2026 Seattle Marathon - Nov 29 Countdown

Q: When is the 2026 Seattle Marathon and what time does it start?

The 2026 Seattle Marathon is on Sunday, November 29, 2026 — the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, a longstanding tradition for the race. The full marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time, with the half marathon going off a little earlier at 7:00 a.m. The start is at Seattle Center, beneath the Space Needle.

Q: Is the Seattle Marathon hilly or hard?

It's a rolling, moderately hilly course — scenic rather than fast. Total elevation gain is around 818 ft (249 m), and the toughest sustained and rolling hills tend to come in the back third of the race, exactly when your legs are tiring. Combined with cool, often damp conditions, most runners treat Seattle as a memorable experience and a solid challenge rather than a course to chase a personal best on. Our pace calculator can help you plan a realistic effort for the hills.

Q: Is the Seattle Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes — the Boston Athletic Association accepts qualifying times run at the Seattle Marathon, so a fast enough finish here counts toward Boston entry. Just be realistic: the rolling hills and cool, wet late-November weather make it a harder place to run a Boston-qualifying time than a flat, fast course. Check your standard with our Boston qualifying calculator before you target it.

Q: What should I wear for Seattle Marathon weather?

Dress for a cold, damp Pacific Northwest morning. Late November in Seattle typically means a start around 40°F (4°C) under grey skies, with a real chance of mist or light rain and humidity near 83%. A water-resistant cap, throwaway gloves, and a long-sleeve or light shell you can shed work well. Don't overdress — once you're running it usually warms into the high-40s°F, which is near-ideal — so layer for the chilly start and bring a garbage bag and dry clothes for before and after.

Q: How do I register for the 2026 Seattle Marathon and what does it cost?

Registration is handled through the official site at seattlemarathon.org (via Race Roster). The full marathon's regular rate is about $187.49, with prices set to increase on October 12, 2026, so registering earlier saves money. The race typically closes registration at the end of October, ahead of the late-November date — sign up well in advance rather than expecting race-week entry.

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Race Information

Race	2026 Seattle Marathon - Nov 29
City	Seattle
Date	2026-11-29 at 07:30
Time Limit	7 hours
Cutoff pace	9:57/km
Timezone	America/Los_Angeles
Official Site	Seattle Marathon Association
Registration	Register · 187.49 USD

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature	4.6°C / 40°F
Humidity	92%
Wind	9.9 km/h
Rain Chance	58%
Typical Conditions	Cool, often wet and overcast late-November Seattle morning — a damp Pacific Northwest start around 40°F / 4°C, likely grey skies with mist or light rain, warming only into the high 40s°F

What to Prepare: This is a classic damp, grey Seattle late-autumn race, so plan for cold and probably wet feet. A water-resistant cap, throwaway gloves and a long-sleeve or light shell you can shed are smart, plus a dry change of clothes and a garbage bag for the start corral. Don't overdress — once you're moving in the high-40s°F it's near-perfect running weather, so layer for the chilly 7:30 a.m. start, not the finish.

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 9.9 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	0.7°C	4.8°C	8.1°C
Dew point	-1.8°C	3.3°C	7.2°C

Wet-day chance: 58% Runnability: 63/100

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

Course Profile

Course Type	City point-to-point
Elevation Gain	249m
Terrain	Road (city streets, lakeside roads and the I-90 floating bridge deck)
Profile	Seattle's original hometown marathon — the oldest in the Pacific Northwest — and a genuinely scenic city tour rather than a flat PR machine. Following the route overhaul introduced in 2025, the full marathon starts at Seattle Center beneath the Space Needle and is set to finish down on the waterfront at Bell Harbor Pier 66 for 2026. Between those points it runs out toward Lake Washington and onto the I-90 floating bridge — one of the very few marathons in the world that sends runners across a floating bridge, with open-water views of the lake, the Seattle skyline and, on a clear day, Mount Rainier and the Cascades. The route also threads classic neighborhoods around Capitol Hill, the Washington Park Arboretum and Madison Park along the lakeshore. It is a rolling, moderately hilly course rather than a fast one: total climb is roughly 818 ft (249 m), with the toughest sustained and rolling hills clustered in the back third of the race. The course is Boston-qualifier-eligible (the Boston Athletic Association accepts Seattle Marathon times), but the hills plus cool, damp conditions make it more a memorable Pacific-Northwest experience than a likely PR. Because 2026 is an early edition of the revamped course (and a new Pier 66 finish), confirm the final route and elevation on the official map before race day.
Boston Qualifier	Yes — Check your BQ time

Prepare for 2026 Seattle Marathon - Nov 29

Use our free training tools to get race-ready:

Running Pace Calculator — Min/km, Finish Time & Pace Chart

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Free Pace Band Generator — Printable Race Day Wristband

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Marathon Wake-Up Time Calculator — Race Morning Timeline

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What to Wear Running by Temperature — Clothing Guide

Enter temperature, wind, and rain to get specific clothing picks for head, torso, legs, hands, and f...

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Dew Point Running Calculator — Pace Adjustment Chart

Enter temperature and humidity to calculate dew point and its impact on your running pace. 7-zone ch...

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Elevation Gain/Loss Impact Calculator

How much will hills slow you down? Enter elevation gain, loss, and distance to see adjusted pace, di...

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Featured In

Best Fall Marathons in 2026 (Sep-Nov) Most Scenic Marathon Courses in the World (2026) Best US Marathons 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The 2026 Seattle Marathon is on Sunday, November 29, 2026 — the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, a longstanding tradition for the race. The full marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time, with the half marathon going off a little earlier at 7:00 a.m. The start is at Seattle Center, beneath the Space Needle.

Does the Seattle Marathon really cross a floating bridge?

Yes — and it's the race's signature feature. The course takes runners out toward Lake Washington and onto the I-90 floating bridge, making Seattle one of the very few marathons in the world that runs across a floating bridge. From the bridge you get open-water views of Lake Washington, the Seattle skyline and, when the late-November clouds cooperate, Mount Rainier and the Cascades on the horizon.

Is the Seattle Marathon hilly or hard?

It's a rolling, moderately hilly course — scenic rather than fast. Total elevation gain is around 818 ft (249 m), and the toughest sustained and rolling hills tend to come in the back third of the race, exactly when your legs are tiring. Combined with cool, often damp conditions, most runners treat Seattle as a memorable experience and a solid challenge rather than a course to chase a personal best on. Our pace calculator can help you plan a realistic effort for the hills.

Is the Seattle Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes — the Boston Athletic Association accepts qualifying times run at the Seattle Marathon, so a fast enough finish here counts toward Boston entry. Just be realistic: the rolling hills and cool, wet late-November weather make it a harder place to run a Boston-qualifying time than a flat, fast course. Check your standard with our Boston qualifying calculator before you target it.

What should I wear for Seattle Marathon weather?

Dress for a cold, damp Pacific Northwest morning. Late November in Seattle typically means a start around 40°F (4°C) under grey skies, with a real chance of mist or light rain and humidity near 83%. A water-resistant cap, throwaway gloves, and a long-sleeve or light shell you can shed work well. Don't overdress — once you're running it usually warms into the high-40s°F, which is near-ideal — so layer for the chilly start and bring a garbage bag and dry clothes for before and after.

What is the time limit for the Seattle Marathon?

With a 7:30 a.m. start and the marathon route reopening to vehicle traffic at 2:30 p.m., you have roughly a 7-hour course window (about 16:00 per mile / 9:57 per km). The race notes that finish-line staff stay until every athlete is done, but once roads reopen runners must follow normal pedestrian traffic laws and support is reduced. If you're cutting it close, our finish time calculator helps you check your projected pace.

How do I register for the 2026 Seattle Marathon and what does it cost?

Registration is handled through the official site at seattlemarathon.org (via Race Roster). The full marathon's regular rate is about $187.49, with prices set to increase on October 12, 2026, so registering earlier saves money. The race typically closes registration at the end of October, ahead of the late-November date — sign up well in advance rather than expecting race-week entry.