Bellingham Bay Marathon
The Lowdown
The Bellingham Bay Marathon is an annual point-to-point road race in Bellingham, Washington, held each September. The marathon starts at Wex'liem Community Building on Lummi Nation land and finishes downtown at Depot Market Square, with the course running along the shoreline of Bellingham Bay and through stretches of urban trail before reaching the waterfront finish. The race also offers a Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and a marathon relay, all finishing at Depot Market Square. The Bellingham Bay Marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifier and hosts the Pacific Northwest Marathon Championships through USA Track & Field. Runners start at 7:30 AM (walkers at 6:45 AM) with a 2:00 PM course cutoff, giving the marathon a 6.5-hour time limit. The event has been presented by PeaceHealth in recent years. Registration for the 2026 edition, on September 20, is open, with tiered pricing that increases as the race date approaches.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Good crowd energy
Boston Qualifier
This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.
Bellingham Bay
San Juan Islands views
North Cascades mountains views
Lummi Nation
Depot Market Square
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Bellingham, Washington, USA
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age requirements apply per distance (see official rules)
Required Documents
- Photo ID for packet pickup
Entry Methods
- Online registration via RunSignUp
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Review the official cancellation and deferral policy before registering
The race is a USATF-sanctioned Boston Marathon qualifier and hosts the Pacific Northwest Marathon Championships.
The course is point-to-point, starting on Lummi Nation land and finishing at Depot Market Square in downtown Bellingham; pace groups are provided by the Bellingham Distance Project.
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Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
Community Reviews
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