Erie Marathon at Presque Isle
The Lowdown
The Erie Marathon at Presque Isle is a renowned flat, fast Boston Qualifier held every September on two loops of Presque Isle State Park along Lake Erie. With less than 250 feet of total elevation change over the full 26.2 miles, it is one of the highest Boston-qualifying-rate marathons in the country and a favorite among runners chasing a BQ. The all-volunteer race starts and finishes at the Erie Runners Club Beach 1 Pavilion, is capped at 2,000 participants, and typically sells out.
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.
Presque Isle State Park
Lake Erie shoreline
Erie Runners Club Beach 1 Pavilion (start/finish)
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Presque Isle State Park, Erie, PA
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age 18
Required Documents
- Photo ID
Entry Methods
- Online registration via RunSignup
Cancellation & Refund Policy
No refunds, deferrals, or transfers
Course is two loops of Presque Isle State Park on the old lake road and main park road, mostly asphalt with some concrete and grass shoulder options.
Field capped at 2,000 runners; this all-volunteer race regularly sells out, especially given its reputation as a Boston-qualifying favorite.
Parking is off-site at Waldameer Park; all runners and spectators must walk about 0.6 miles to the start/finish area.
6-hour time limit; runners not maintaining roughly a 14-minute mile pace are moved onto the shared all-purpose trail.
Race tracking available via RaceJoy; pace groups contracted through marathonpacing.com.
A separate Presque Isle Half Marathon is organized by the Erie Runners Club in July and is not part of this September marathon weekend.
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Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
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