Next race
Saturday, 9 October 2027
8:00 am start
Distance
42.195 km / 26.2 mi
Urban road
Elevation
Flat · 50 m gain
50 m climbing
Race profile
The Hartford Marathon draws approximately 1,800 finishers each October through Connecticut's capital on the Connecticut River. The course passes the State Capitol's gold dome, Bushnell Park, and the riverfront trails on flat New England terrain. October's crisp Connecticut autumn and the USATF-certified fast course make it New England's premier fall marathon.
Hartford Marathon is a certified 42.195 km (26.2 mile) marathon — the standard World Athletics marathon distance.
Approximately 1,800 finishers
Course & terrain
The Hartford Marathon is an urban road that starts on Capitol Avenue at the front lawn of the Connecticut State Capitol and finishes under the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park. The USATF-certified loop passes the homes of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe, West Hartford and Elizabeth Park's rose gardens, crosses the Founders Bridge into East Hartford's Great River Park, continues through South Windsor along historic Main Street, and returns across the bridge to downtown Hartford. The flat profile keeps rhythm steady throughout, with only minor bridge ramps or short rises interrupting otherwise even pacing. Spectators gather at the start-finish festival and at organised cheer zones through the city centre and along the main boulevards.
The Hartford Marathon course is flat over 42.195 km (26.2 miles). Runners cover 50 metres of climbing and 50 metres of descent, with minimal net elevation change from start to finish.
Registration
The Hartford Marathon is held in October, typically on the second Saturday. It is USATF-certified and a Boston qualifier.
Getting there
Bradley International Airport (BDL)
19 km / 12 mi
Race footage
Common questions
Official resources
Last updated 11 October 2026. Edition dates and course details are reviewed regularly.
Close to this race
Other races closest to Hartford.
The Red Island Marathon draws approximately 49 finishers each March on an urban road in Warwick, United States. Rhode Island's early-spring marathon in Warwick serves local runners on a compact certified loop. The course tours Warwick neighborhoods and Narragansett Bay shoreline roads. Rolling terrain with moderate climbs shapes the middle miles.
Next race: Saturday, 17 April 2027
The Providence Rhode Races Marathon draws approximately 568 finishers each May on an urban road in Providence, United States. Rhode Races' Providence marathon returns runners to the capital region on a certified Boston-qualifier course. The course tours Providence and East Providence waterfront roads, city neighborhoods, and Narragansett Bay connectors. Rolling terrain with moderate climbs shapes the middle miles.
Next race: Sunday, 2 May 2027
The Ocean State Rhode Races Marathon draws approximately 398 finishers each October on a scenic coastal road in Narragansett, United States. Rhode Races' fall marathon on the south shore draws hundreds of finishers to Narragansett each October. The course follows Rhode Island south-shore beaches, coastal roads, and Narragansett Bay scenery. Rolling terrain with moderate climbs shapes the middle miles.
Next race: Sunday, 25 October 2026
The Newport Rhode Races Marathon draws approximately 1,099 finishers each April on a USATF-certified Boston-qualifier course in Newport, Rhode Island. Rhode Races partners with the Newport Daffodil Days Festival for a spring weekend that tours Ocean Drive past Gilded Age mansions, coastal cliffs, and Narragansett Bay vistas. The marathon starts and finishes at Easton's Beach on the third Saturday in April.
Next race: Saturday, 17 April 2027
The Clarence DeMar Marathon draws approximately 308 finishers each September on a scenic road in Keene, United States. The Clarence DeMar Marathon honors a six-time Boston champion on a USATF-certified course through the Monadnock Region. The course passes Surry Mountain Dam, Bretwood Golf Course, and historic Keene neighborhoods during peak foliage season. Rolling terrain with moderate climbs shapes the middle miles.
Next race: Sunday, 26 September 2027
The Baystate Marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifier favourite, drawing about 1,700 finishers each October on a fast point-to-point from Lowell to Chelmsford through northeastern Massachusetts. The net-downhill course follows the Merrimack River valley with cool October New England weather. It is one of the fastest autumn marathons in the northeastern United States.
Next race: Sunday, 18 October 2026
Planning guides
Practical guides to help you plan, train for, and run this race.
Which US marathons produce Boston qualifiers in practice — course data, typical BQ rates, and how to match a race to your qualifying window.
When a flat course helps your time, when hills are worth the view, and how to pick terrain that fits your training and goals.
How temperature, humidity, wind, and rain affect marathon performance — and how to use typical race-day weather when choosing a start line.
