- Weather
- 46°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~2,500 runners
- Course
- Flat to rolling
- Elevation
- 250 ft gain
Scenic shore of Lake Michigan
PR9Weather9Experience8
Mid-October · Midwest · Loop
University of Michigan Health-West Grand Rapids Marathon
Grand Rapids, MI · Sunday, October 18, 2026
Event listed as: Marathon
- Best for PR
- Boston Qualifier
- First Marathon
Registration opens on the organizer's site
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
1.5K
Larger than 60% of races
Estimated field
PR potential
8.7/10
Ahead of 47% of races
Almanac model
Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.
Course profile
250 ft gain · 0 ft net
Flat to rolling course, loop.
0510152026.2
Race-day weather
Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.
6 AM
38°
Start
46°
Midday
57°
ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk
Typical start sits at 46°F, excellent marathon conditions.
Typical dew point 39°F, 22% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.
The bottom line
A quietly fast race that does not ask for much beyond honest pacing.
University of Michigan Health-West Grand Rapids Marathon is a strong choice for a PR attempt, and Grand Rapids offers very little meaningful elevation. The tradeoff is that nothing about it is extreme in either direction.
Why runners choose this race
A loop course around Grand Rapids, MI, with gentle rollers but no sustained climbing.
The case for it
- PR attempts
- Boston qualification
- First-time marathoners
The tradeoffs
- No notable warnings in the data.
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Loop
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Flat to rolling
- Total gain
- 250 ft(estimated)
- Total loss
- 250 ft(estimated)
- Net elevation
- 0 ft(estimated)
- Field size
- ~1,500 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Pockets of spectators
- Entry
- Easy
- Entry fee
- $125(most recent listed price)
- Day of week
- Sunday
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in the same area
Race details
- Typical timing
- Mid-October
- Next confirmed date
- Sunday, October 18, 2026
- Registration
- Open now
- Region
- Midwest
- Editorial tier
- Recommended
- Data last reviewed
- 2026-08-26
- Best for PR
- Boston Qualifier
- First Marathon
- Loop course
- Easy entry
Similar races
Races with a comparable profile.
- 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
Mid-October · Midwest
Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, Jesse Owens 5K, 1 Mile & Kids Run
Columbus, OH
- Weather
- 50°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~3,500 runners
- Course
- Flat to rolling
- Elevation
- 300 ft gain · 0 ft net
Event listed as: Marathon
PR9Weather9Experience8