Montana Marathon 2026

Description

Opportunity Bank of Montana presents the 46th running of the Montana Marathon!!

The Montana Marathon course is one of the fastest and most scenic in the region, making it a favorite for runners chasing personal bests or a Boston Qualifier. Starting high on the rolling plains outside Billings in the small town of Molt, the route follows a gradual downhill descent (1,000' Net Drop) into the Magic City, showcasing wide-open skies, mountain views, and the beauty of Big Sky Country. This Point-to-Point race will have you picking up the 1/2 Marathon, 10K and 5K runners along the way; adding to the energy as you approach the finish line in downtown Billings.

The Montana Marathon is famous for being a FAST and beautiful Boston qualifier course! While the first ten miles feature scenic rolling green hills, the final 16 treat you to a loss of 1,000 vertical feet. YouTube Video of the course: Montana Marathon Course Marathon racers will be shuttled to the start line from Senior High School Parking Lot. Shuttles Load up at 5:30AM. The Last shuttle will depart at 6:00AM

The Marathon starts at 7:00am Marathon cut-off time: 6.5 hrs (16 min mile) Course Closes at 1:30 pm Walkers are not allowed to start early.

The Half Marathon was selected again by Road Runners Club of America as the Montana State Championship Race! Additional awards will be given by RRCA. YouTube Video of course: Montana Marathon Half Course Please note there is NO parking at the Half Marathon start and racers will be required to take the shuttle. Half Marathon racers will be shuttled to the start line from Senior High School Parking lot. Half Marathon will begin loading buses at ~6:45AM. The last shuttle leaves at 7:15AM

The Half Marathon begins at 8:00AM Course Closes at 1:30 pm

The 10K starts at the Rimrock West Park and finishes at Pioneer Park Check out the course on our YouTube Video: 10K Course 10K racers will be shuttled to the start line from Senior High School Parking lot. 10K Runners will begin loading at 8:30AM. The last shuttle leaves at 9:00AM.

The 10K starts at 9:30AM

The 5K Starts at Rose Park and finishes at Pioneer Park. Check out this flat course on our YouTube Video: 5K Course 5K Racers will need to drive to the start line. We have YMCA buses available to shuttle you back to your car after the race. Post-Race shuttles will go every 15 minutes from Senior High School Parking lot to Rose Park. First shuttle is at 10:45. The last shuttle back to Rose Park is at 12:00pm

The Virtual Event option is for anyone interested in supporting our cause! Virtual participants will receive a race shirt in the mail 1 week prior to the event. Run or Walk from afar and be part of the amazing movement going on in Billings, MT. There is no designated distance. You do not need to plug in your time. There are no awards for virtual runners.

Finisher Medals for all participants. F/M Age Group Awards: Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k & 5k F/M Overall Awards: Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k & 5k

IMPORTANT NOTES: For the safety of all participants:

Strollers are not permitted on the Marathon or Half Marathon Courses. Dogs are not permitted on any of the race courses. The course is marked well, but it is open to traffic. There will be volunteers at most intersections. Please remain on the right side of the road, unless otherwise directed. Because the course is open to traffic, we recommend that all participants wear bright colored clothing to improve visibility. Music devices and earbuds/earphones are strongly discouraged.

If you decide to leave the course, please let a staff or volunteer know so we don’t wonder where you are.

Packet Pick-up Information - Where: TBD When: Saturday, September 19th Times: 12:00 - 5:00pm

**ONLY OUT OF TOWN Participants who did not make it to the packet pick up on Saturday will be allowed to pick up Race Gear on Race Day** Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K: | Time: 5:15am - 7:30