About the Madison Marathon
The entire course runs on gravel road through the Gravelly Range, a remote stretch of US Forest Service land with a pristine high-altitude ecosystem. The elevation never drops much below the starting line, which sits higher than the peaks of most states, so expect long climbs and long descents with no real flat stretches. Wildlife sightings on the route are not unusual.
The field is deliberately small, capped by Forest Service permit to protect the land. That size means you end up knowing most of the people around you by the time it is over. Runners tend to come from across the country and beyond, and a notable share are running their first marathon or coming back for their several-th time on this same course.
Free race emails
Get the Weekly RunSesh
In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Ennis on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.
Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Distances & Start Times
26.2 Miles7/10/2027 08:30$100
13.1 Miles7/10/2027 08:30$80
Going for a Time?
Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.
Where to Stay
Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Ennis — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.
The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.
