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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE

Merus Marathon & Ultra

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USApr 17, 202752.4M · 42.195km · 21.1km +2 more events

Romain Balès · CC BY-SA 4.0

Race date in 189 days: Apr 17, 2027 Sat
City · Distance: Claude · 52.4M · 42.195km · 21.1km +2 more events
Entry fee: $120Varies by event and entry period
Status: SoonTBD ~ Sat, April 17, 2027See how to enter ↗

Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 10, 2026

About the race How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

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

Held at Merus Adventure Park in Palo Duro Canyon.

Significant elevation change throughout course.

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.

Stories from runners who've been there.

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

No runner reports yet. We'll add them here as they come in.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

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

We haven't found a video for this race yet. We'll add one when we do.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

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.

Marathon

Entry cost $120

Merus Marathon - 26.2 Mi · until Mar 27, 2027 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Half

Entry cost $90

Merus Marathon - 13.1 Mi · until Mar 27, 2027 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Ultra

Entry cost $150

Merus Marathon - 52.4 Mi · until Mar 27, 2027 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Trail

Entry cost $10

Merus Marathon Youth Trail Run · until Apr 18, 2027 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

About 10K · 5K

10K

Entry cost $60

Merus Marathon - 10k · until Mar 27, 2027 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

5K

Entry cost $35

Merus Marathon - 5k · until Mar 27, 2027 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 52.4M

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

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:00

Time limit15 hours

22:00 CDT (15 hours)

START

4510 County Road 9 Claude, TX 79019 United States, Claude, TX

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

4510 County Road 9

Finish · Google Maps

Cutoff
22:00 CDT (15 hours)

Events include Merus Marathon - 52.4 Mi, Merus Marathon - 26.2 Mi, Merus Marathon - 13.1 Mi, Merus Marathon - 10k, and four other divisions.

Start time is 7 a.m. local time.

Finish line is at 4510 County Road 9.

Typical race-season temperature: around 16°C (60°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers
Terrain: Palo Duro Canyon, sand · sandstone · red soil · rock · clay, elevation approx. 2,500~3,412 feet

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

To the start line,
step by step.

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

Bib pickup

Friday 18:00~20:00 · Saturday 06:00~08:30

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startNone — no train/subway/bus service near the venue

Source · checked Aug 23, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

None — no train/subway/bus service near the venue

Start/finish is at Merus Adventure Park, 4510 County Road 9, Claude, TX 79019, inside Palo Duro Canyon — a remote rural adventure park roughly 25+ miles from the nearest town. No public transit of any kind serves this location.

Map

Getting to the finish

Same as start (Merus Adventure Park, Palo Duro Canyon)

All distances start and finish at the same adventure park location.

Map

Source · checked Aug 23, 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.

Both the marathon (26.2 miles) and ultra (52.4 miles) start together at 7:00 a.m. Central Time,

with time limit set for 10:00 p.m. the same day, giving runners a total time limit of 15 hours (based on the previous year).

Entry fee were approximately $120 for the marathon and $150 for the ultra, with prices increasing after a certain point in late March.

Course follows a loop through the Merus Adventure Park property in Palo Duro Canyon.

Given the canyon terrain, the course features a mix of sand, sandstone, red dirt, rock, and clay,

with repeated 100- to 500-foot climbs and descents between the canyon rim (approximately 3,412 feet) and floor (approximately 2,500 feet).

As this is a desert canyon environment, sun protection and a solid hydration plan are especially important.

Times are local to Claude. 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.

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.

LOCAL TRANSIT1

Claude 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

Hotels that make race morning easyDistances are straight-line from the start.View on map Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on map Seeing Claude with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

Checklist Local eSIM · Trip.com Flight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelp Pace calculator

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

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Claude runners' room

FAQ

When does Merus Marathon & Ultra 2027 take place?

It takes place on Sat, April 17, 2027 in Claude, TX, United States.

How much is the Merus Marathon & Ultra 2027 entry fee?

The main event costs $120.

What is the time limit for Merus Marathon & Ultra 2027?

22:00 CDT (15 hours).

What distances does Merus Marathon & Ultra 2027 offer?

Marathon · Half · 10K · 5K · Ultra.

What time does Merus Marathon & Ultra 2027 start?

The race starts at 07:00.

Where does Merus Marathon & Ultra 2027 start?

4510 County Road 9 Claude, TX 79019 United States, Claude, TX.

Where does Merus Marathon & Ultra 2027 finish?

4510 County Road 9.

What are the Merus Marathon & Ultra 2027 cutoff times?

22:00 CDT (15 hours).

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Merus Marathon & Ultra

About Merus Marathon & Ultra — what makes it special

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

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run