Detroit Free Press Marathon: Elevation Profile, Course Map & Pace Calculator
A flat international course through downtown Detroit, across the Ambassador Bridge into Windsor, Canada, and back through the underwater Detroit-Windsor Tunnel — the only official underwater mile in marathoning. Mid-October weather is typically cool and crisp. Passport required.
The Detroit Free Press Marathon is fast, with only modest elevation change — rated 2/5 on our difficulty scale. Over the official 42.195 km (26.2 mi) the course gains about 210 ft (60 m) and loses 220 ft (70 m), with roughly level start to finish. Grade-adjusted pace says the toughest stretch arrives at kilometre 13 (near mile 8), demanding about 5% more effort than the same distance on flat ground. The steepest pitch on course reaches 3.1%.
Course stats
| Distance | 26.2 mi (42.195 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Detroit, MI, USA |
| Total ascent | 210 ft (60 m) |
| Total descent | 220 ft (70 m) |
| Net elevation | -7 ft (-2 m) |
| Steepest grade | 3.1% |
| Difficulty | 2/5 |
| Field size | ≈23,000 runners |
| Race day | Third Sunday of October |
| Elevation from | USGS 3DEP ned10m + NRCan CDEM (Detroit/Windsor) |
Bare-earth terrain model, smoothed over 500 m — it measures the ground, not the rooftops.
Mile-by-mile splits (grade-adjusted)
Grade-adjusted (GAP) splits for a 4:00:00 finish, computed from the course's elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model: uphill miles get more time, downhills less, at even effort. Splits scale proportionally for any other goal time — the interactive pace calculator on this page computes them exactly.
| Mile | GAP pace /mi | GAP pace /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:03 | 5:38 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 9:03 |
| 2 | 9:10 | 5:42 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 18:13 |
| 3 | 9:05 | 5:39 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 27:19 |
| 4 | 9:03 | 5:37 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 36:22 |
| 5 | 9:09 | 5:41 | 0 ft (0 m) | 45:31 |
| 6 | 9:09 | 5:41 | 0 ft (0 m) | 54:40 |
| 7 | 9:09 | 5:41 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:03:49 |
| 8 | 9:09 | 5:41 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:12:58 |
| 9 | 9:23 | 5:50 | +21 ft (+7 m) | 1:22:21 |
| 10 | 9:15 | 5:45 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 1:31:36 |
| 11 | 9:14 | 5:44 | +8 ft (+3 m) | 1:40:50 |
| 12 | 9:12 | 5:43 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 1:50:03 |
| 13 | 9:05 | 5:39 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 1:59:08 |
| 14 | 9:14 | 5:44 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 2:08:22 |
| 15 | 9:08 | 5:40 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 2:17:30 |
| 16 | 9:05 | 5:39 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 2:26:34 |
| 17 | 9:15 | 5:45 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 2:35:50 |
| 18 | 9:12 | 5:43 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 2:45:02 |
| 19 | 8:46 | 5:27 | -41 ft (-13 m) | 2:53:48 |
| 20 | 9:16 | 5:46 | +12 ft (+4 m) | 3:03:04 |
| 21 | 9:10 | 5:42 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:12:14 |
| 22 | 9:12 | 5:43 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:21:26 |
| 23 | 9:08 | 5:40 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:30:33 |
| 24 | 9:08 | 5:40 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:39:41 |
| 25 | 9:10 | 5:42 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:48:51 |
| 26 | 9:07 | 5:40 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 3:57:58 |
| 26.2 | 9:17 | 5:46 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Detroit Free Press Marathon flat or hilly?
The Detroit Free Press Marathon is fast, with only modest elevation change (2/5 difficulty). Total ascent is about 210 ft (60 m) over 26.2 miles.
How much elevation gain does the Detroit Free Press Marathon have?
About 210 ft (60 m) of total ascent and 220 ft (70 m) of descent, for a net change of -7 ft (-2 m). Elevation is sampled from USGS 3DEP ned10m + NRCan CDEM (Detroit/Windsor) and smoothed over 500 m, so it will not match a GPS watch step for step.
What is the hardest part of the Detroit Free Press Marathon course?
Kilometre 13 (near mile 8) is the toughest split on the course by grade-adjusted effort. Grade-adjusted pace puts it at roughly 5% more effort than flat running. The steepest grade on course is 3.1%.
When is the Detroit Free Press Marathon?
The Detroit Free Press Marathon is typically held on the third Sunday of October. The next edition is expected around October 18, 2026. Confirm the exact date on the official race website.
How many runners take part in the Detroit Free Press Marathon?
The field is roughly 23,000 runners.
What pace do I need to run the Detroit Free Press Marathon in my goal time?
At an even pace: 3:00:00 needs 6:52/mi (4:16/km); 3:30:00 needs 8:01/mi (4:59/km); 4:00:00 needs 9:09/mi (5:41/km); 4:30:00 needs 10:18/mi (6:24/km); 5:00:00 needs 11:27/mi (7:07/km); 5:30:00 needs 12:35/mi (7:49/km). On this course, grade-adjusted pacing shifts a few seconds per mile between uphill and downhill splits — the pace calculator on this page computes those splits for any goal time.
Plan your Detroit race
Marathons with a similar profile
- Amsterdam Marathon — 200 ft (60 m) ascent
- Chicago Marathon — 230 ft (70 m) ascent
- Berlin Marathon — 230 ft (70 m) ascent
- Osaka Marathon — 240 ft (70 m) ascent
How Detroit Free Press Marathon ranks
- Flattest marathon courses — ranked 3 of 20 (210 ft (60 m) of climbing)
- Biggest marathons by field size — ranked 19 of 20 (≈23,000 runners)
Official race site: https://www.freepmarathon.com