- Weather
- 48°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~600 runners
- Course
- Rolling
- Elevation
- 500 ft gain · 0 ft net
Event listed as: Marathon
PR7Weather9Experience6
Mid-October · Northeast · Out-and-Back
Champlain Islands Marathon & Half Marathon
South Hero, VT · Sunday, October 18, 2026
Event listed as: Marathon
Registration opens on the organizer's site
Typical start
43°
Cooler than 76% of U.S. marathons
Modeled historical conditions
Elevation gain
350ft
Flatter than 42% of races
Estimated total climb
Field size
300
Larger than 0% of races
Estimated field
PR potential
7.0/10
Ahead of 25% of races
Almanac model
Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.
Course profile
350 ft gain · 0 ft net
Rolling course, out-and-back.
0510152026.2
Race-day weather
Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.
6 AM
35°
Start
43°
Midday
54°
ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk
Typical start sits at 43°F, excellent marathon conditions.
Typical dew point 36°F, 22% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.
The bottom line
A small race that trades atmosphere for room to run.
Champlain Islands Marathon & Half Marathon is a strong choice for a first marathon, and the course rolls gently without any sustained climbing. The tradeoff is atmosphere: expect long quiet stretches and few spectators.
Why runners choose this race
A out-and-back course around South Hero, VT, with steady rollers that reward even pacing.
The case for it
- Runners who want a low-key start
The tradeoffs
- You want crowds and on-course energy
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Out-and-Back
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Rolling
- Total gain
- 350 ft(estimated)
- Total loss
- 350 ft(estimated)
- Net elevation
- 0 ft(estimated)
- Field size
- ~300 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Quiet, low-key
- Entry
- Easy
- Entry fee
- $70(most recent listed price)
- Day of week
- Sunday
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in the same area
Race details
- Typical timing
- Mid-October
- Next confirmed date
- Sunday, October 18, 2026
- Registration
- Open now
- Region
- Northeast
- Editorial tier
- Recommended
- Data last reviewed
- 2026-08-26
- Out-and-back
- Easy entry
Similar races
Races with a comparable profile.
- Weather
- 52°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~300 runners
- Course
- Rolling
- Elevation
- 500 ft gain · 0 ft net
Event: Lincoln Marathon
PR7Weather9Experience6
- Weather
- 48°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~2,000 runners
- Course
- Rolling
- Elevation
- 600 ft gain
Lake Champlain and Green Mountains views
PR7Weather9Experience8