: The race day logistics were excellent. It’s a point-to-point with no drop-off at the start, and I stayed at a hotel near the bus pick-up. That all went incredibly smoothly. At the start, there was music, fireworks, coffee (I did see they ran out I think), bread, bananas, plenty of latrines–the relatively cold morning was tolerable.
The Course: The race itself was just a nice course, which was through farmland/country road, with occasional crowd support (typically other runners’ families), and the occasional sprinkler set out to cool off the runners. All very nice. The course had a decent shake-out hill at miles 12-14–not awful, but definitely noticeable. Then, around mile 16 or so, the course started to enter the outskirts of town and into it and to the finish line, which was on a bridge right next to Caras Park, and kind of a cool finish line spot. The route through town was rather unremarkable, but not unpleasant, and again, I’d say that the crowd support was light.
The Support: The support for runners was really top-notch. The aid stations were typically spread out about 2 miles apart and were all clearly marked, fully staffed and supported, with plenty of room and clear communication as to what was at the station (always powerade first, water second), and a decent amount of porta-potties at each of the stations. I recall that Gu was given out at about maybe 2-4 of the stations, and some snacks at tables near (but sometimes those were probably not connected directly to the race itself). Again, the crowd support may have been light, but the actual race support from race staff and legions of volunteers, was absolutely outstanding–my hat’s off to them.
All in all, I was really grateful I made this my Montana race, it was quite a treat. Thanks to all those folks who put on a great race.
One of the best race weekends!
This was my first time in Missoula running my first half marathon and had one of these best times of my life! The information provided before hand was super helpful … MORE
This was my first time in Missoula running my first half marathon and had one of these best times of my life! The information provided before hand was super helpful in planning accordingly for my arrival and check-in to the race weekend. The check-in process was fairly smooth and they were not lying when they said there are long lines at the start of check-in, but moved quickly, so make sure you plan accordingly. The race expo itself was a bit crowded given the smaller venue size but everyone seemed to still enjoy themselves.
I signed up to complete the Big 3 Challenge which includes participating in the Beer Run, the Tony Banovich 5K and either the half or full Missoula Marathon. The beer run was great in getting to know the area, meeting some of your fellow runners and of course the free drink of choice at the end. The 5K took you through parts of downtown then through the beautiful campus of the University of Montana and back to downtown along the Clark Fork River. They had one aid station halfway through the course which was very welcomed as the day warmed up and the volunteers were great in cheering runners on up to the finish line.
For the half marathon, the arrival to the bus loading area went very smoothly with all of the volunteers helping to guide cars to the parking lot. There was plenty of signage leading up to the area as well. In getting to the bus the volunteers were great in making sure you knew which bus to get on and working with the drivers to ensure groups could get on together. The short drive to the start line provided a chance for me to collect my thoughts and sit in the moment that the day was finally here! As soon as we stepped off the bus the volunteers were very welcoming and cheering runners on as we gathered in the start area and the announcer made sure to keep everyone informed of the race start, where restrooms were located (which there were plenty of!) and when bag check had started.
The course itself was GORGEOUS and was fairly flat after the first couple miles! I had not planned on using my phone throughout the course but I couldn’t help keeping my phone in hand and taking as many pictures as I could. The volunteers and spectators along the course were AMAZING! Anytime I needed a mental boost I would look to them and the many signs they had while cheering runners on or waiting for their loved ones to come by. The aid stations were very well organized and seemed very well spaced out throughout the course. The final stretch across the bridge to the finish line was unreal and was super excited to hear my name being called as I crossed the finish and received my finisher medal.
I heard from so many people how great this event was and how well organized everything was and I have to fully agree! The only minor issue I had was regarding the t-shirt exchange, but that did not ruin my overall experience from the weekend and was able to get things exchanged fairly quickly afterwards.
If you are looking for a new race or are looking to run your first half or full marathon, I would highly recommend the Missoula Marathon!
Beautiful scenic race with great support
I was impressed with the way the entire town supported this race, from radio ads to billboards. The course was fairly flat, a few rolling hills, tons of aid stations … MORE
I was impressed with the way the entire town supported this race, from radio ads to billboards. The course was fairly flat, a few rolling hills, tons of aid stations and awesome smiling volunteers throughout. Every turn was well marked. The production was great, smooth sailing except for transportation back to parking. It’s a point to point race with no parking at the finish. Massive numbers of school buses picked us up in the morning for the start, but one little short bus making 15 minute round trips at the finish meant a 30 minute wait to get to the car after the race. We almost missed our air bnb check out time. The finish line food was a cold pasta salad. Fancy, but didn’t sit well on a hot day and judging from the amount they had left I wasn’t alone. I would highly recommend this race, just plan for extra time at the end or stay at one of the host hotels in walking distance
Flat, fun, fantastic race!
This race is very well-run and has a fantastic atmosphere with hundreds of incredible volunteers helping out and hundreds of locals out cheering along the course. Despite being a mountain … MORE
This race is very well-run and has a fantastic atmosphere with hundreds of incredible volunteers helping out and hundreds of locals out cheering along the course. Despite being a mountain town the course is flat, it starts early so there’s no fear of it getting too hot, and it’s very scenic (especially the first few miles). Absolutely will do again and would recommend to anyone!
Feels good to be back!
I was diagnosed with a torn labrum in my right hip after finishing the Flying Pig Marathon in 2023 and for the next 12 months I was unable to run … MORE
I was diagnosed with a torn labrum in my right hip after finishing the Flying Pig Marathon in 2023 and for the next 12 months I was unable to run with any regularity at all and had to face the realization that my time running was over. But, in December last year I started using the Galloway method after a recommendation from a friend and I was able to learn how to use the run/walk method to keep the hip from stopping me. That got me to Missoula and my first 26.2 in over 2 years and Montana did not disappoint. Smaller town events like this can be amazing if they are run well and Missoula is a well oiled machine. Getting to Missoula was easy (direct flight from Dallas), rental car pickup took 5 minutes and my hotel was easily the most unique I have stayed (The Loge Hotel, super nice, built for outdoor adventurers which the hammock hanging over the bed makes very clear).
The Expo is small but one of those that has pretty much anything you need and not much that you don’t. There is a downtown park that serves as the base of operations for the weekend events, it’s small but very nice and sits right on the river.
The race itself is point to point with an early morning bus ride to the start and finishing in the downtown park. The shuttles were easy to get on and parking in the shuttle staging area is plentiful if you stay too far away to walk. The race starts just as the sun is coming up and the first 10 miles are dead straight, pretty sure we made zero turns in the first ten miles, maybe a slight curve or two. Normally this would be overly monotonous but the mountain scenery is plenty distracting so I didn’t notice the lack of turning until we got to the first turn and I realized that was a very long straightaway.
The course turns towards the city of Missoula after 10 miles and is a nice mix of countryside, farms and neighborhoods. The farms and neighborhoods always had lots of spectators out cheering which was nice after running in silence for so long. Between mile 13 and 14 is the dreaded hill that almost every review mentions, and it is a significant climb. However, there is a long descent afterwards that allowed me more than enough recovery from the big climb and miles 15, 16, and 17 were my fastest.
The only issue I had on the course was the heat towards the end which is out of control of the organizers. It did start to get pretty hot in my last 4 miles but a lot of folks had sprinklers spraying over the street in the last few miles that runners could run through for a little relief. The finish was great with the announcer calling out the names of finishers and a huge tent where you could get a chair and something to eat and/or some chocolate milk. I’m never hungry after a marathon so I can’t comment on the food, but getting chocolate milk after a marathon is sometimes my motivation for finishing!
I highly recommend this race, it’s a beautiful area with super sweet people and is very well organized. Don’t be scared off by the course being an overall uphill, it’s actually pretty flat with most of that elevation being the hill at 13 – 14 and that is canceled out by the downhill on the other side. My one complaint is there is definitely and “expansion” of pricing for lodging during marathon weekend, book early and that can help. Missoula proved I could run again, now it’s time to find the next one!