Runners' Almanac
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Early October · Midwest · Point-to-Point

Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon

Milwaukee, WI · Sunday, October 4, 2026

Runs point-to-point along the Lake Michigan shoreline into a city with a brewing heritage that shaped its identity for over a century, home to Miller and, historically, Pabst and Schlitz. Flat to gently rolling.

Scenic shore of Lake Michigan

  • Best for PR
  • Boston Qualifier
  • First Marathon
  • Scenic
Official site

Opens the race organizer's website

Typical start

46°

Cooler than 64% of U.S. marathons

Modeled historical conditions

Elevation gain

250ft

Flatter than 48% of races

Estimated total climb

Field size

2.5K

Larger than 79% of races

Estimated field

PR potential

8.6/10

Ahead of 46% of races

Almanac model

Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.

Course profile

250 ft gain

Flat to rolling course, point-to-point.

0510152026.2
Schematic profile drawn from total gain, total loss and course category, on a shared vertical scale of 200 ft. Not a surveyed GPS trace.

Race-day weather

Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.

6 AM

38°

Start

46°

Midday

56°

ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk

Typical start sits at 46°F, excellent marathon conditions.

Typical dew point 39°F, 22% chance of precipitation, wind around 10 mph. All modeled.

The bottom line

A quietly fast race that does not ask for much beyond honest pacing.

Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon is a strong choice for a PR attempt, and Milwaukee offers very little meaningful elevation. The tradeoff is that nothing about it is extreme in either direction.

Why runners choose this race

A point-to-point course around Milwaukee, WI, with gentle rollers but no sustained climbing.

The case for it

  • PR attempts
  • Boston qualification
  • First-time marathoners
  • Runners who care about scenery

The tradeoffs

  • No notable warnings in the data.

Course and logistics

Course type
Point-to-Point
Surface
Road
Profile
Flat to rolling
Total gain
250 ft(estimated)
Field size
~2,500 runners(estimated)
Crowd support
Pockets of spectators
Entry
Data coming soon
Start / finish
Start and finish in different locations

Race details

Typical timing
Early October
Next confirmed date
Sunday, October 4, 2026
Region
Midwest
Editorial tier
Featured
Data last reviewed
2026-08-26
  • Best for PR
  • Boston Qualifier
  • First Marathon
  • Scenic
  • Point-to-point
  • Destination race

Similar races

Races with a comparable profile.

Mid-October · Midwest

Columbus Marathon

Columbus, OH

Weather
50°Ftypical startModelled estimate
Field size
~3,500 runners
Course
Flat to rolling
Elevation
300 ft gain

Nationwide Children's Hospital patient miles

PR9Weather9Experience8