- Weather
- 51°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~3,000-4,000 runners
- Course
- Hilly
- Elevation
- 1,000 ft gain
Music City route with live bands
PR5Weather9Experience8
Mid-October · Southeast · Loop
Baltimore Running Festival
Baltimore, MD · Saturday, October 17, 2026
Event listed as: Marathon
Registration opens on the organizer's site
Typical start
51°
Cooler than 37% of U.S. marathons
Modeled historical conditions
Elevation gain
1,200ft
Flatter than 5% of races
Estimated total climb
Field size
3K
Larger than 84% of races
Estimated field
PR potential
5.1/10
Ahead of 13% of races
Almanac model
Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.
Course profile
1,200 ft gain · 0 ft net
Hilly course, loop.
0510152026.2
Race-day weather
Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.
6 AM
43°
Start
51°
Midday
62°
ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk
Typical start sits at 51°F, excellent marathon conditions.
Typical dew point 44°F, 22% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.
The bottom line
This one is about the day, not the clock.
Baltimore Running Festival is a strong choice for runners who like a course with real character, and the climbing is the point here. The tradeoff is time: race it hard early and the hills will collect later.
Why runners choose this race
A loop course around Baltimore, MD, with real climbing that will cost you time if you race it hard early.
The case for it
- Not enough verified data yet.
The tradeoffs
- You are chasing a flat-course PR
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Loop
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Hilly
- Total gain
- 1,200 ft(estimated)
- Total loss
- 1,200 ft(estimated)
- Net elevation
- 0 ft(estimated)
- Field size
- ~3,000 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Steady crowd support
- Entry
- Moderate
- Entry fee
- $98(most recent listed price)
- Day of week
- Saturday
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in the same area
Race details
- Typical timing
- Mid-October
- Next confirmed date
- Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Registration
- Open now
- Region
- Southeast
- Editorial tier
- Recommended
- Data last reviewed
- 2026-08-26
- Loop course
- Hilly course
Similar races
Races with a comparable profile.
Early April · Southeast
Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon, Half Marathon, Relays, 5k and Kids Run
Knoxville, TN
- Weather
- 51°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,200 runners
- Course
- Hilly
- Elevation
- 1,200 ft gain · 0 ft net
Event listed as: MARATHON
PR5Weather9Experience7
- Weather
- 43°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~2,000 runners
- Course
- Hilly
- Elevation
- 1,400 ft gain
Classic hilly Piedmont Park and downtown route
PR5Weather9Experience8