Join in on the fun at the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay, Vermont’s largest single-day sporting event, held every Memorial Day Weekend. This event is a highlight among Vermont marathons and attracts running enthusiasts from near and far. Whether you choose to tackle the full marathon, participate in …
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Join in on the fun at the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay, Vermont’s largest single-day sporting event, held every Memorial Day Weekend. This event is a highlight among Vermont marathons and attracts running enthusiasts from near and far.
Whether you choose to tackle the full marathon, participate in a half marathon as part of the 2-person relay, or rally a crew for the 3 to 5-person relay, there is a spot for everyone on the course. The two-loop 13.1 mile course showcases some of Burlington’s best landmarks, including the Church Street Marketplace and ten miles along a bike path beside Lake Champlain, offering stunning views of the Adirondacks. Participants will also traverse four of Burlington’s beautiful parks. Both the start and finish are located at Waterfront Park, ensuring easy race-day logistics and an exciting festival at the finish line to celebrate your achievements.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this unforgettable experience at Vermont’s premier running event. The M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay not only promises a fast and scenic course, but also a vibrant community spirit that unites athletes of all abilities. Whether you’re an experienced marathoner or a first-time participant, there’s no better way to set the tone for your summer than by crossing the finish line (or relay exchange zone) in this stunning outdoor setting. Join fellow participants to enjoy the electric atmosphere, spectator support, and thrill of being part of this gem of a Vermont sporting event. Ready to lace up your running shoes and make unforgettable memories? Register and be part of this celebration of health, fitness, and camaraderie in beautiful Burlington, VT!
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Great Marathon Despite the Rain
I thought this was a great marathon. It rained the entire time. However, despite the weather conditions, the crowd support was surprisingly great. There are a couple big, long hills … MORE
I thought this was a great marathon. It rained the entire time. However, despite the weather conditions, the crowd support was surprisingly great. There are a couple big, long hills that you need to do twice each so those were probably the toughest parts. Overall, I enjoyed this marathon!
Even with rain, a top 10 marathon
Pros: VCM is a hidden gem of a marathon. Don’t be afraid of the two-loop course with hills in late May. Burlington puts on a fantastic race. It’s incredibly well-marked, … MORE
Pros: VCM is a hidden gem of a marathon. Don’t be afraid of the two-loop course with hills in late May. Burlington puts on a fantastic race. It’s incredibly well-marked, well-supported, and very scenic. Beautiful views of Lake Champlain, trails that are lovely, and plenty of aid stations. Hotels within walking distance (a couple blocks) from the start finish. Nice race shirt and medal, free photos as well!
Cons: Honestly, very few. Yes, there’s about 860 feet of elevation gain, but it truly felt like much less. Two-loop course means you do run near the finish at halfway. Weather-wise, the 2026 race had a steady drizzle before the race and during the first hour or so, but it let up and we had temps in the 50s. There is one off-road section that’s less then 0.25 miles long on each loop, which was a bit muddy with the rain. Also, you finish on grass (last 0.1 mile).
Beautiful Vermont Race
The Vermont City Marathon is a solid race and serves as a good option for those who are looking for a mix of small-city vibes and lakeside views. Hotel costs … MORE
The Vermont City Marathon is a solid race and serves as a good option for those who are looking for a mix of small-city vibes and lakeside views. Hotel costs are on the high end, unfortunately, and Burlington’s downtown is a little rough around the edges. But the area offers lots of interesting history and plenty of things to do and see. There is also a ferry service that gives rides across the lake to places like Plattsburgh, NY.
My standout favorite for this marathon was the crowd support. The unbounded jubilance of the local community was a sight to see. I can’t say enough about how their down-to-earth, small-town hospitality and enthusiasm added to my enjoyment of this event. And I loved how a lot of them were handing out popsicles, juice boxes, and Vermont maple syrup!
The race production was pretty good, as far as I could tell. There were some small quirks. Packet pickup was a little confusing, and the lines were crowded. The expo was kind of in the way of everything. The water stations were plentiful throughout, and the aid station staff were on point. I can’t speak to the shuttle services, since I didn’t use them, but I did see them linking up at the hotel, and they appeared plentiful and on time.
The swag was a bit lacking. A V-neck t-shirt and a finisher’s medal, and that’s it. The medal itself is somewhat underwhelming. I’m not a fan of the white and green ribbon with M&T’s logo. Their logo is even on the medal itself, which feels a little heavy-handed. I understand the importance of branding and the give-and-take relationship of these sponsorships. However, it’s not like this race cost any less than other marathons I’ve run, so I’m not sure what role they play exactly. It was well crafted, at least.
Overall, a great race, and I was really happy I chose it. The beauty of Lake Champlain, on the tail end of spring, makes this a great destination marathon for those looking to check Vermont off their 50-state list.
Check out my full race report here:
https://lasthillhorizon.com/race-day.php?report=the-2024-vermont-city-marathon-vermont&utm_source=raceraves&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=race_raves
More hills than expected
A beautiful course with some nice views and running through the downtown Burlington area. I wasn't a big fan of the double loop/figure eight course, but the crowd support every … MORE
A beautiful course with some nice views and running through the downtown Burlington area. I wasn’t a big fan of the double loop/figure eight course, but the crowd support every time you get back to the start area was great. The hills can sneak up on you, especially when it’s a really sunny day like it was in 2024.
Psychologically challenging
Burlington is a beautiful city to run through and this race was very well organized. I'm personally not a huge fan of the two loops. Because of the way the … MORE
Burlington is a beautiful city to run through and this race was very well organized. I’m personally not a huge fan of the two loops. Because of the way the course is designed, you run up the SAME HILL 4 times. You are also passed by marathon relay runners during the 2nd half who are coming in fresh while you are struggling up the hill, the 4th time.
I expected a bit more bike path and a little less neighborhoods as well. The lengths along the bike bath were absolutely stunning, flat, and beautiful.
Ran out of men’s medium shirts on Saturday. Not a huge deal.
Overall thought it was very well organized and a fun race.
Beautiful Vermont!
A wonderful race to do to get Vermont in if you are trying for 50 states as I am. Logistics are easy as the airport is only a few miles … MORE
A wonderful race to do to get Vermont in if you are trying for 50 states as I am. Logistics are easy as the airport is only a few miles to downtown Burlington. Plenty of motels, Airbnbs and restaurants to choose from. The town is clean and safe, although there are some homeless folks in the area like most cities.
The expo was the best I have attended of the 3 marathons I have done this year. A nice selection of vendors and free samples of items from several venders. I really liked they had a CPR training you could take, just in case you need to use it on another racer.
The two loop course was very nice. It was hillier than I thought, not a lot of elevation gain, but long gradual up hill climbs. Also a bit warm, especially during the 2nd loop. The fan support was much greater than I anticipated and the “cherry on top” was running down Church Street. The neighborhood areas had residents out with water cooling hoses and freeze pops!
Race organization was excellent and a special thank you the bicycle EMT that helped me when I took a fall around mile 19!
The swag was very good with a nice shirt, medal and a runners hat at the end. The finish area had pizza, beer, soda, chocolate milk and snacks. I thought for
sure they would offer Ben and Jerry’s or a maple creamee as they are a local favorites, but they did not.
I really liked this race and highly recommend it.
Great race sunny warm day
Fantastic race with a more than anticipated rolling hills. Scenery along Lake Champlain was unbelievable. Two loop course took us through neighborhoods having great support and running many sprinklers. Registration … MORE
Fantastic race with a more than anticipated rolling hills. Scenery along Lake Champlain was unbelievable. Two loop course took us through neighborhoods having great support and running many sprinklers. Registration was also great with huge support and many cheering spectators along the run
Beautiful Burlington
This was my first time running this race and my 10th overall marathon. A quick overview before getting into details...I love getting to know cities through my marathon experiences. Burlington … MORE
This was my first time running this race and my 10th overall marathon. A quick overview before getting into details…I love getting to know cities through my marathon experiences. Burlington is a beautiful, clean and welcoming city. Lake Champlain adds to the city’s charm…and now the details –
The expo is a bit small but that is expected as it is a smallish race. There were various local vendors that we supported and there were some nice Vermont gear for sale as well. The race itself begins at 7:15 in the park near Lake Champlain. For a small race it felt kind of crowded but it could be because there is also a relay that goes on simultaneously. There were several pacers easily visible at the start area. The course is sort of a figure 8 that you have to go through twice. It is mostly a paved street run through various neighborhoods. You also go through a park briefly and alongside Lake Champlain. The hills on this course are not big or long. However, there are several of these hills that you have to go over at least twice (4x near where the figure 8 meets) so the accumulation of these small hills do beat you up. The temperatures were a bit warm for a marathon. I prefer 30’s-60. It started off ok but it was sunny throughout the run and it was in the low 70’s by the end of the run. To me, the increasing temps took a toll. But it’s nature. Nobody is to blame. It is Memorial Day weekend after all so I knew what I was getting into. I want to shout out the residents and volunteers throughout the course. The support from the local residents was really inspiring. Seeing them do picnics and coming out to offer drinks, fruit, ice, icies, maple syrup was a thing of beauty. There was also a group of older garage band gentlemen that came out with rocker wigs and played music. I loved that. The race shirt is ok. The medal is very nice…except that due to confusion at the end, I was given a relay medal instead of a marathon medal. So that’s something they should work on (and I admit I could have caught the error too). I have no doubt others got the wrong medal. Hopefully, the race organizers can send me the correct one. But overall, I highly recommend this race. I hope to come back one day because I leave this race and city with nothing but fond memories. Thank you Burlington and Vermont!
Beautiful VT Scenery
Beautiful, scenic marathon course! All volunteers and directors were very kind. Start was easy and organized mostly by pace groups. The course had a good mix of hills and flats. … MORE
Beautiful, scenic marathon course!
All volunteers and directors were very kind.
Start was easy and organized mostly by pace groups.
The course had a good mix of hills and flats. There is a big hill around mile 7 and 14. There is a fairly boring stretch after you come out of downtown and run north. But running through the neighborhoods people are passing out ice pops, water, maple syrup shots and they have sprinklers to run through if you wish. The course also utilizes the bike path right along the water which is beautiful and provides a nice breeze.
The finish line finishes in a park and it’s very easy to meet up with family after the race.
The medal is very nice and the race shirt they provide is a nice shirt.
The expo was smaller than I thought it would be but had a good array of products.
Overall a great race to try out, great aid stations and volunteers and a fun town to explore before and after the race!
Fun race, beware of rolling hills
Pros: - Clear info on website and in pre race emails (except for how hilly the course is). - Efficient bib pick up. - Easy parking near start. - Provided … MORE
Pros:
– Clear info on website and in pre race emails (except for how hilly the course is).
– Efficient bib pick up.
– Easy parking near start.
– Provided bus from Double Tree to start, and from finish to Double Tree.
– Parts of the course are scenic, love the lake view.
– Lovely crowd at start/finish, and by the course in residential areas. Neighbors offered supplies and water sprays, so nice.
– Free race photos!
Cons:
– Website says “course is mostly flat with some rolling sections. The biggest uphill, mile 6.0-7.1 and 19.1-20.2, gains about 120′ of elevation”. I don’t think this adequately reflects how hilly the course is. My Garmin logged 856 ft. I gave this feedback to the race director, who promptly replied and said they will add more info about the course elevation gain on the website.
– It would be nice if there was a wall backdrop at either the expo or race for photos.
– Pacers only offerred for limited finish times, for example, only for 4:00 and 4:30 but nothing in between.
– It’s quite hot this year. Not anybody’s fault but just be aware.
Overall, I enjoyed the race and it’s my first marathon!
Fun race
This was a well organized race with a beautiful course (a large portion was beside Lake Champlain), plenty of aid stations, friendly volunteers and lots of spectators. I was impressed … MORE
This was a well organized race with a beautiful course (a large portion was beside Lake Champlain), plenty of aid stations, friendly volunteers and lots of spectators. I was impressed with the amount of biking medics I saw on the course – very vigilant to provide help to whomever might be in need, which was great. The finishers party had food for runners to grab and plenty of food trucks with a wide range of meals, snacks and desserts for purchase. Good times!
First Marahon
That was my very first Marathon, love the small-town vibes. Very cozy and family-friendly. Crowd along cheering with multiple bands playing along the course. Loved the stations with refreshments that … MORE
That was my very first Marathon, love the small-town vibes. Very cozy and family-friendly. Crowd along cheering with multiple bands playing along the course. Loved the stations with refreshments that were prepared by families along the course, especially orange wedges. The one hill is as bad as I thought. And love the beautiful medal, one of my favorites.
Marathon Relay in Downtown Burlington
This was a well organized race. Easy packet pickup the day before, with race day pickup option. Staging area in Waterfront Park was an excellent location for all of the … MORE
This was a well organized race. Easy packet pickup the day before, with race day pickup option. Staging area in Waterfront Park was an excellent location for all of the distances! Restaurants, food trucks and breakfast spots on site and within walking distance. Excellent water views and waterfront scenery. I was the 2nd leg of a 2-person relay. Had plenty of time to explore the park, enjoy the water views, find quiet areas to stretch, get food from food trucks on site, get coffee & use a clean bathroom from one of the local breakfast spots. Also, I was able to cheer on the runners coming through the 10k checkpoint – including my partner. The relay exchange area was perfectly organized. I was able to locate my partner coming in from a short distance and stage myself accordingly. Then it was my turn to run the exact same loop. I have to rate this course as difficult due to the long hilly sections – and one straightaway section that seemed to last forever. The course was a mix of downtown (great crowd support & energy), residential (nice crowd support & energy in many spots), and park (along a very nice and wide bike pathway back to the start/finish area). The energy from the finish line crowd was amazing! You could hear the announcer, music and crowd before you saw them and the finish line banner! The ideal weather (mild temps with a breeze) probably made this run more enjoyable.
Scenic and well run
As a Fifty stater I enjoyed this race for Vermont. Packet pick up was smooth and volunteers were very helpful answering any questions that I had. The host hotel bus … MORE
As a Fifty stater I enjoyed this race for Vermont. Packet pick up was smooth and volunteers were very helpful answering any questions that I had. The host hotel bus shuttle to start and finish was excellent.
Race volunteers went above and beyond handing out popsicles, ice, and even maple syrup. The sprinklers set out by the neighborhoods were so nice and much needed. The only problem was I took a wrong turn around mike 15. 2, thus I ended up running 27.2 miles. I’m not sure what the volunteer was doing but she wasn’t paying attention. Other then that it was absolutely a great race..
Kept it fresh for a 2X loop course
Great mix of scenic lake & forest trail offset with some well-produced city streets. The town came out to support in force. Was worried about the double loop but only … MORE
Great mix of scenic lake & forest trail offset with some well-produced city streets. The town came out to support in force. Was worried about the double loop but only really dreaded mile 19-23 which was sun-exposed on the side of a road. It all worked out. PR by 6 seconds, go figure.
Overall, great race.
Burlington is a beautiful town to have a marathon. The views along Lake Champlain are spectacular and the town itself is very relaxed. Sign up and info on the webpage. … MORE
Burlington is a beautiful town to have a marathon. The views along Lake Champlain are spectacular and the town itself is very relaxed. Sign up and info on the webpage. It was all spot on and had no problems. Everything was explained packet pick up with simple with a small expo.
Only two problems existed for me on race day. For whatever reason the start was 30 minutes late, which caused some problems later on as it became very warm and those extra 30 minutes put you out in the sun and heat more than was necessary.
Call support was wonderful, lots of music, spectators, and the aid stations were wonderful. Now the second issue with the race. After spending all that time in the hot sun with temperatures getting into the mid 80s, there was no real substantial of food at the end and what little they had was mostly gone if you were a five hour runner but all in all, nice race, nice metal, and a nice shirt
Nice race, very scenic
Race is a double loop for full marathoners. Not horrible as the lake view is very nice, and time spent running thru the local community is well supported. Plenty of … MORE
Race is a double loop for full marathoners. Not horrible as the lake view is very nice, and time spent running thru the local community is well supported. Plenty of music on the course, and lots of residents providing fuel, maple syrup, and additional music.
Looped race, decent scenery
It’s a looped course, but some of the scenery makes up for it. Some hills,that you have to do 2x !local residents had sprinklers which were very appreciated! Would also … MORE
It’s a looped course, but some of the scenery makes up for it. Some hills,that you have to do 2x !local residents had sprinklers which were very appreciated! Would also appreciate better food at the end.
Listen to those drums!
Wow! What a race! First marathon after the two years of pandemic life and it did not disappoint. Well, my time was disappointing due to having a 6 week old, … MORE
Wow! What a race! First marathon after the two years of pandemic life and it did not disappoint. Well, my time was disappointing due to having a 6 week old, no training and lack of sleep, but would definitely do this race again.
Expo was small but super efficient getting in and out, and had all the products you would need if you were happen to forget something at home, such as your race shorts.
Getting to the race was a quick affair, simple walk down the hill and through the park. Would recommend more portapotties, but you can never have enough of those on race day. We went off in waves based on bib number assigned to us at the expo, and definitely missed my wave due to those lines at the john. Course was the 2nd year of the double loop, which was still pretty awesome. Multiple bands and drum groups out there playing their hearts out for the runners. Super easy for spectators to see their runners multiple times around the starting line since we pass it about 4 times total.
Would recommend bringing sunscreen since you’ll be next to the water or out in the open a lot of the time. Few stretches of street where there is absolutely no shade and you will get roasty toasty.
Again, highly recommend this race for runners, and would even be a great first marathon!
Brutal finish, but what a nice town!
Third marathon in less than 60 days, and I paid the price. Body wasn’t ready. But let’s take my sub-par run out of the equation and get to the race: … MORE
Third marathon in less than 60 days, and I paid the price. Body wasn’t ready. But let’s take my sub-par run out of the equation and get to the race:
Start Line: It was at Waterfront Park. Call me a dummy, but I couldn’t find that information on the website or race emails. Luckily, I stumbled on it the day before. Beautiful venue for a start/finish. Enjoy the lake and Mountain views!
Race route: 1) A mini uphill to start, then long and flat as you head south of Burlington’s downtown. Nondescript stretch, though not unpleasant. Make a mental note of the brewery and cidery options. 2) At three-ish miles, loop through a residential area and make the turn back north. Three miles northbound, with stretches on a bike path and along the lake. Enjoy those views…it’ll be uphill at mile 6. Which leads to 3), an uphill wind through downtown, taking you up Church Street on the brick street shopping area. Climb for a mile or so. 4) A 3-3.5 miles northbound stretch that tucks into a residential neighborhood. Loved the crowd support from homeowners. 5) Pivot south and finish loop one on a 3-mile, mostly wooded, gentle downhill back to Waterfront Park. 6) Lather, rinse, repeat for lap two.
Weather: Hoped it would be cooler. Started at mid50s, but in the 70s by race end. Eh…luck of the draw. Heat got to me (compounding other problems)
Swag: Expo was typical. Nothing much in the way of free goodies. Medal is okay, nothing special. Apparel (for sale) trumped what I’ve seen at some races. Bought a lightweight hooded tee.
Post-race: Medical crew got rave reviews from my friend who was watching. Food was basic, but plentiful. Park was a lovely place to relax and recover after.
The Town: Loved it. Shops, restaurants, bars…had a college town feel, but classy. Burlington has personality, but not the contrived “keep Portland weird” type. It’s a city that doesn’t need to call attention to itself. Worth 2-3 days for exploring. Spend a month there and you’ll probably get bored though.
Overall, a really nice place to cross Vermont off your 50 states marathon list.