Bismarck Marathon
The Lowdown
The Bismarck Marathon is North Dakota's longest-running marathon, first held in 1981 and now in its fifth decade under the Missouri Valley Family YMCA. Presented by MDU Resources, the race weekend fills the North Dakota State Capitol grounds each September with a full marathon, a half marathon, 10K, 5K, a marathon relay, the BisBark dog run, and a kids' mini marathon. The out-and-back full marathon course parallels the Missouri River before winding through historic downtown Bismarck neighborhoods, and its USATF certification (course code ND26007TRR) makes it an official Boston Marathon and NYC Marathon qualifier. In 2025 roughly 8.3% of the full marathon field ran Boston-qualifying times, and the wider race weekend drew 1,715 registrations across all events. The course is mostly flat: the region's rolling prairie terrain produces about 482 feet (146 m) of elevation gain and loss over the full marathon distance, a modest profile that has helped Bismarck earn one of the highest course-speed ratings of any U.S. marathon. All event proceeds benefit local health and wellness non-profits. For 2026, the Full Marathon and Marathon Relay have already sold out, but the Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, BisBark, and Kids Mini Marathon remain open for registration through Race Roster.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Moderate spectator support
Boston Qualifier
This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.
North Dakota State Capitol grounds — start and finish line for all race-day events
Missouri River — the marathon and half marathon courses parallel the riverfront for much of the out-and-back route
Riverwood Golf Course — the course passes the entrance along Riverwood Drive
Historic downtown Bismarck neighborhoods — later miles of the marathon route wind through the city's older residential streets
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Bismarck, North Dakota, United States
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- No minimum age to participate in any distance (per official FAQ)
- Runners must be 18 or older on race day for the finishing time to count toward Boston Marathon qualification
- Strollers are not permitted on course without advance Race Director approval
- Dogs are not permitted on the marathon course; BisBark is the designated dog event
- Course closes at 2:00 PM CT (7-hour limit from the 7:00 AM start)
Required Documents
- Signed liability waiver
- Photo ID for in-person packet pickup
Entry Methods
- Online Registration (Race Roster)
Cancellation & Refund Policy
No published refund policy found on official pages as of research date; assume no-refund/no-deferral per typical Race Roster event terms (unverified, estimate)
The 2025 edition was the 44th annual running, making the Bismarck Marathon North Dakota's longest-running marathon.
Independent course-rating site findmymarathon.com scores the course 99.02, ranking it among the fastest-rated marathon courses in the United States.
All net proceeds from the race weekend are donated to local non-profits supporting health and wellness in the Bismarck-Mandan area.
The event is presented by MDU Resources, with additional sponsorship from BNSF Railway, Scheels, Thrivent, and Dakota Community Bank & Trust.
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Community
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