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Sun, Jun 14 · 2026Lake Placid, NYSince 2005

Lake Placid Marathon

Run through the heart of Lake Placid on a two-loop course that winds past the Olympic Oval and into the surrounding Adirondack terrain. It is a genuine test, but the small field and mountain setting make it feel like something personal.

RollingOpen
LAKE PLACID · US
Lake Placid
SUN, JUN 14
2026
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Race Overview

EST. 2005

Lake Placid is a small race in the best way. You toe the line at the Olympic Speedskating Oval, which sets a cool tone before a single step is taken. The course runs two loops through town and out into the surrounding hills, and the Adirondack scenery is genuinely good. But this is not a flat, fast course. The rollers are constant, and they add up. Don't go out on loop one thinking it feels easy. It does, and that's the trap.

By the time you come back through town midway, your legs will have a sense of what is coming. The second loop is where this race is won or lost. It is a Boston qualifier, but the rolling character means you need to be honest with yourself about your goal pace. Entry is open registration with tiered pricing, so getting in is straightforward. Field size is small, which means you may be running long stretches with only a handful of people around you. Some runners love that. Plan for it either way.

Field size
~293
293 finishers
BQ rate
5%
Near national average
Time limit
6:00
Tight cutoff
Entry
Open
First-come registration
Course records
Men
2:34:39
Chuck Engle
2006
Women
3:00:28
Katie Aldridge
2012

The Course

1,039 ft total gain
Total ascent
↑1,039 ft
Total descent
↓1,050 ft
Net elevation
↓11 ft
Highest point
1,896 ft
Lowest point
1,650 ft
Course shape
Multi loop
Start and finish in one place

The course runs two loops and sits in a tight elevation band, so the roughly 1,000 feet of gain is spread across repeated rollers rather than one big climb. Net elevation is nearly flat, but that accumulated gain means legs feel it late. The climb-to-descent balance is close, so energy management matters more than saving for a final drop. Expect the second loop to feel harder than the numbers suggest. Surface is predominantly road. The course is USATF certified and qualifies for Boston, though the rolling character makes a PR less predictable than a point-to-point course. Pace conservatively on loop one.

DIFFICULTYHILLYPR-FRIENDLYNO
View official course mapPast results

Race-Day Weather

10-year median
Low
47°F
High
72°F
30°MARATHON-IDEAL 45–60°80°
What to expect

Mid-June in Lake Placid runs cool in the morning and can warm up meaningfully by the time you are grinding through the second loop. The start tends to be comfortable, maybe even cold enough for a light layer you will want to shed early. But afternoons can push into the low 70s, and the hills mean you will be working harder than your pace suggests. If it is a warm year, the back half becomes a heat-management effort as much as a pacing one. Hydrate from the start, not just when you feel it.

Entry

OPEN

Open registration with tiered pricing. Registration opens November 15. Charity options available through RunSignup with donations to Lake Placid Junior Class, Tri Lakes Humane Society, and other organizations.

Register on RunSignup

Frequently Asked

7 questions