- 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
Mid-April · Southeast · Mostly Loop
Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon
Roanoke, VA · Saturday, April 17, 2027
Event: Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon | Verified 8/26/26: 7,430 ft total elevation change confirmed by 3 independent sources. Template estimate was accurate. Known as "America's Toughest Road Marathon."
Registration opens on the organizer's site
Typical start
49°
Cooler than 46% of U.S. marathons
Modeled historical conditions
Elevation gain
3,715ft
Flatter than 1% of races
Organizer figures
Field size
1K
Larger than 44% 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
3,715 ft gain · 0 ft net
Hilly course, mostly loop.
0510152026.2
Race-day weather
Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.
6 AM
41°
Start
49°
Midday
60°
ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk
Typical start sits at 49°F, excellent marathon conditions.
Typical dew point 42°F, 22% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.
The bottom line
This one is about the day, not the clock.
Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon is a strong choice for runners who like a course with real character, and the climbing is the point here. The tradeoff is atmosphere: expect long quiet stretches and few spectators.
Why runners choose this race
A loop course around Roanoke, VA, with real climbing that will cost you time if you race it hard early.
The case for it
- Runners who want a low-key start
The tradeoffs
- You are chasing a flat-course PR
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Mostly Loop
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Hilly
- Total gain
- 3,715 ft
- Total loss
- 3,715 ft
- Net elevation
- 0 ft
- Field size
- ~1,000 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Pockets of spectators
- Entry
- Hard
- Entry fee
- $105(most recent listed price)
- Day of week
- Saturday
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in the same area
Race details
- Typical timing
- Mid-April
- Next confirmed date
- Saturday, April 17, 2027
- 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.
- 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
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- Weather
- 48°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,000 runners
- Course
- Hilly
- Elevation
- 900 ft gain
Greenway trails and downtown Raleigh
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