Quick facts: The Erie Marathon at Presque Isle takes place on Sunday, September 13, 2026, starting and finishing at the Erie Runners Club Beach 1 Pavilion inside Presque Isle State Park, Erie, Pennsylvania. The all-volunteer race is capped at 2,000 marathon runners and follows a flat, double-loop course with less than 250 feet of total elevation change \u2014 one of the highest-percentage Boston Marathon qualifying races in the country. A Presque Isle Half Marathon runs the same weekend on a single loop of the peninsula. Results and live tracking (via RaceJoy) on the official race results page.<\/p>\n
Run entirely inside Presque Isle State Park, a sandy peninsula curling into Lake Erie, the Erie Marathon is famous among American road racers for one thing above all: how flat it is. The double-loop marathon course has less than 250 feet of total elevation change over the full 26.2 miles, with only about 10 feet separating the highest and lowest points on the route. On a cool race day, that translates into an extremely fast course and one of the highest percentages of Boston Marathon qualifiers of any marathon in the country. The running surface is mostly asphalt with about a third concrete, and much of the course also offers a grass shoulder alongside the pavement for runners who prefer softer footing.<\/p>\n
Start and finish are both at the Erie Runners Club Beach 1 Pavilion, with all race-day parking at Waldameer or the Ridge Center and a short walk down to the venue. This all-volunteer event is capped at 2,000 marathon runners, with race tracking provided through RaceJoy and official pace groups contracted through marathonpacing.com. The same weekend also features the Presque Isle Half Marathon, a single loop of the peninsula starting from the same Beach 1 parking lot, with a 3-hour time limit and a 14-minute-per-mile pace requirement inside the state park. Runners on both courses take in views of Lake Erie, the Erie Bayfront, coastline beaches, marshes and wooded paths. Results and live tracking: the official race results page.<\/p>\n
2026 Programme<\/p>\n
MARATHON<\/p>\n
Sun. Sept 13 \u2014 Beach 1 Pavilion, Presque Isle State Park<\/p>\n
26.2 miles, flat double loop, less than 250 ft elevation change, Boston Qualifier, capped at 2,000<\/p>\n
PRESQUE ISLE HALF MARATHON<\/p>\n
Same weekend \u2014 Beach 1 Pavilion, Presque Isle State Park<\/p>\n
13.1 miles, single loop of the peninsula, 3-hour time limit, min. age 12<\/p>\n
Start\/finish: Erie Runners Club Beach 1 Pavilion, Presque Isle State Park, Erie, Pennsylvania. Date: Sunday, September 13, 2026. Distances: Marathon (26.2 mi, double loop, capped at 2,000 runners) and Presque Isle Half Marathon (13.1 mi, single loop, min. age 12, 3-hour limit). Course: flat asphalt\/concrete surface, under 250 ft total elevation change for the marathon, Boston Marathon qualifier. Parking: Waldameer or the Ridge Center, short walk to the venue. Tracking: RaceJoy. Organiser: Erie Runners Club (all-volunteer). Results: official race results page.<\/p>\n
FAQ \u2014 Erie Marathon at Presque Isle 2026<\/p>\n
When does the Erie Marathon at Presque Isle 2026 take place?
\n
<\/p>\n
The Erie Marathon at Presque Isle 2026 takes place on Sunday, September 13, 2026, starting and finishing at the Erie Runners Club Beach 1 Pavilion in Presque Isle State Park.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Where can I find the results of the Erie Marathon 2026?
\n
<\/p>\n
Results and live tracking are published on the official Erie Marathon race results page, with runner tracking also available through RaceJoy.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Why is the Erie Marathon known as a fast Boston Qualifier?
\n
<\/p>\n
The marathon runs a flat, two-loop course around Presque Isle with less than 250 feet of total elevation change and only about 10 feet between the highest and lowest points. On a cool race day this makes for an extremely fast course, and Erie typically records one of the highest percentages of Boston Marathon qualifiers of any US marathon.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n