Michigan · Marathon
Every upcoming Marathon around Grand Rapids, with start times, entry fees, finish-time stats from past editions, start-line maps, and the local run clubs to train with.
4 upcoming Marathon races found · 3 with finish-time stats
Grand Rapids earns its marathon calendar the hard way. Long miles out to Riverside Park or along the White Pine Trail give you the flat stretches to bank time, but the hill circuits through Lyon, Fountain, and Michigan streets, and the stair repeats near Division and Plainfield, are a reminder that this city has teeth. Fall is when the marathons cluster and the river corridor is at its most rewarding.
The post-run culture here is built around breweries and coffee shops inside the central city, not isolated trailheads. Whether you are finishing a race loop near Millennium Park or heading back through downtown after 26.2, you will find company, because runners in Grand Rapids move between road miles, park loops, and harder urban workouts as a matter of habit.
By the numbers
The Grand Rapids races that stand out on the numbers: the biggest field, and the longest unbroken run of editions.
How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.
Across the 3 RunSignup marathon editions with published results on RunSesh, walkers and charity entrants included, the median finisher crossed in 4:12:12. The median winning time across those same editions was 2:33:50, and the last finisher came in at 9:06:33, so the field is genuinely broad. If you are somewhere in the middle of that spread, you will have plenty of company.
Entry fees range from $47.50 up to $130, and one race, the overGRound marathon/relay, is free to enter. Three of the four races already have a price increase scheduled, so registering early is a practical move if you have your date locked in.
The field sizes here range from 126 to 1,852, so you can pick the scale of experience you want. The University of Michigan Health-West Grand Rapids Marathon is the largest event and also offers a half marathon, 5K, and 10K on the same day, which can be useful if you want a dress rehearsal at a shorter distance before committing to the full 26.2.
Two races offer companion distances alongside the marathon. The Millennium Meadows Marathon adds a 13.35-mile option and a 10K. The University of Michigan Health-West Grand Rapids Marathon adds a half marathon, a 10K, and a 5K. The Last Chance BQ.2 - Grand Rapids and the overGRound marathon/relay are marathon-only.
Three of the four races say they give a shirt. The overGRound marathon/relay has published nothing about giveaways, so that is an open question, not a no. None of the four races have said they give a medal, though the one race with no giveaway information at all has simply not said.
