2026 Missoula Marathon - Jun 28

2026 Missoula Marathon - Jun 28 Race Completed

Race Completed

This marathon has finished. Check back for next year's edition.

Race Information

Race2026 Missoula Marathon - Jun 28
CityMissoula
Date2026-06-28 at 06:00
Field Size~1,153 runners
Time Limit7 hours 30 min
Cutoff pace10:40/km
TimezoneAmerica/Denver
Official SiteRun Wild Missoula

One email when it opens. Unsubscribe anytime. · Privacy

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature15.4°C / 60°F
Humidity66%
Wind8.8 km/h
Rain Chance26%
Typical ConditionsCool, dry late-June Montana morning under big-sky Rockies light — typically near 54 degrees F (12 degrees C) at the 6:00 a.m. start, climbing toward a mean of 66 degrees F (18 degrees C) with clear skies by late morning

What to Prepare: Missoula's 6:00 a.m. start is the whole point of a late-June race here: you run the cool, dry valley air before the high-desert sun gets strong. Expect roughly 54 degrees F (12 degrees C) at the gun and a mean of 66 degrees F (18 degrees C) on course, with afternoon highs that can push into the 80s degrees F. Dress for a chilly first hour you can shed, and respect the dry air at about 3,200 ft (975 m) — hydrate early even though it feels comfortable.

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 8.8 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 10.3°C 15.1°C 20.5°C
Dew point 4.4°C 8.1°C 11.7°C
Wet-day chance: 26% Runnability: 81/100

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

Course Profile

Course TypePoint-to-point (rural start, downtown finish)
Elevation Gain150m
TerrainRoad (rural valley roads and downtown pavement, one mid-race hill)
ProfileA genuinely flat, fast course that has built its reputation as one of the best Boston-qualifying races in the American West. The point-to-point route starts in the countryside at TrailWest Bank in Frenchtown, west of the city, and rolls down the open Clark Fork and Bitterroot valleys on quiet rural roads lined with farmland and the Sapphire and Bitterroot mountain ranges in every direction. The single notable feature is one hill near the halfway mark — short and manageable rather than a wall — after which the course flattens out again and threads into Missoula's tree-lined residential streets before the celebrated finish on the Higgins Avenue (Beartracks) Bridge over the Clark Fork River, in the heart of historic downtown. Total elevation gain is modest, on the order of +150 m (about 490 ft), much of it concentrated in that one mid-race rise. It is USATF-certified and a sanctioned Boston qualifier, so a fast time here counts toward Boston entry. The race runs at roughly 3,200 ft (975 m) elevation, so flatlanders should pace conservatively early and keep something back for the mid-race hill and the slight net climb to the downtown finish.
Boston QualifierYes — Check your BQ time

Prepare for 2026 Missoula Marathon - Jun 28

Use our free training tools to get race-ready:

View all running tools

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 2026 Missoula Marathon and what time does it start?

The 2026 Missoula Marathon is on Sunday, June 28, 2026, with the full marathon starting at 6:00 a.m. Mountain Time. The early start is deliberate — it gets runners through the cool valley air before the late-June Montana sun heats up. The half marathon, 5K and Kids Marathon are part of the same weekend, with the half also on Sunday and the 5K on Saturday.

Is the Missoula Marathon a good Boston qualifier?

Yes. The course is USATF-certified and a sanctioned Boston qualifier, and it is consistently named among the best BQ races in the western U.S. because it is flat and fast, with only one notable hill near halfway. A qualifying time here counts toward Boston Marathon entry. Check your target on the Boston qualifying calculator and model your splits with the race time predictor.

Where does the Missoula Marathon course go?

It is a point-to-point route that starts in the countryside at TrailWest Bank in Frenchtown, west of the city, and runs down the open Clark Fork and Bitterroot valleys on quiet rural roads with the Sapphire and Bitterroot ranges all around. It finishes on the Higgins Avenue (Beartracks) Bridge over the Clark Fork River in historic downtown Missoula, after threading the city's tree-lined residential streets.

Is the Missoula Marathon course flat or hilly?

It is predominantly flat and fast, with one notable hill near the halfway point and modest total gain of roughly +150 m (about 490 ft). The single mid-race rise is short and runnable rather than a wall, and the course flattens out again afterward. Run it as a flat course with one bump — bank nothing on the early miles and save effort for the gentle, fast back half into town.

What is the time limit for the Missoula Marathon?

The course officially closes at 1:30 p.m., which is a 7.5-hour limit from the 6:00 a.m. start. There are two enforced intermediate cutoffs — around mile 11.6 (3 hours 20 minutes) and mile 15.8 (4 hours 32 minutes) — based on roughly a 17:12 per mile pace. Use the pace calculator to confirm you clear both checkpoints comfortably.

How do I register and how much does it cost?

Registration is handled online through RunSignup via Run Wild Missoula, the nonprofit that organizes the event. There is no lottery — entry is first-come, first-served up to a cap of about 1,700 runners, and the full marathon sells out, so register early. Pricing is tiered, starting near $99 early-bird and rising to roughly $150 by race week. There is no race-day registration.

How big is the Missoula Marathon and what is the weather like?

It is a mid-sized destination marathon — the full marathon drew about 1,153 finishers in 2025 (1,160 in 2024), ranking among the top 80 marathons in the U.S. by finisher count. Late-June mornings are cool and dry, near 54 degrees F (12 degrees C) at the 6:00 a.m. start and warming to a mean of about 66 degrees F (18 degrees C), usually under clear skies. The early start and big-sky scenery are a large part of the appeal.

More Marathon Countdowns

View all marathons