How do I register for the Whiskey Row Marathon?

Registration is open to all runners through Active.com. There is no lottery or qualifying standard required. Entry opens after the previous year's race and closes on race day or when the field is full.

Is the Whiskey Row Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes, it is a Boston qualifier. Roughly half of finishers earn a BQ, though the hilly course means you'll need to manage the climbs and descents carefully to hit your target time.

How hilly is the course?

The course gains and loses 4,000 feet over the out-and-back route. The highest point reaches around 7,000 feet and the lowest is around 5,280 feet. The net elevation is zero, but the accumulated climbing makes this a demanding race.

Does altitude affect the race?

Yes. You'll run the entire course above a mile in elevation, with the high point around 7,000 feet. Runners not acclimatized to elevation typically find the effort feels harder than their pace suggests, especially early on.

How big is the field?

The Whiskey Row Marathon is a small race with around 187 finishers in recent years. It has an intimate, low-key atmosphere compared to larger city marathons.

Is the course USATF certified?

No, the Whiskey Row Marathon course is not USATF certified.

Sat, Oct 10 · 2026Prescott, AZSince 1979

Whiskey Row Marathon

A high-altitude out-and-back through the Arizona mountains, the Whiskey Row Marathon trades flat-and-fast for 4,000 feet of climbing and a brutally honest test of legs and pacing.

HillyOpen

Visit race website

WHISKEY ROW · US

Whiskey Row

SAT, OCT 10

2026

UNLOCK YOUR FIT SCORE

How does Whiskey Row stack up for you?

Answer 6 questions, and we’ll score this race honestly and compare it against every other marathon in our directory.

Take the 2-min quiz

Race Overview

EST. 1979

The Whiskey Row Marathon starts in historic downtown Prescott and immediately gets honest with you. The course climbs hard into the mountains north of town, topping out around 7,000 feet before turning around and sending you back down. The elevation makes everything harder than it looks on paper. You'll be above a mile high for the entire race, and if you're not used to running at altitude, your lungs will remind you around mile four. Don't go out with the descent crowd on the back half. Those legs have already done a lot of work.

This is not a PR course. It has 4,000 feet of gain and equivalent loss on an out-and-back, and the net-zero elevation profile is genuinely misleading. That said, it is a Boston qualifier, and about half the finishers earn a BQ, which says something about who lines up. The field is small and the atmosphere is low-key in the best way. Registration is open, no lottery or qualifier needed, so getting in is easy. Just show up honest about the hills.

Field size

~187

187 finishers

BQ rate

1%

Below national average

Time limit

6:00

Tight cutoff

Entry

Open

First-come registration

Course records

Men

2:50:13

Chuck Blueback

1988

Women

3:08:55

Tanaya Gallagher

2019

The Course

4,000 ft total gain

Total ascent

↑4,000 ft

Total descent

↓4,000 ft

Net elevation

↑0 ft

Highest point

7,000 ft

Lowest point

5,280 ft

Course shape

Out and back

Same route, both directions

This out-and-back course starts in downtown Prescott at roughly 5,300 feet and climbs to 7,000 feet, accumulating 4,000 feet of gain across 26.2 miles. Expect sustained uphill work in the first half as you gain the high point, then a mirror-image descent on the return. The altitude compounds effort throughout. Net elevation is zero on paper, but the legs feel every bit of both directions. Plan a conservative first half; running the climb too hard leaves little for the descent, where quad fatigue sets in. The course is not USATF certified and is not a Boston qualifier, so race your own day rather than hunting time.

DIFFICULTYMOUNTAINOUSPR-FRIENDLYNO

View official course map Past results

Race-Day Weather

10-year median

Low

38°F

High

70°F

30°MARATHON-IDEAL 45–60°80°

What to expect

October in Prescott means a cold start and a warm finish, and the gap between the two is wide. You'll be standing in the low-to-mid 30s at the gun, so dress in layers you can shed. By the time you're on the return leg mid-morning, temperatures can push into the high 60s. The altitude keeps it feeling crisp even when the sun is out. Plan for both ends of that range and don't skip the throwaway gear at the start.