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The Towpath Marathon race photo

The Towpath Marathon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

The Towpath Marathon race photoCleveland
US
Erik Drost · CC BY 4.0Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
Race date in 3 days
Oct 3, 2026 Sat
City · Distance
Cleveland · 42.195km · 21.1km · 10km
Entry fee
$105Varies by event and entry period
Status
OpenSun, January 4, 2026 ~ Fri, October 2, 2026See how to enter ↗
Official website ↗D-day as of Sep 30, 2026
The Towpath Marathon race photo
Erik Drost · CC BY 4.0
The Towpath Marathon race photo
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
About the raceHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About The Towpath Marathon — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

An autumn race that starts at Canal Basin Park in the Flats East Bank of downtown Cleveland and follows the Towpath Trail.

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.

The Towpath 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.

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 enter The Towpath 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.

The Towpath Marathon - Full Marathon

Entry cost $105

until Sep 30, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

The Towpath Marathon - Full Marathon Early Start

Entry cost $105

until Sep 30, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Half

Entry cost $95

The Towpath Marathon - Half Marathon · until Sep 30, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

10K

Entry cost $65

The Towpath Marathon - 10K · until Sep 30, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

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

RACE WEEK

The Towpath Marathon course map and elevation

The 42.195km I'll run

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

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:30
Time limitCourse Closes at 2:00 PM
EventStart
Half21.0975km07:45
10K10km08:00
not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet.

START

Canal Basin Park, Cleveland, OH

Start · Google Maps
FINISH

Canal Basin Park

Finish · Google Maps
Show more

Events include The Towpath Marathon - Full Marathon, The Towpath Marathon - Half Marathon, and The Towpath Marathon - 10K.

The start is at Canal Basin Park, Cleveland, OH, at 7:30 a.m. local time.

The finish is at Canal Basin Park.

Typical race-season temperature: around 13°C (55°F)
Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Where and when to collect your The Towpath 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.

Pick up your bib at the expo

🔴 There is no race-day registration or packet pickup, so you must collect your packet in advance.
Check the organizer Canalway Partners' page for the advance collection date and time.

Canal Basin Park, 989 West St, Cleveland, OH

race venue

Google Maps
Stations & transport near the venue

Get the free 'Transit' app (with GCRTA's EZfare) before you land and buy tickets in-app with your bank card — don't count on tapping a foreign contactless card straight onto the bus or rail validator.

Getting to start

Start line is on West Street between Merwin Ave and Columbus Rd at Canal Basin Park, Cleveland, OH (the Flats neighborhood).

West Street is closed for the race.

Paid parking lots near start: Metro Parking, Tower City Parking, Riverview South Lot, and a Cleveland Metroparks lot.

Free street parking on Flats side streets if arriving early.

Getting to the finish

Finish line is on the Towpath Trail;

the course runs into Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Road closures

control of West Street by convention;

Paid parking: Metro Parking 1468 Columbus Rd, Tower City 963 Canal Rd

More details

Materials reference transportation to shuttle participants back to their cars from the finish, but no operating details were found.

IC card

SmartRT (GCRTA smartcard)

Ticket vending machines/kiosks at Red Line stations, HealthLine stations, and the Customer Service Center at Tower City;

funds can also be loaded at participating VanillaDirect retail locations.

Not accepted at the gates — get the local card above

Alternative: Day Pass $5.00 (single ride $2.50) —

Worth buying if taking 3+ rides in a day, since it caps at the day-pass cost automatically for smartcard/app users under the new account-based ticketing system.

More details

In June 2026 GCRTA launched account-based ticketing (powered by Masabi) with fare capping,

but riders tap-and-ride using the GCRTA SmartRT smartcard or by scanning a phone via the Transit/EZfare app —

official sources do not describe riders tapping a bare foreign contactless bank card directly on the reader.

Cash is accepted on buses;

cards are only usable at station kiosks/TVMs to load fare.

Source · checked Aug 22, 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.

As of the most recent edition,

the race started at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday at Canal Basin Park on the East Bank of the Flats in downtown Cleveland and followed the Towpath Trail.

Full marathon is a Boston Marathon-qualifying course, and half marathon and a 10K are also held, along with a virtual race option for online participation.

Course runs mostly on paved trail, featuring views of the Cuyahoga River valley and the downtown skyline,

and passes local landmarks such as Camp Cleveland and the Towpath Mounds.

Times are local to Cleveland. 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 The Towpath Marathon start line in Cleveland

Hotels that make race morning easy

3 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.

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

22 experiences

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

Cleveland: City Centre Landmarks Walking Tour

Downtown Landmark Walking Tour · $63

View on GetYourGuide

Cleveland Ohio City Food Market Walking Tour

Ohio City Food & Market Walking Tour · $89

View on GetYourGuide

Cleveland: Guided Craft Brewery Tours with a Snack

Craft Brewery Tour & Snack · $109

View on GetYourGuide

Cleveland History Center General Admission Ticket

Cleveland History Center Admission · $16

View on GetYourGuide

Detroit Red Wings Ice Hockey Game at Little Caesars Arena

$48

View on Klook

Cleveland｜Private airport pickup/drop-off service from Hopkins International Airport

$242

View on Klook

Cleveland Airport Pickup (GetTransfer)

Verified article matching, preliminary quote comparison reservation (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Reservation after price confirmation

View on GetTransfer

Cleveland airport pickup (Welcome)

Meet-and-greet by a local driver, including flight-delay monitoring (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Welcome Pickups

Sandusky: Cedar Point Admission Ticket

Cedar Point Amusement Park admission ticket · $59

View on GetYourGuide

Cleveland Fun N Stuff All Day Unlimited Attraction Ticket

Fun & Stuff All-Day Unlimited Pass · $73

View on GetYourGuide

Cleveland: Goodtime III Narrated Sightseeing Cruise

Goodtime III narrated sightseeing cruise · $44

View on GetYourGuide

Cleveland Rock Roll Hall of Fame Admission Ticket

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame admission · $37

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

Total cost and budget for The Towpath Marathon

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · YesimFlight delay compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

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

Runner stories and questions about The Towpath Marathon

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Cleveland runners' room

Frequently asked questions about The Towpath Marathon

FAQ
When does The Towpath Marathon take place?

It takes place on Sat, October 3, 2026 in Cleveland, OH, United States.

How much is the The Towpath Marathon entry fee?

The main event costs $105.

What is the time limit for The Towpath Marathon?

Course Closes at 2:00 PM.

What distances does The Towpath Marathon offer?

Marathon · Half · 10K.

What time does The Towpath Marathon start?

The race starts at 07:30.

Where does The Towpath Marathon start?

Canal Basin Park, Cleveland, OH.

Where does The Towpath Marathon finish?

Canal Basin Park.

When does registration for The Towpath Marathon open?

Registration runs from Sun, January 4, 2026 to Fri, October 2, 2026.

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