Champlain Islands Marathon & Half Marathon

Race Date, Time and Location for 2026 Events

• DATE: Sunday, October 18, 2026
• TIME: 8:30 AM
• LOCATION: Folsom Elementary School, 75 South St, South Hero, VT 05486
• START: Both the Full and Half Marathon will start at 8:30 AM directly in front of the Folsom Elementary School.

Course

• LOCATION: The marathon and half-marathon begin near the house of Clarence H. DeMar, a seven-time Boston Marathon Winner.
• ROUTE: The half-marathon course is out and back on the west shore of South Hero and Grand Isle: featuring farms, apple orchards, and summer cottages.
• TERRAIN: The terrain is flat to rolling.
• USATF CERTIFICATION: VT24002JK

Aid Stations

• FREQUENCY: Aid stations approximately every 2 miles starting at mile 2 and stopping at mile 24.
• SUPPLIES: Water and electrolyte drink available at all aid stations, along with 2-3 porta-potties on course.
• ASSISTANCE: Additional assistance will be provided to runners with sweep vehicles.

Registration

• PRE-REGISTRATION: Open now: this event has sold out in recent years.
• DISCOUNTS: GMAA members can subtract $10 for Full Marathon and $5 for Half Marathon.
• RACE DAY: Registration from 7 AM to 7:45 AM.
• CAPACITY: Maximum total number of runners is 500.

Shirts

• RECEIPT: All participants will receive a race shirt.

Restrictions

• AGE: Runners must be age 16 or older.

Packet Pickup

• FRIDAY: Oct. 16th - 12-6 PM at SkiRack
• SATURDAY: Oct. 17th - 12-6 PM at SkiRack
• SUNDAY: Oct. 18th - 7-8 AM at Folsom School

Awards

• CATEGORIES: Top overall male, female, non-binary finishers, top masters, and top finishers in each age group.
• MEDALS: Medals will be awarded to all marathon and half-marathon finishers.

Lodging

• ISLAND LODGING: Crescent Farm Bay Farm B&B, 1-802-324-5563 (mile 2-3)
• ISLAND LODGING: Ferry Watch Inn, 1-802-777-2530 (mile 8-9)
• FULL LIST: Link to full list of island lodging.

Attractions

• CHAMPLAINS: Enjoy the Lake Champlain Islands in mid-October.
• CHAMBER: Visit the Lake Champlain Islands Chamber of Commerce (800) 262-5226.
• THINGS TO DO: Explore local attractions in Burlington through Burlington Things-To-Do.

Past Runner Testimonials

• TESTIMONIALS: Follow this link to hear what other runners have said about our event.

Volunteers

• NEED: Volunteers are required in various areas including Water Stops, Course Marshals, Packet Pickup, and more.
• SIGN UP: Please sign up on our Volunteer Registration Page.

Information

• LOGISTICS: Refer to the Race Day Instructions for all latest logistics.
• CONTACT: For further queries, email Race Directors at: cim@gmaa.run.

Course Features

• CERTIFIED: Certified Marathon with miles 1-13 marked.
• BOSTON QUALIFIER: Can be used to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
• ELEVATION: Start and finish at 190' elevation: max elevation: 210' (miles 1 and 25): min elevation: 100'.

NOTE: GMAA/Insurance rules prohibit running with a baby jogger or dog. For safety reasons and as a courtesy to fellow runners, GMAA strongly discourages the use of headphones.

There are no refunds, deferrals, or transfers.

For more information, visit Champlain Islands Marathon & Half Marathon.