The Marathon course is a combination of flat, rolling and some hills and runners enjoy mountain views, open areas, shaded areas, a class III trout stream, and beautiful Mirror Lake along the way. The course is now certified and a Boston Marathon qualifier.
The Lake Placid Marathon was the 195th largest marathon in the U.S. last year and was the 249th largest in 2022.
This year 6.8% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon and 5.7% of runners qualified for Boston in 2023.
This gives the Lake Placid Marathon the 319th highest percentage of Boston Marathon qualifiers in the U.S. last year and the 218th highest percentage so far in 2024.
Its Course Score of 97.67 ranks it as the 345th fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 13th fastest course in New York.
The typical race time temperature and humidity levels are above the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. This, coupled with the Course Score, gives the Lake Placid Marathon a PR Score of 96.13. This PR Score ranks it as the 371st fastest marathon in the U.S. and the 12th fastest in New York.
Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.
Lake Placid Marathon Elevation Chart
Max Elevation: 1896 feet (578m) Min Elevation: 1650 feet (503m)
I just completed this race last weekend in 2019. This race was very well run and organized. The marathon is run concurrently with the half marathon. The vast majority of runners are doing the half, so despite the marathon field being relatively small you'll have people to run with for some of the race (at least until the last part of the marathon). You'll run the same course until about mile 8 or so, where the half marathoners will turn around earlier than you will). Plenty of supporters out on the road, despite the smaller size of this race.
The setting is really nice, and while the double out and back does get a little tough on the 2nd loop, at least it's partially shaded and pretty along the river. The course ran a little faster than I expected. There are really 6 hills (3 major (miles 12.3, 23.6, and 25.5, 3 minor ( the start, miles 3, and 14.5). Other than that there are a number of little rollers and a lot of winding road on the course. There were plenty of aid stations and they were well stocked.
Be sure to save some for the end of the this race. The last half mile is all uphill (plus running almost a full loop of the Olympic speed skating oval).
Would have been nice to have a little more shade and cooler temperatures (the previous day was 10 degrees cooler), but that's what you get in June in upstate NY.
Overall this race is worth doing. The location is really nice. Lake Placid is a big outdoor sports town, so it's easy to get motivated for this race. I wish we had stayed a few days after the race as we had a really nice mini-vacation the couple of days before. This isn't a PR course, but it's not an incredibly slow course either. Plenty of runners got Boston Qualifiers this year, despite the warmer temperatures.
Race Tips
Make sure you don't go out too hard. The first half of the race has more downhills than the 2nd, and the two toughest climbs are in the last 3 miles of the race. DON'T LET ALL THE HALF MARATHONERS PULL YOU OUT TOO FAST! Weather can be really variable, so pace accordingly. Many runners went out too hard this year (2019) and paid for it with the warmer temperatures.
Parking around the race will be tight, so if you can stay close by that's a big plus. The downtown/Mirror Lake area are really nice and a good place to stay anyway.
The race is still pretty small, you can show up pretty close to the gun.
PG's review of 2019 Lake Placid Marathon.
4 /
5 Stars
Review
Great aid stations, beautiful scenery, nice people. It's a smallish race for the region, but because the marathon is twice the loop of the half, you're never lonely. I found it to be a mentally challenging race. The double loop is hard, and the last 1 mile or so goes straight up the back side of the Olympic Oval. If you're gassed, it can be a killer. Once you see the finish line, you actually divert away from it to run a loop around the Oval. Don't do this race for the swag, as it's really not great. I'm not into medals, but a shirt I could actually wear on a training run (tek as opposed to cotton) would have been thoughtful.
Race Tips
It's a pretty good race for even pacing, despite being in the Adirondacks. No huge hills except at the end. On a warm, sunny day, you'll step out of the tree cover on the River Road and hit Sentinel road in full sun. This adds to the challenge.
Book reservations early. Parking is not too bad, especially if you get there early. Tons of restaurant and cafe options to stagger off to after the race. A dip in Mirror lake sounds nice but can be tough to find, as there isn't a beach.
Aaron Riddle's review of 2018 Lake Placid Marathon.
5 /
5 Stars
Review
The Lake Placid 2018 marathon was a wonderful experience. Running it to cross NY off my state list, I picked a great year as the weather was flawless (sunny, mid-60s). Logistics were a breeze as we stayed at Crowne Plaza hotel which was literally right next to the marathon expo, starting and finishing point. Packet pickup couldn't have been easier...walk down hill to the expo, get race bib, walk back to hotel (haha). Communication leading up to the race was clear as well.
As for the race course itself, the first 3-4 miles take you around Mirror Lake and it is really pretty. Then it is back into town for a few miles before heading downhill past the Olympic Ski Jump area and into the back roads running along a river...which was very nice. However, once you head back into town, you have to run uphill for a good ways which is challenging...but if you are doing the marathon, you have to turn-around, and run back out of town and do it again! The positive is that you get to enjoy the scenic river / woods area again. The course ends with a steep uphill that leads back to the Olympic Speed Skating Oval area (now a track). That last hill is tough, so be forewarned.
I cannot speak to the aide stations as I carried my own hydration / gels...but I remember them being quite stocked full of drinks and food. The finishing medal was really nice, and the after party provided food was great too.
The cool thing about this marathon is you can make a family vacation out of it as Lake Placid is a beautiful area with plenty of things to do...from exploring the main street that goes through town, site-seeing the Olympic areas, to plenty of hikes / outdoor activities close by.
