- Weather
- 52°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,500 runners
- Course
- Hilly
- Elevation
- 1,000 ft gain
Barbecue stops, parks, and downtown landmarks
PR5Weather9Experience7
Early October · Midwest · Out-and-Back
Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K
Empire, MI · Saturday, October 3, 2026
Event listed as: Full Marathon
Registration opens on the organizer's site
Typical start
43°
Cooler than 76% of U.S. marathons
Modeled historical conditions
Elevation gain
1,100ft
Flatter than 9% of races
Estimated total climb
Field size
500
Larger than 14% of races
Estimated field
PR potential
4.8/10
Ahead of 7% of races
Almanac model
Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.
Course profile
1,100 ft gain · 0 ft net
Hilly 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
This one is about the day, not the clock.
Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K 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 out-and-back course around Empire, MI, 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 want crowds and on-course energy
- You are chasing a flat-course PR
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Out-and-Back
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Hilly
- Total gain
- 1,100 ft(estimated)
- Total loss
- 1,100 ft(estimated)
- Net elevation
- 0 ft(estimated)
- Field size
- ~500 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Quiet, low-key
- Entry
- Moderate
- Entry fee
- $85(most recent listed price)
- Day of week
- Saturday
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in the same area
Race details
- Typical timing
- Early October
- Next confirmed date
- Saturday, October 3, 2026
- Registration
- Open now
- Region
- Midwest
- Editorial tier
- Recommended
- Data last reviewed
- 2026-08-26
- Out-and-back
- Hilly course
Similar races
Races with a comparable profile.
- Weather
- 55°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~4,000 runners
- Course
- Hilly
- Elevation
- 1,200 ft gain
Signature quirky city-wide celebration
PR5Weather9Experience9
- Weather
- 58°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,200 runners
- Course
- Hilly
- Elevation
- 800 ft gain
Finishes inside Canal Park baseball stadium
PR5Weather8Experience7