2026 Anchorage Mayor's Marathon - Jun 20

2026 Anchorage Mayor's Marathon - Jun 20 Race Completed

Race Completed

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Race Information

Race2026 Anchorage Mayor's Marathon - Jun 20
CityAnchorage
Date2026-06-20 at 07:30
Field Size~668 runners
Time Limit6 hours 30 min
Cutoff pace9:15/km
TimezoneAmerica/Anchorage
Official SiteMunicipality of Anchorage Parks & Recreation / UAA Athletics

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature11.9°C / 53°F
Humidity79%
Wind9.7 km/h
Rain Chance42%
Typical ConditionsCool, bright midsummer Alaska morning near the solstice — typical start around 55°F / 13°C under nearly endless daylight, with a real chance of light rain or cloud rolling off Cook Inlet

What to Prepare: A solstice morning in Anchorage usually starts mild near 55°F / 13°C and can warm into the low 60s°F, but coastal cloud and light rain are common, so pack a light shell or throwaway long-sleeve and a cap. Trail and gravel sections can be soft or puddled after rain — trail-capable shoes with grip help, and the near-24-hour daylight means there is no dawn chill to dress around.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 9.7 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Race-Week Climate

Based on 20 years of race-week weather (2005-2024), MERRA-2 reanalysis

Cooler Typical Warmer
Temperature 8.9°C 11.5°C 15.6°C
Dew point 5.7°C 7.9°C 10.7°C
Wet-day chance: 42% Runnability: 78/100

Data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), NASA Langley Research Center

Course Profile

Course TypePoint-to-point
Elevation Gain256m
TerrainMixed (paved coastal and creek-side multi-use trails, with gravel road and forested single-track sections)
ProfileA genuinely wild, scenic point-to-point that trades pavement for Anchorage's trail network and is run on the Saturday nearest the summer solstice, when the city gets roughly 22 hours of functional daylight. The full marathon starts at the ConocoPhillips Soccer Stadium in Kincaid Park: the first mile descends through a cottonwood forest onto the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, then the next eight miles trace Cook Inlet with open views of the Alaska Range. Near Westchester Lagoon the route joins the Chester Creek Trail, runs past Goose Lake, the University of Alaska Anchorage and Far North Bicentennial Park, then follows Chester Creek back through neighborhoods to finish at the Delaney Park Strip downtown. It is primarily on paved pedestrian pathways and forested trails with some gravel and single-track, so it is not a flat road PR machine — total climb is about 842 ft (256 m) and it rates as rolling. It is, however, USATF-certified and a recognized Boston Marathon qualifying event: about 6.8% of finishers qualified for Boston in 2025 (5.1% in 2024). With moose sightings, the Chugach Mountains as a backdrop and the midnight sun overhead, it is first and foremost a bucket-list destination race.
Boston QualifierYes — Check your BQ time

Prepare for 2026 Anchorage Mayor's Marathon - Jun 20

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Featured In

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 2026 Anchorage Mayor's Marathon and what time does it start?

The 2026 Anchorage Mayor's Marathon is on Saturday, June 20, 2026 — deliberately held on the Saturday nearest the summer solstice. The full marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. Alaska Time, and all runners must be moving within about 10 minutes of the gun; there are no early-start waves. The half marathon, marathon relay and Solstice Classic run the same morning.

Do you really run in the midnight sun in Anchorage?

Effectively, yes. Around the June solstice Anchorage gets roughly 22 hours of functional daylight, with the sun barely dipping below the horizon, so there is no dawn darkness or dusk to race against. The 7:30 a.m. start is run in full, bright daylight, and the city stays light long after you finish — which is exactly why the race is built around the solstice.

How much elevation does the Anchorage Mayor's Marathon have, and is it hilly?

It is a rolling point-to-point, not a flat course. Total elevation gain is about 842 ft (256 m), spread across paved coastal trail, the Chester Creek Trail and some gravel and single-track. The opening mile drops through forest to the coast, then the middle and later miles roll, so plan an even effort rather than chasing a flat-course PR. Our pace calculator helps you set realistic splits for the terrain.

Is the Anchorage Mayor's Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes — the course is USATF-certified and a recognized Boston Marathon qualifying event, so a fast enough finish counts toward Boston entry. It is more scenic than fast, though: about 6.8% of finishers qualified for Boston in 2025 (5.1% in 2024), reflecting the rolling, partly-trail course. Check your standard with our Boston qualifying calculator before you target it.

What surface is the course — is it trail or road?

It is a mix, which is part of its appeal. Most of the route runs on Anchorage's paved multi-use pathways — the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail along Cook Inlet and the Chester Creek Trail — but there are gravel-road and forested single-track sections, with only the final half-mile on city streets. Shoes with a little grip are smart, especially if the trails are soft or puddled after rain.

Where does the Anchorage Mayor's Marathon start and finish?

The marathon starts at the ConocoPhillips Soccer Stadium in Kincaid Park (9400 Raspberry Rd) on the west side of town and finishes at the Delaney Park Strip in downtown Anchorage. Because it is point-to-point, plan for the organizer's race-morning shuttle and allow time to get out to the Kincaid Park start.

What is the time limit for the Anchorage Mayor's Marathon?

The course closes at 3:00 p.m., which with the 7:30 a.m. start gives a 6.5-hour limit (about 14:53 per mile / 9:15 per km). It is a comfortable cutoff for most marathoners, but the rolling, partly-trail terrain is slower than flat pavement, so plan accordingly. Use our finish time calculator to check your projected pace against the cutoff.

Will I see wildlife like moose on the course?

Quite possibly. The route runs through forested trails and Far North Bicentennial Park, and moose sightings along the course are common — give them a wide berth and never get between a cow and her calf. You may also see bald eagles and waterfowl along Cook Inlet and the lagoons. It is a true wilderness-edge marathon, which is a big part of the bucket-list draw.

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