pacertrip.Races
PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE
Duke City Marathon race photo

Duke City Marathon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Duke City Marathon race photo
Duke City Marathon race photo
Duke City Marathon race photo
Duke City Marathon race photo
Duke City Marathon race photo
Albuquerque
US
NRJ · CC BY-SA 3.0Jim.henderson · CC0U.S. Army · CC BY 2.0U.S. Army · CC BY 2.0Jim.henderson · CC BY-SA 4.0U.S. Army · CC BY 2.0
Race date in 12 days
Oct 18, 2026 Sun
City · Distance
Albuquerque · 42.195km · 21.1km · 10km +1 more events
Entry fee
Fee TBDVaries by event and entry period
Official website ↗
Instagram
D-day as of Oct 6, 2026
Duke City Marathon race photo
NRJ · CC BY-SA 3.0
Duke City Marathon race photo
Jim.henderson · CC0
Duke City Marathon race photo
U.S. Army · CC BY 2.0
Duke City Marathon race photo
U.S. Army · CC BY 2.0
Duke City Marathon race photo
Jim.henderson · CC BY-SA 4.0
Duke City Marathon race photo
U.S. Army · CC BY 2.0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Duke City Marathon — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

Established in 1984, this is Albuquerque’s flagship marathon.

It starts at Mayor Kinney Civic Plaza downtown.

The marathon also serves as the RRCA Western Region Championship, and seven events are held together, including a marathon relay, half marathon, 10K and 5K.

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.

Duke City Marathon runner reviews and race reports

Stories from those who ran it first.

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

Race reports: 3
Vic CRan in 2022 · Finish time 05:41:50
“My second half was 3:11:56 for a finish time of 5:41:50.”

The runner entered the 2022 race with finishing as the goal, despite concerns about health and lack of training. The runner endured the rain, strong winds and walking sections in the latter part of the race, finishing the full marathon in 5 hours 41 minutes 50 seconds. The runner selected the course and the race as favourites.

Read the original on Slow Old Runner
Erin WagnerRan in 2021 · Finish time 3:02:38
“Pacing myself, fueling early, and hydrating often were keys to my success at Duke City.”

On the flat Rio Grande bike path course, the runner managed fueling and hydration, held on through the low point around 23 miles, and won the women's race in 3:02:38.

Read the original on Team RunRun
Jim (50 after 40)Ran in 2017 · Finish time 3:34:28
“The Duke City Marathon was advertised as one of the top 25 marathons in the world.”

Jim wrote that the course was flat, with impressive mountain and hot-air-balloon views, but that the out-and-back course along the river felt monotonous, and that Jim was disappointed with the bicycles and race operations.

Read the original on 50 after 40

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.

42nd Duke City Marathon breaks participant record

KRQE

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 Duke City 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.

We'll fill this in once the official entry rules are out.

Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Duke City Marathon course map and elevation

The 42.195km I'll run

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

From the 2025 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 07:00
EventStart
Marathon42.195km07:00
Half21.0975km07:15
10K10km08:15
5K5km07:30
Marathon Relay42.195km07:00
START

3rd Street and Tijeras, Albuquerque

Start · Google Maps
FINISH

3rd Street between Tijeras and Marquette, Albuquerque

Finish · Google Maps
Show more

The start and finish are in the Civic Plaza area of downtown Albuquerque.

The route starts at 3rd Street and Tijeras, heads west along Central Avenue, passes Laguna,

Kit Carson and Alcalde, and continues from Tingley Drive onto the Paseo del Bosque Trail.

Course passes historic Route 66, Old Town and the village of Los Ranchos before following the Rio Grande.

The 5K turns around at Kit Carson, while the 10K heads east on the trail section.

Half marathon, the relay and the marathon continue farther west, and the marathon runners turn toward the Sandia Mountains at the 10-mile point.

They run 3.1 miles to a turnaround, return along the Paseo del Bosque Trail and finish at Civic Plaza.

The event, which began in 1984, has become a local event offering several distances as well as wheelchair and Relay events.

The marathon is an RRCA Western Region Championship event.

Typical race-season temperature: around 14°C (57°F)
Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Timing chip

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Race expo

Where and when to collect your Duke City 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 2025 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

It's a free expo and bib your last chance to pick it up.
10/17 (Sat) 09:00~18:00

Albuquerque Convention Center

Google Maps
Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

Civic Plaza, 3rd Street & Tijeras Ave NW, Downtown Albuquerque (per the 2025 edition — the official page had not yet been updated with 2026-specific details)

Opening ceremonies at approximately 6:45 am, with the marathon and relay starting at approximately 7:00 am in previous editions.

The course follows Historic Route 66, then the Paseo del Bosque Trail along the Rio Grande.

The start and finish at Downtown Civic Plaza have been used for multiple years and are likely to remain the same for 18 October 2026.

Getting to the finish

3rd Street between Tijeras and Marquette, Downtown Albuquerque (per prior edition) — post-race festival at Civic Plaza

Per prior edition;

core downtown location has been consistent across recent years.

More details

No dedicated race shuttle bus was found.

The DoubleTree host hotel is within walking distance of the start and finish and operates its own free, non-race-specific airport shuttle.

Stations & transport near the venue

On the day of the competition, course roads are closed to vehicles.

Source · checked Aug 22, 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.

The marathon and relay start first at 7:00 am on Sunday, 18 October, followed by half marathon at 7:15 am and the 10K run at 8:15 am.

3rd Street and Tijeras at Civic Plaza are the start line for all events, so prioritise convenient access to downtown when choosing accommodation.

Roads will be closed to traffic, so allow plenty of time to reach the start and choose your clothing according to the local forecast during race week.

If you registered by 18 September,

you can collect bib and your race packet at the Big 5 Sporting Goods store at 2720 San Mateo Boulevard from noon to 6:00 pm from 13 to 16 October.

If you registered later or did not collect during this period,

go to the Health and Fitness Expo in Hall 3 of the Albuquerque Convention Center from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on 17 October.

Race-day pickup requires a separate application.

Times are local to Albuquerque. 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.

Hotels near the Duke City Marathon start line in Albuquerque

Hotels that make race morning easy

7 places

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 Andaluz Albuquerque, Curio Collection By Hilton

Hotel · 291m

8.6/10(120)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

15 experiences

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

Albuquerque | Private Airport Transfer to/from Albuquerque International Sunport Airport

₩240,380

View on Klook

Albuquerque 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

Albuquerque Airport Pickup (Welcome)

Local driver pick-up, flight delay monitoring included (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Book after checking price

View on Welcome Pickups
Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on mapSeeing Albuquerque with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Distances and ratings for food and sights come from the place provider, and experiences are travel products in Albuquerque.

Total cost and budget for Duke City Marathon

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · YesimFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

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

Runner stories and questions about Duke City Marathon

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Albuquerque runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Duke City Marathon

FAQ
When does Duke City Marathon 2026 take place?

It takes place on Sun, October 18, 2026 in Albuquerque, NM, United States.

How much is the Duke City Marathon 2026 entry fee?

From $49, depending on the event and registration period.

What distances does Duke City Marathon 2026 offer?

Marathon · Half · 10K · 5K. (From the 2025 edition)

What time does Duke City Marathon 2026 start?

The race starts at 07:00. (From the 2025 edition)

Where does Duke City Marathon 2026 start?

3rd Street and Tijeras, Albuquerque. (From the 2025 edition)

Where does Duke City Marathon 2026 finish?

3rd Street between Tijeras and Marquette, Albuquerque. (From the 2025 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.