RunRace USA › Michigan › Detroit › The course

Elevation, map and mile by mile

The Detroit course

26.2 miles · about 422 modeled feet of climb · roughly 574 to 636 ft elevation

Elevation, mile for mile

Marathon elevation26.2 miles · about 422 ft of climb
520 540 560 580 600 620 640 660 680 Mile 0.0 to 0.2: -0.3% Mile 0.2 to 0.4: -0.2% Mile 0.4 to 0.6: -0.2% Mile 0.6 to 0.8: -0.9% Mile 0.8 to 1.0: -0.2% Mile 1.0 to 1.2: -0.1% Mile 1.2 to 1.4: +0.8% Mile 1.4 to 1.6: +0.1% Mile 1.6 to 1.8: -0.7% Mile 1.8 to 2.0: +0.2% Mile 2.0 to 2.2: +0.2% Mile 2.2 to 2.4: +0.1% Mile 2.4 to 2.6: +0.1% Mile 2.6 to 2.8: +0.1% Mile 2.8 to 3.0: +0.2% Mile 3.0 to 3.2: +0.1% Mile 3.2 to 3.4: +0.1% Mile 3.4 to 3.6: +0.1% Mile 3.6 to 3.8: +0.2% Mile 3.8 to 4.0: -0.3% Mile 4.0 to 4.2: +0.1% Mile 4.2 to 4.4: -0.1% Mile 4.4 to 4.6: -1.1% Mile 4.6 to 4.8: +0.4% Mile 4.8 to 5.0: +0.1% Mile 5.0 to 5.2: -0.0% Mile 5.2 to 5.4: +0.2% Mile 5.4 to 5.6: +0.1% Mile 5.6 to 5.8: +0.1% Mile 5.8 to 6.0: +0.3% Mile 6.0 to 6.2: -0.1% Mile 6.2 to 6.4: +0.0% Mile 6.4 to 6.6: +0.1% Mile 6.6 to 6.8: +0.2% Mile 6.8 to 7.0: -0.2% Mile 7.0 to 7.2: -0.0% Mile 7.2 to 7.4: -0.4% Mile 7.4 to 7.6: -1.6% Mile 7.6 to 7.8: +0.0% Mile 7.8 to 8.0: +0.3% Mile 8.0 to 8.2: +0.1% Mile 8.2 to 8.4: +1.0% Mile 8.4 to 8.6: -0.1% Mile 8.6 to 8.8: -0.6% Mile 8.8 to 9.0: -0.2% Mile 9.0 to 9.2: +0.1% Mile 9.2 to 9.4: -0.0% Mile 9.4 to 9.6: +0.3% Mile 9.6 to 9.8: -0.2% Mile 9.8 to 10.0: -0.4% Mile 10.0 to 10.2: +1.0% Mile 10.2 to 10.4: +0.1% Mile 10.4 to 10.6: +0.3% Mile 10.6 to 10.8: +0.3% Mile 10.8 to 11.0: +0.2% Mile 11.0 to 11.2: -0.0% Mile 11.2 to 11.4: +0.2% Mile 11.4 to 11.6: -0.3% Mile 11.6 to 11.8: -0.1% Mile 11.8 to 12.0: -0.2% Mile 12.0 to 12.2: +0.1% Mile 12.2 to 12.4: -0.2% Mile 12.4 to 12.6: -0.2% Mile 12.6 to 12.8: +0.3% Mile 12.8 to 13.0: +0.1% Mile 13.0 to 13.2: +0.1% Mile 13.2 to 13.4: +0.1% Mile 13.4 to 13.6: -0.1% Mile 13.6 to 13.8: +0.2% Mile 13.8 to 14.0: -0.1% Mile 14.0 to 14.2: -0.3% Mile 14.2 to 14.4: -0.1% Mile 14.4 to 14.6: -0.2% Mile 14.6 to 14.8: -0.3% Mile 14.8 to 15.0: -0.2% Mile 15.0 to 15.2: -0.3% Mile 15.2 to 15.4: +0.1% Mile 15.4 to 15.6: +1.1% Mile 15.6 to 15.8: -0.3% Mile 15.8 to 16.0: +0.2% Mile 16.0 to 16.2: +0.1% Mile 16.2 to 16.4: +0.3% Mile 16.4 to 16.6: -0.0% Mile 16.6 to 16.8: -0.1% Mile 16.8 to 17.0: +0.1% Mile 17.0 to 17.2: +0.4% Mile 17.2 to 17.4: -0.1% Mile 17.4 to 17.6: +0.0% Mile 17.6 to 17.8: -0.7% Mile 17.8 to 18.0: -0.8% Mile 18.0 to 18.2: -0.8% Mile 18.2 to 18.4: -0.9% Mile 18.4 to 18.6: -0.9% Mile 18.6 to 18.8: -0.1% Mile 18.8 to 19.0: +0.0% Mile 19.0 to 19.2: +0.0% Mile 19.2 to 19.4: +0.0% Mile 19.4 to 19.6: -0.0% Mile 19.6 to 19.8: -0.1% Mile 19.8 to 20.0: +0.0% Mile 20.0 to 20.2: +0.2% Mile 20.2 to 20.4: +0.1% Mile 20.4 to 20.6: -0.1% Mile 20.6 to 20.8: +0.1% Mile 20.8 to 21.0: -0.0% Mile 21.0 to 21.2: +0.2% Mile 21.2 to 21.4: +0.1% Mile 21.4 to 21.6: +0.2% Mile 21.6 to 21.8: -0.1% Mile 21.8 to 22.0: -0.0% Mile 22.0 to 22.2: -0.1% Mile 22.2 to 22.4: -0.1% Mile 22.4 to 22.6: -0.1% Mile 22.6 to 22.8: -0.1% Mile 22.8 to 23.0: +0.3% Mile 23.0 to 23.2: +0.0% Mile 23.2 to 23.4: -0.2% Mile 23.4 to 23.6: -0.1% Mile 23.6 to 23.8: -0.1% Mile 23.8 to 24.0: +0.0% Mile 24.0 to 24.2: +0.1% Mile 24.2 to 24.4: +0.2% Mile 24.4 to 24.6: +0.1% Mile 24.6 to 24.8: -0.1% Mile 24.8 to 25.0: +0.1% Mile 25.0 to 25.2: +0.3% Mile 25.2 to 25.4: -0.1% Mile 25.4 to 25.6: +0.2% Mile 25.6 to 25.8: -0.1% Mile 25.8 to 26.0: +0.1% Mile 26.0 to 26.2: -0.1% 5 10 15 20 25 mile the Underwater Mile +60 ft
steep up up flat down steep down

This Marathon profile covers 26.2 miles, ranges from roughly 574 to 636 feet, and contains about 422 feet of modeled climb.

  • the Underwater Mile, mile 7.71 to 8.89: 60 feet up, 0.9% average.

The course on a map

1 5 10 13 15 20 25 26
Marathon route26.2 miles
course featured climb start/finish

Gold is the course; route provenance is stated on the course page.

The climbs that shape the day

the Underwater Mile

Mile 7.71 to 8.89

60 feet of modeled rise ยท 0.9% average.

Mile by mile

Every row uses the same measured route and elevation as the profile above. Net change shows the shape of that mile; the common sparkline scale makes hard and easy sections comparable.

MileShapeModeled netWhat happens
1-11 ft
20 ft
3+9 ft
4+5 ft
5-10 ft
6+3 ft
7+1 ft
8-14 ft
9+16 ftOne Woodward Avenue
10-2 ft
11+24 ft
12-2 ft
13+2 ft
14+7 ft
15-15 ft
16+7 ft
17+2 ft
18-5 ft
19-17 ft
20-4 ft
21+4 ft
22+4 ft
23-4 ft
24-4 ft
25+1 ft
26+2 ft

Landmarks along the course

Get your bearings with these local landmarks along the course.

Renaissance Center (Detroit Marriott central tower)

Near mile 8.0

A local landmark beside the course.

One Woodward Avenue

Near mile 8.5

A local landmark beside the course.

Westin Book Cadillac Hotel

Near mile 9.0

A local landmark beside the course.

Book Tower

Near mile 9.1

A local landmark beside the course.

Hudson's Detroit

Near mile 9.3

A local landmark beside the course.

Detroit Masonic Temple

Near mile 10.3

A local landmark beside the course.

Ally Detroit Center (One Detroit Center)

Near mile 26.2

A local landmark beside the course.

Penobscot Building

Near mile 26.2

A local landmark beside the course.

Published course records

Men2:13:07Greg Meyer, 1980
Women2:34:16Elena Orlova, 2004

Record information comes from the race dossier; verify the current record book with the organizer.

Route provenance

Organizer-linked course file. Google My Maps '2026 Detroit Free Press Marathon' linked from freepmarathon.com/course-maps/. KML downloads (145 KB); contains a 'Marathon' LineString layer: 354 pts, measured 42.49 km / 26.40 mi, dips to lat 42.30 confirming the Windsor, Ontario loop. Also has Start Line placemark, every mile marker, and separate Intl Half / Motor City Half layers.

Course lines can change between editions. Confirm late adjustments on the official race site →

Know the line. Run the line.

Register for the 2026 Detroit →on Enmotive

Course geometry provenance is stated beside the player; elevation profiles always use the same route loaded there. City geometry is OpenStreetMap, ODbL. Aerial imagery is from USGS and USDA; other images carry their own source credits. Weather figures use Open-Meteo reanalysis for October 14-22 across 2016-2025 at the start line. Schedule, prices and expo hours were checked in 2026-08-31 and are the fields most likely to move: confirm them on www.freepmarathon.com before you book anything. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.