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

Keep Duke City Marathon's countdown, checklist and bib pickup plan on your phone with MarathonOS →

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.

MarathonOS

Running this race?

MarathonOS keeps the countdown on your Lock Screen. Checklists, travel logistics and your race report are free on your first race.

Download on the App Store

Community

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

Community Reviews

Learn from fellow runners and share insights that will help the next person toe the line.