- Weather
- 48°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~2,000 runners
- Course
- Rolling
- Elevation
- 450 ft gain
Finishes under the Soldiers & Sailors Arch
PR7Weather9Experience8
Early October · Northeast · Out-and-Back
Maine Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Relay
Portland, ME · Sunday, October 4, 2026
Event listed as: Marathon
Registration opens on the organizer's site
Typical start
45°
Cooler than 69% of U.S. marathons
Modeled historical conditions
Elevation gain
600ft
Flatter than 23% of races
Estimated total climb
Field size
1K
Larger than 44% of races
Estimated field
PR potential
7.3/10
Ahead of 37% of races
Almanac model
Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.
Course profile
600 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
37°
Start
45°
Midday
56°
ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk
Typical start sits at 45°F, excellent marathon conditions.
Typical dew point 38°F, 22% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.
The bottom line
A small race that trades atmosphere for room to run.
Maine Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Relay 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 Portland, ME, with steady rollers that reward even pacing.
The case for it
- Runners who want a low-key start
The tradeoffs
- No notable warnings in the data.
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Out-and-Back
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Rolling
- Total gain
- 600 ft(estimated)
- Total loss
- 600 ft(estimated)
- Net elevation
- 0 ft(estimated)
- Field size
- ~1,000 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Pockets of spectators
- Entry
- Easy
- Entry fee
- $75(most recent listed price)
- Day of week
- Sunday
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in the same area
Race details
- Typical timing
- Early October
- Next confirmed date
- Sunday, October 4, 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
- 48°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,200 runners
- Course
- Rolling
- Elevation
- 600 ft gain
Ocean Drive past historic Gilded Age mansions
PR7Weather9Experience7
- Weather
- 48°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,000 runners
- Course
- Rolling
- Elevation
- 600 ft gain
Scenic coastal roads and Nobska Light
PR7Weather9Experience7