Duke City Marathon

Registration Open
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Oct 18, 2026 at 7:00 AM

The Lowdown

The Duke City Marathon has brought runners through Albuquerque, New Mexico since 1984, making it one of the longest-running marathons in the Southwest. The USATF-certified, Boston-qualifying course starts and finishes at Mayor Kinney Civic Plaza in downtown Albuquerque and follows an out-and-back route along the Paseo del Bosque Trail beside the Rio Grande, passing through the Village of Los Ranchos, Old Town Albuquerque, and a stretch of Historic Route 66. The route climbs gently for the first 12 miles before a steeper push to the turnaround, then returns net-downhill to the finish, all at roughly 5,000 feet of altitude. Race weekend also includes a Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K. Registration includes a moisture-wicking long-sleeve shirt, a commemorative race coin, and a finisher medal, with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of New Mexico.

Race Day

Weather Forecast

🌥️
fall
cool

Elevation

Terrain Profile

⛰️

Relatively flat course

Participants

Field Size

🏃
500RUNNERS

Intimate field

Crowd Rating

Spectator Support

👏
5/ 10

Good crowd energy

Boston Qualifier

This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.

Course Highlights
1

Historic Route 66

2

Paseo del Bosque Trail along the Rio Grande

3

Old Town Albuquerque

4

Village of Los Ranchos

Race Weekend

Other distances available during the event weekend:

Marathon (26.2 miles / 42.2 km)
Half Marathon (13.1 miles / 21.1 km)
10K (6.2 miles / 10 km)
5K (3.1 miles / 5 km)
Destination

Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

US

Est. Hotel Cost
$120/ night

Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line

Minimum Age
18years
Time Limit
6 hours 30 minutes

Eligibility

  • Open to all ages; wheelchair division offered

Required Documents

  • Photo ID for race packet pickup

Entry Methods

  • Online registration via dukecitymarathon.com

Cancellation & Refund Policy

No refunds; bib transfer to another runner allowed for a $20 fee

Held annually since 1984; one of the longest-running marathons in the Southwest.

Course runs at approximately 5,000 feet of elevation, notable for high-altitude effects on pace.

Title sponsor is Big 5 Sporting Goods; the race benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of New Mexico.

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Community

Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.

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