- Weather
- 52°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~800 runners
- Course
- Net downhill
- Elevation
- 150 ft gain · -800 ft net
Gallatin Valley mountain backdrop
PR9Weather9Experience7
Mid-September · Mountain West · Point-to-Point
Montana Marathon
Billings, MT · Sunday, September 20, 2026
Event: Full Marathon (26.2 Miles)
- Best for PR
- Boston Qualifier
- Scenic
Registration opens on the organizer's site
Typical start
52°
Cooler than 29% of U.S. marathons
Modeled historical conditions
Elevation gain
250ft
Flatter than 48% of races
Estimated total climb
Field size
500
Larger than 14% of races
Estimated field
PR potential
9.1/10
Ahead of 63% of races
Almanac model
Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.
Course profile
250 ft gain · -1,000 ft net
Net downhill course, point-to-point.
0510152026.2
Race-day weather
Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.
6 AM
44°
Start
52°
Midday
63°
ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk
Typical start sits at 52°F, excellent marathon conditions.
Typical dew point 40°F, 16% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.
The bottom line
This is a course built to give time back.
Montana Marathon is a strong choice for a fast time on tired legs, and the route gives back elevation for most of the 26.2 miles. The tradeoff is atmosphere: expect long quiet stretches and few spectators.
Why runners choose this race
A point-to-point course around Billings, MT, that gives back elevation for most of the race.
The case for it
- PR attempts
- Boston qualification
- Runners who care about scenery
- Runners who want a low-key start
The tradeoffs
- You want crowds and on-course energy
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Point-to-Point
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Net downhill
- Total gain
- 250 ft(estimated)
- Total loss
- 1,250 ft(estimated)
- Net elevation
- -1,000 ft(estimated)
- Field size
- ~500 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Quiet, low-key
- Entry
- Easy
- Entry fee
- $95(most recent listed price)
- Day of week
- Sunday
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in different locations
Race details
- Typical timing
- Mid-September
- Next confirmed date
- Sunday, September 20, 2026
- Registration
- Open now
- Region
- Mountain West
- Editorial tier
- Recommended
- Data last reviewed
- 2026-08-26
- Best for PR
- Boston Qualifier
- Scenic
- Point-to-point
- Net downhill
- Easy entry
Similar races
Races with a comparable profile.
- Weather
- 49°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~500 runners
- Course
- Net downhill
- Elevation
- 100 ft gain · -300 ft net
Event: The Long View Marathon
PR9Weather9Experience6
- Weather
- 53°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,500 runners
- Course
- Net downhill
- Elevation
- 150 ft gain · -1,200 ft net
Event listed as: Marathon
PR10Weather9Experience7