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Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K race photo

Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K race photo
Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K race photo
Empire
US
Nakor · CC BY-SA 3.0Anne Hornyak from Griffith, IN, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsJim Sorbie · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Race date Oct expected
October 2027
City · Distance
Empire · 42.195km · 21.1km · 5km
Entry fee
$85From the 2025 edition
2027Date October 2027 · expected · Soon
2026Date Oct 3, 2026 · Entry ~ Oct 1, 2026 · Entry fee $60 · Start 07:30
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 13, 2026
Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K race photo
Nakor · CC BY-SA 3.0
Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K race photo
Anne Hornyak from Griffith, IN, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K race photo
Jim Sorbie · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

The race runs through the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The events are the full marathon, half marathon, and 5K Run/Walk.

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.

Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K 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: 1
Wesley HuntRan in 2012 · Finish time 2:45:42
“I ran with the pace cyclist from start to finish, and we very much enjoyed ourselves.”

Wesley Hunt ran with the lead bicycle from start to finish at the Sleeping Bear Marathon, enjoying Lake Michigan and dune views. Despite cold and occasional hail, he won while improving his personal best.

Read the original on Wesley Hunt – Fast Running Blog

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.

2024 Sleeping Bear Marathon Highlight Video

Focal Flame

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 Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K — 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 2025 edition

Marathon

Entry cost $85

until Jan 31, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Half

Entry cost $75

until Jan 31, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

5K

Entry cost $35

until Jan 31, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

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

RACE WEEK

Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K course map and elevation

Your 42.195km

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

From the 2025 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 07:30
EventStart
Marathon42.195km07:30
Half21.0975km08:00
5K5km08:20
not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet.

START · FINISH

Empire Beach, Empire, MI

Start · Google Maps

The events are the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K.

The start is at Empire Beach, Empire, MI, at a local time of 7:30 a.m.

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Finisher medal 2026

Event T-shirt 2026

Aid stations 2026

This may change for the next edition.

Where and when to collect your Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K 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

Empire

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startMarathon/Half Marathon start at the Dune Climb (Hwy 109 at Hunter Rd); no direct parking there.

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Marathon/Half Marathon start at the Dune Climb (Hwy 109 at Hunter Rd); no direct parking there. Runners must take the mandatory free shuttle from Johnson Park to the Dune Climb start, operating 6:00-7:45 AM.

Rural northern Michigan (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore) — no public transit; rental car from Traverse City (~25 miles) is the practical option.

Getting to the finish

All races finish in Empire, MI (Lake Michigan). No public transit exists in this rural Leelanau County area.

Start shuttle

Yes — mandatory shuttle bus, Johnson Park (parking) to Dune Climb start, 6:00-7:45 AM, for full/half marathon runners only.

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.

In-person bib pickup takes place at Fleet Feet - Traverse City South from 1:00 to 6:45 p.m. on October 2, the day before the race.

Additional pickup is also available on race day, October 3, at Johnson Park in Empire,

from 6:00 to 8:15 a.m. Advance pickup is recommended to avoid morning congestion,

and proxy pickup is allowed with a QR code for those who are not the registered participant.

For those who prefer mail delivery, bibs can be received in advance for an additional $30 fee.

Times are local to Empire. 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 Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K start line in Empire

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.

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

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

Total cost and budget for Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K

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 Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Empire runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K

FAQ
When does Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in October 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, October 3, 2026.

How much is the Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $60.

What distances does Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K 2027 offer?

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

What time does Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K 2027 start?

The race starts at 07:30. (From the 2025 edition)

Where does Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K 2027 start?

Empire Beach, Empire, MI. (From the 2025 edition)

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