Races
PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE
Detroit Free Press Marathon race photo

Detroit Free Press Marathon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Detroit Free Press Marathon race photo
Detroit Free Press Marathon race photo
Detroit
US
Ken Lund · CC BY-SA 2.0Lrgjr72, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsAndrew Heneen, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Race date Expected Oct
October 2027
City · Distance
Detroit · 42.195km · 21.1km · 5km +1 more events
Entry fee
$120From the 2026 edition
Status
SoonSee how to enter ↗
2027Date October 2027 · expected · Entry Jan 1, 2027 ~
2026Date Oct 18, 2026 · Entry Jan 1, 2026 ~ Sep 8, 2026 · Entry fee $40 · Start 07:00
Official website ↗
Instagram
D-day as of Nov 13, 2026
Detroit Free Press Marathon race photo
Ken Lund · CC BY-SA 2.0
Detroit Free Press Marathon race photo
Lrgjr72, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Detroit Free Press Marathon race photo
Andrew Heneen, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Detroit Free Press Marathon — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

The Detroit Free Press Marathon is known as the only marathon that crosses the United States–Canada border.

It starts at Fort Street in downtown Detroit and finishes near Woodward Avenue and Campus Martius.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

#DetroitFreePressMarathon#Detroit#October Marathon#Full marathon

Detroit Free Press Marathon runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 3
JanetRan in 2025 · Finish time 3:32:53
“It’s pretty unique getting to run over the bridge to Canada then come back through the tunnel!”

At the 2025 Detroit full marathon, they crossed the border and back via the bridge and tunnel. They held on through the second half in rain and strong wind to run 3:32:53, their second-fastest marathon.

Read the original on Miles Fly By
Emily AlleyRan in 2023 · Finish time 3:29
“The tunnel is a little claustrophobic and the neighborhoods a bit too quiet to tempt me to do it a second time.”

The cross-border experience was memorable, but they found the claustrophobic tunnel and quiet residential sections disappointing.

Read the original on Team RunRun
MaggieRan in 2018
“I ran this entire race with my mom and think it was one of our best races ever!”

They ran the 2018 Detroit International half marathon with their mother. Starting on a cold morning, they enjoyed the course — over the bridge into Canada and back through the tunnel — and the crowds, finishing at a comfortable training pace in the middle of their marathon buildup.

Read the original on Runnin’ for Sweets

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Highlights

Detroit Marathon · Highlights

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter Detroit Free Press Marathon — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

First come, first served · Marathon

Entry cost $170

General registration for the full marathon;

prices rise in five stages depending on when you register

Prices by registration period: 1/1–1/6 $120, 1/7–3/3 $140, 3/4–5/5 $150, 5/6–7/7 $160, 7/8–9/8 $170, registration closes after 9/9

Organizer's page

First come, first served · Half

Entry cost $170

General entry for the Motor City half marathon (course in the United States)

Prices by registration period: 1/1–1/6 $110, 1/7–3/3 $130, 3/4–5/5 $140, 5/6–7/7 $150, 7/8–9/8 $160, $170 after 9/9 (only the Motor City course remains on sale until entries close)

Organizer's page

First come, first served · 5K

Entry cost $70

5K general entry

Prices by registration period: 1/1–1/6 $50, 1/7–5/5 $60, $70 after 5/6

Organizer's page

Charity

Entry cost TBD

Fundraising-based entry through an official charity partner (separate from group registration)

The official page does not list a specific entry fee or minimum fundraising requirement;

it provides only the charity-partner list and registration link.

Organizer's page
About International course · Groups

International course

Entry cost TBD

International half marathon (the course crossing the U.S.-Canada border), a separate category from the Motor City half marathon

Currently sold out (waitlist available) · Valid travel documents, such as a passport,

required · Participants must be at least 14 years old · course closes at 11:45 a.m. · See the separate information page for border-crossing documentation

Organizer's page

Groups

Entry cost $480

Marathon Relay (teams of 2–5 runners divide the 26.2-mile distance into five legs)

Currently sold out · teams of 2–5 runners · each participant must be at least 14 years old · the runner for Leg 1 must be confirmed and have the required border-crossing documents by 9/9 · prices by registration period: 1/1–1/6 $340 to 7/8–9/8 $480

Organizer's page
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Detroit Free Press Marathon course map and elevation

Your 42.195km

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

From the 2026 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 07:00
Time limit6 hours
Show more

6 hours and 30 minutes

EventGatherStartTime limitEntry fee
Marathon42.195km06:1507:00——
International Half-Marathon21.0975km06:1507:00——
Motor City Half-Marathon21.0975km—10:30——
5K5km—08:50—$70
Marathon Relay42.195km06:1507:00—$450
1-Mile1.60934km—08:2520 minutes$40
Kids Marathon—09:30—$35
Meijer Little Detroit Dash—10:00—$25
START

Fort St, between 1st Street and Shelby Street, Detroit

Start · Google Maps
FINISH

The intersection of Woodward Ave and Congress St, Detroit

Finish · Google Maps

Cutoff
The official time limit for the 2026 Detroit Free Press Marathon is 6 hours 30 minutes from when the final pacer starts. The finish closes at 14:00.

Original course map · freepmarathon.com
Show more

The marathon starts in wave start at 3-minute intervals to reduce congestion at the beginning.

Course passes through Detroit’s historic Woodbridge and District Detroit,

Eastern Market, and Dequindre Cut before continuing to the finish beneath Campus Martius.

Start waves are assigned based on the estimated pace entered during registration, so you must enter your time accurately.

This event also includes the international half marathon, which takes you through Detroit and Canada.

It crosses the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel, passes through Downtown and Midtown Detroit, and finishes at Campus Martius.

The Motor City half marathon, meanwhile, is a Detroit-centered course linking Downtown, Midtown, Woodbridge, Eastern Market, and Lafayette Park.

The course closes after 6 hours 30 minutes for the marathon, at 11:45 am for the international half marathon, and at 2:00 pm for the Motor City half marathon.

World Athletics Label
Label Label
AIMS Certified
Member race of the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races)

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Timing chip 2026

Relay

Pacers 2026

Marathon · Half

Race expo 2026

Free public transit 2026

Water stations 2026

Aid stations 2026

Medical support 2026

Event T-shirt 2026

Finisher medal 2026

Bag drop 2026

This may change for the next edition.

Hotels733m from the start · ★9.2

Where and when to collect your Detroit Free Press Marathon race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Bib pickup

Expo entry is free, and the bib can only be collected here.

Huntington Place (formerly Cobo Center), 1 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226

Kia Health & Fitness Expo

Google MapsDirections
Oct 16 (Fri)
13:00–19:00
Oct 17 (Sat)
10:00–18:00

Shakeout run

A relaxed group run to loosen up before race day. No pace pressure — everyone's welcome.
Based on the 2026 race. This year's schedule is usually announced 1–3 weeks before race day.

Brooks Detroit Free Press Marathon Warm-Up Party & Shakeout Run

Detroit Free Press Marathon × Brooks

When
Fri, October 16, 2026
Where
Chalet 313 at Campus Martius, Detroit, MI
How to join
Check the event page
Sign-up & detailsGoogle Maps

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startFort Street at Second Avenue (nearest address: 536 W.
  • Transit cardBoard with exact cash ($2.00) for a 4-hour unlimited-ride pass issued by the farebox, or buy a DART pass in advance via the Dart mobile app — don't count on tapping a foreign bank card. Where to buy
  • Getting to the finishWoodward Avenue at Congress Street, south of Campus Martius Park

Source · checked Aug 20, 2026 · Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Fort Street at Second Avenue (nearest address: 536 W. Fort Street, a parking lot)

Start line for Marathon, both Half Marathons, and Relay leg 1 on Fort Street at Second Avenue. Detroit People Mover free to ride, opens 5:30am race day for participants/spectators, stop serves Health and Fitness Expo at Huntington Place.

Course crosses into Windsor, Canada via Ambassador Bridge (~2 miles after start), restricted traffic race day Sunday. Detroit-Windsor Tunnel closes ~6:15-10:30am race day.

Runners crossing border should carry valid documentation (passport or enhanced driver's license from MI/MN/NY/VT/WA). No official shuttle bus found -- free Detroit People Mover is the documented public-transit option.

Map

Getting to the finish

Woodward Avenue at Congress Street, south of Campus Martius Park

Finish on Woodward at Congress, south of Campus Martius. Most Downtown Detroit hotels within walking distance of start/finish.

Map

Transit card

DART Pass (a shared regional fare-pass product for DDOT + SMART buses + the QLine streetcar — a physical or mobile-app pass, not a reloadable tap smart card)

DART passes are sold at DDOT/SMART transit centers (e.g., Rosa Parks Transit Center, 360 Michigan Ave, Detroit), the QLine Tech Center, select retail outlets, online, by mail, or through the Dart mobile app. Not accepted at the gates — get the local card above

Alternative: DART 24-Hour Pass $5.00 (there's also a $2.00 4-hour pass) — Worth it if riding DDOT/SMART/QLine more than twice in a day; otherwise the $2 cash 4-hour pass from the farebox covers a typical race-weekend trip. No official DDOT source confirms contactless (Visa/Mastercard/Apple Pay/Google Pay) tap-to-pay on buses — the only cardless/cashless options found are the Dart or Token Transit mobile apps.

Fareboxes take bills and coins (no change given beyond the transfer pass) — bring small bills/coins.

Where to buy
Source · checked Aug 20, 2026Source · checked Aug 17, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

You must be at least 16 years old on race day to enter the marathon,

and you must finish within 6 hours 30 minutes of the point at which the last-chance pacer passes start line.

If you fall significantly behind the pace, you will be warned and then taken by a bus following the pacer to the start and finish areas,

so you should set your pace based on the time limit from the beginning.

The finish closes at 2:00 pm.

The marathon and international half marathon are international races that include Canada, so you need valid travel documents.

Both events and the Motor City half marathon are sold out, so you should check your position on the waiting list.

During race week, the Kia Health and Fitness Expo takes place on 16 and 17 October.

You can use the partner hotel booking portal for accommodation, and it is safer to schedule your Expo visit for Friday or Saturday first.

Times are local to Detroit. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotel David Whitney, Autograph Collection

Hotel · 733m · 11-minute walk

9.2/10(193)
View on Booking.com

Detroit Red Wings Ice Hockey Game at Little Caesars Arena

$48

View on Klook

Element Detroit At The Metropolitan

Hotel · 714m · 11-minute walk

8.9/10(95)
View on Booking.com

Detroit car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on EconomyBookings

Hotels near the Detroit Free Press Marathon start line in Detroit

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

Distances are straight-line from the start/finish area.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

Hotel David Whitney, Autograph Collection

Hotel · 733m · 11-minute walk

9.2/10(193)
View on Booking.com

Element Detroit At The Metropolitan

Hotel · 714m · 11-minute walk

8.9/10(95)
View on Booking.com

Towneplace Suites By Marriott Windsor

Hotel · 1.5km · 22-minute walk

8.8/10(119)
View on Booking.com

Holiday Inn Express Windsor Waterfront, An Ihg Hotel

Hotel · 1.4km · 21-minute walk

8.6/10(825)
View on Booking.com

Doubletree By Hilton Windsor Hotel & Suites

Hotel · 1.3km · 20-minute walk

8.5/10(550)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Trip.comClosest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Tours and activities around the Detroit Free Press Marathon in Detroit

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

Detroit Red Wings Ice Hockey Game at Little Caesars Arena

$48

View on Klook

Detroit car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on EconomyBookings

Detroit Airport Pickup (GetTransfer)

Vetted driver matching, compare quotes before you book (price confirmed at booking) · Check price and book

View on GetTransfer

Detroit Car Rental (Qeeq)

Compare budget-friendly rental cars with a free-cancellation option (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Qeeq

Detroit airport pickup (Welcome)

Local driver meets you in person, flight delay monitoring included (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Welcome Pickups

Ann Arbor car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on EconomyBookings

Ann Arbor Airport Pickup (GetTransfer)

Vetted driver matching, compare quotes before you book (price confirmed at booking) · Check price and book

View on GetTransfer

Ann Arbor Car Rental (Qeeq)

Compare budget-friendly rental cars with a free-cancellation option (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Qeeq

Where runners eat in Detroit

Eating well is part of the trip

View all →

A meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.

Seeing Detroit with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Detroit.

Flights, hotels, airport transfers and budget for Detroit Free Press Marathon

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Detroit Free Press Marathon

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Ask the runners preparing for this raceWrite a post
CourseBib & expoGetting aroundStay
Detroit runners' room
MAGAZINE.
MORE RACES.

Frequently asked questions about Detroit Free Press Marathon

FAQ
When was Detroit Free Press Marathon 2026 held?

It was held on Sun, October 18, 2026. The next race is October 2027.

When does Detroit Free Press Marathon 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in October 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sun, October 18, 2026.

How much is the Detroit Free Press Marathon 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $40.

How do I register for Detroit Free Press Marathon 2027?

Entry routes: First come, first served.

Registration is handled on the official website.

What is the time limit for Detroit Free Press Marathon 2027?

6 hours and 30 minutes. (From the 2026 edition)

What distances does Detroit Free Press Marathon 2027 offer?

Marathon · Half · 5K. (From the 2026 edition)

What time does Detroit Free Press Marathon 2027 start?

The race starts at 07:00. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does Detroit Free Press Marathon 2027 start?

Fort St, between 1st Street and Shelby Street, Detroit. (From the 2026 edition)

What is the Detroit Free Press Marathon 2027 course like?

The marathon starts in wave start at 3-minute intervals to reduce congestion at the beginning.

Course passes through Detroit’s historic Woodbridge and District Detroit,

Eastern Market, and Dequindre Cut before continuing to the finish beneath Campus Martius.

Where does Detroit Free Press Marathon 2027 finish?

The intersection of Woodward Ave and Congress St, Detroit. (From the 2026 edition)

PacerTrip connects you to races, stays, flights and tours. You book and pay on each service; when you go through these links we earn a commission.