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Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon race photo

Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon race photo
Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon race photo
Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon race photo
Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon race photo
Spearfish
US
© raceroster.comTony Webster, CC BY 2.0Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
Race date Aug expected
August 2027
City · Distance
Spearfish · 42.195km
Entry fee
Fee TBDVaries by event and entry period
2027Date August 2027 · expected · Soon
2026Date Aug 23, 2026 · Start 06:00
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 19, 2026
Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon race photo
© raceroster.com
Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon race photo
Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon race photo
Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon race photo
Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon race photo
Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

The Leading Ladies Marathon and Dakota Spirit Marathon are held together on the same course from Lead to Spearfish in South Dakota’s Black Hills.

The Leading Ladies Marathon began as a women-only event and later opened to all runners by adding the men’s Dakota Spirit Marathon.

However, full marathon results are still recorded separately for women and men under the two race names.

Full marathon and half marathon, along with a 10K and relay, are held on the same day across four events.

Half marathon starts near Savoy, at the mouth of the canyon.

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.

Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit 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: 2
MichelleRan in 2016
“I felt like a new woman by mile 12.”

At the Leading Ladies Marathon, the runner shivered while waiting to start and felt nauseated early on. By around mile 12, the runner felt better and was also pleased with registration and shuttle arrangements.

Read the original on Waist Management
MuffintopFinish time 4:36:26
“I kept a pretty steady effort, slowing down a little in the second half but not dramatically so.”

At the Leading Ladies Marathon, the runner enjoyed the scenery and the small-event atmosphere and organization. A slight slowdown late in the race still resulted in a finish in 4 hours, 36 minutes, and 26 seconds.

Read the original on You Don't Look Like a Runner

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.

The Leading Ladies Marathon

Black Hills & Badlands

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 Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit 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.

From the 2026 edition

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

Registration platform Race Roster

Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit 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 06:00
City center · not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet. The map shows the host city.

START

Spearfish, SD

Show more

Full marathon starts at Lead Country Club, climbs through the Bogie Circle section,

then continues over the unpaved section of Hanna Road and the final climb before a long descent.

Runners then follow Route 14A through a tree-lined 6.5-mile section to Savoy at mile 12, where half marathon participants start together.

After Savoy, course descends along Spearfish Creek through Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, passing a hydroelectric plant built in 1912 and Bridal Veil Falls.

Finish is at Spearfish City Park.

This steadily descending course is USATF-certified, and its results can be used for Boston Marathon qualifying.

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

Where and when to collect your Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit 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

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startNo public transit - the marathon starts at Lead Country Club (Lead, SD) and the half marathon starts near…
  • Getting to the finishNo public transit - finish is at Spearfish City Park, Spearfish, SD.
  • Transit cardNo dedicated transit card system; Spearfish in South Dakota's Black Hills is a car-access small town with…

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

No public transit - the marathon starts at Lead Country Club (Lead, SD) and the half marathon starts near Savoy, both rural Black Hills / Spearfish Canyon locations.

Organizer bus picks runners up at the host hotel (Spearfish Holiday Inn & Convention Center) on race morning and transports them to the start line. Point-to-point course descending through Spearfish Canyon from Lead to Spearfish; this rural Black Hills area has no public transit, so the organizer shuttle or a private vehicle is required.

Map

Getting to the finish

No public transit - finish is at Spearfish City Park, Spearfish, SD.

Shuttle returns runners from the finish back toward the host hotel/start area after the race.

Map

Start shuttle

Organizer-run shuttle: hotel pickup (Spearfish Holiday Inn & Convention Center) on race morning to the start, plus a return shuttle from the finish line.

Transit card

No dedicated transit card system; Spearfish in South Dakota's Black Hills is a car-access small town with no public transit smartcard network.

Source · checked Aug 24, 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.

In late August, Spearfish has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb).

The average August high is 28°C and the average low is around 13°C.

Its elevated Black Hills setting makes it cooler than the plains of eastern South Dakota,

and temperatures can vary sharply between the early-morning start and midday.

Course passes through Lead and Spearfish in the western South Dakota Black Hills.

The nearest airport is Rapid City Regional Airport, approximately 95km (59 miles) away, around an hour by car.

The day before the race, August 22, includes packet pickup and other associated events.

Times are local to Spearfish. 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.

Spearfish car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Hotels near the Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon start line in Spearfish

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

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

Holiday Inn Spearfish - Convention Center, An Ihg Hotel

Hotel · 3.6km

7.0/10(65)
View on Booking.com

Central Creekfront Spearfish Apt by City Park

Accommodation · 230m

9.3/10(10)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Trip.comClosest to the start lineView on Trip.com

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.

Spearfish car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

What to see in Spearfish after the race

Seeing Spearfish with the medal on

View all →

The city you ran — this time, a little slower.

Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on map

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

Total cost and budget for Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit 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 Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Spearfish runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon

FAQ
When was Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon 2026 held?

It was held on Sun, August 23, 2026. The next race is August 2027.

When does Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in August 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sun, August 23, 2026.

What distances does Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon 2027 offer?

Marathon. (From the 2026 edition)

What time does Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon 2027 start?

The race starts at 06:00. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon 2027 start?

Spearfish, SD. (From the 2026 edition)

What is the Leading Ladies Marathon / Dakota Spirit Marathon 2027 course like?

Full marathon starts at Lead Country Club, climbs through the Bogie Circle section,

then continues over the unpaved section of Hanna Road and the final climb before a long descent.

Runners then follow Route 14A through a tree-lined 6.5-mile section to Savoy at mile 12, where half marathon participants start…

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