Sat, Oct 3, 2026

Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K

Empire, MI

Registration openAnnual since at least 2015

MarathonHalf Marathon5K

Entry is $55 now and rises to $60 after Aug 31, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K

The courses run through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, so the surroundings are genuine, not incidental. The longer routes head out and back past Little Glen Lake and through Glen Arbor, with views toward the Manitou Islands along the way. The half marathon uses the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail and the hills there are real. The race falls during peak fall color, and the tree cover makes that matter.

All distances finish in Empire, near the beach. The longer races start at the Dune Climb, so plan for point-to-point logistics rather than a loop back to your car.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a decent-sized field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

13.1 Miles · 2025 results

689finishers

1:15:43winner

2:21:10median

4:13:17cutoff

Top 3: Atticus Stonestrom (1:15:43) · Kevan Siebelink (1:21:17) · Maryssa Depies (1:25:20)

3.1 Miles · 2025 results

475finishers

18:31winner

37:42median

1:28:21cutoff

Top 3: Miles Todzo (18:31) · Cam Land (18:48) · David Warners (19:28)

26.2 Miles · 2025 results

262finishers

3:15:47winner

4:46:38median

7:13:36cutoff

Top 3: Jason Bohl (3:15:47) · El Kruse (3:19:38) · Wesley Buonerba (3:21:52)

The Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K has been held every year since at least 2015. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 13.1 Miles results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

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.

Distances & Start Times

26.2 Miles10/3/2026 07:30$115

13.1 Miles10/3/2026 08:00$110

3.1 Miles10/3/2026 08:20$55

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.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K

Will I finish last at the Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 13.1 Miles field finished slower than 2:21:10, and the last recorded finisher came in around 4:13:17, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K a good first 13.1 Miles?

A field of 689 is big enough that you will have company at your pace without feeling lost in a crowd. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 13.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K?

The 13.1 Miles winner ran 1:15:43 while the median finisher took 2:21:10. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.