Madison Half Marathon & Twilight 10K & 5K

Sunday, May 29, 2016 • Madison, WI • Course Map

runsignup-blueThe Wisconsin capital city known as the “City of Four Lakes” is the backdrop for the Madison Half Marathon Run/Walk & Twilight 10K — formerly the Madison Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K, which has now been split into two separate events.

For 2016, the Madison Half Marathon, Twilight 10K and 5K will be held in the spring, while the full marathon will be held in the fall, when there will also be a half marathon and 10K as well.

For the spring half marathon, which usually draws more than 3,000 runners each year, the course takes runners through Madison’s downtown, takes runners who participate in either the full or the half marathon past the waters of two of those four lakes — Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, as well as the smaller Lake Wingra and the Monona Bay.

From the starting line at Madison’s Capitol Square — where all three races start — runners follow the half-marathon course out along Expo Way and then onto West Washington Avenue and again onto Regent Street, for a straightaway stretch that lasts several blocks until the route reaches Breese Terrace, where runners turn right and head along the shoreline of Lake Mendota.

As runners are reaching the mile 4 marker, they turn right onto Observatory Drive and then left onto Babcock Drive, and follow Babcock as it curves around with the direction of the lakeshore toward the waterfront.

The route heads out onto the tree-lined trail along the waterfront, taking runners along the shore of the massive Lake Mendota, skirting the lakeshore closely for roughly the next half-mile, all the way until reaching Langdon Street, where runners turn left and head away from the water.

Langdon Street takes the field around the edge of campus and along Gilman and Gorham Streets, where runners exit the campus and head down to the next stretch of the race that takes them past James Madison Park and Tenney Park.

Runners pass around the northern end of Tenney Park and then head across Thornton Avenue toward Lake Monona, where runners follow the course along the edge of the bay on the bike path that parallels John Nolen Drive, to the finish line back at Capitol Square.

Note: The half marathon is held Sunday morning, while the 10K and 5K races are run on Saturday evening.

The University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis. (Photo by Richard Hurd/flickr)

The University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis. (Photo by Richard Hurd/flickr)

Race Weather & Climate

Located in the southernmost part of the state, about an hour and a half drive west from Milwaukee, Madison typically sees mild to moderately cool weather in the mid-spring, with heavier rainfall than the winter months.

On race day (May 29), the average low is 49ºF and the average high is 72ºF.

Past Results

Course Map

See the race route map for the Madison Half Marathon here.

Starting Time

  • 6:55 AM – wheelchair start
  • 7:00 AM – half marathon start

Fees

  • $65 for the half marathon, if registered by December 31, 2015
  • $70 between January 1 – 31, 2016
  • $75 between February 1 – 29
  • $80 between March 1 – 31
  • $85 between April 1 – May 25
  • $95 at the race expo

Registration

To reserve your spot in the 2016 running of the Madison Half Marathon or Twilight 5K or 10K race, register online at RunSignup.com here.

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Official Race Website

www.madisonmarathon.org

Comments

Ever run in the Madison Half Marathon? Share your impressions here, or post your review in the Comments below.

See more races in: May, Wisconsin

4 comments… add one
  • David Ross May 31, 2016, 9:19 pm

    I hope you run was a success. The reason I’m writing is my wife and I were signed up to run the half marathon. On the Wednesday prior to the run my wife injured her back and unable to run. We do all our runs together with the goal of running one in every state. Yours would have been #19. So since we would not have been able to run it together we decided not to make the trip from Lebanon, MO. We are hopeful to make the trip next year. So I’m asking that consideration be given to roll our registrations over to next year so we can put WI in the books. Thanks for your time. Dave Ross, Lebanon, MO.

    Reply
  • Erin Dougherty December 8, 2015, 11:02 am

    One more thing on the Madison Marathon – you’re using our old registration link. Here is the new one!

    https://runsignup.com/Race/WI/Fitchburg/MadisonMarathon

    Reply
  • Erin Dougherty December 8, 2015, 11:01 am

    Hello –

    The Madison Half Marathon on May 29 has some inaccuracies:

    First, registration fees are as follows:
    Through December 31 – $65
    January 1-31 – $70
    February 1-29 – $75
    March 1-31 – $80
    April 1 – May 25 – $85
    On Site at Expo – $95

    Second, we would prefer not to market the half marathon as a “walk,” as we need all participants to finish the race in 3 hours.

    Madison Marathon in 2016 will take place Sunday, November 13. It doesn’t appear that the later months of the year have been updated yet.

    Reply
    • Terrell Johnson December 9, 2015, 9:35 pm

      Thanks for the update, Erin! The race info for the Madison Half Marathon has now been updated above.

      Reply

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