Cape Cod Marathon 2026
Falmouth, Massachusetts, MA
Registration open
- Registration opened
- December 1, 2025
Weather
| Month | Avg high / low | Band |
|---|---|---|
| October | 54–61°F | Cool |
Historical averages for planning — not a forecast. Always check conditions before race week.
Route & course
Marathon
Loop · Road · starts 8:00 AM- Elev gain
- 598 ft
- Elev loss
- 594 ft
- High point
- 49 ft
- Low point
- 5 ft
- Start and finish in the same area
- Easier spectating and repeated aid access
Starts and finishes at Mullen-Hall School (elev. ~7 ft). Miles 0–3 are very flat; miles 3–6 follow the reverse Falmouth Road Race course with rolling hills past Nobska Lighthouse (high point ~49 ft). A notable hill at mile 12 (~30 ft) is repeated at mile 23.4 on the out-and-back section. Course closes at 2:00 PM (6-hour limit). Boston Qualifier and World Marathon Major qualifier. Course Score 99.07, ranked 7th fastest marathon in Massachusetts.
Half Marathon
Out-and-back · Road · starts 8:00 AM- Elev gain
- —
- Elev loss
- —
- High point
- —
- Low point
- —
- Turnaround at the midpoint; the second half retraces the first
- Aid stations seen twice
Held Saturday (day before the full). Flat, scenic out-and-back along the Falmouth coastline of Nantucket Sound. One short hill encountered at approximately miles 3.5 and 9.75. Capped at 2,000 runners; 3-hour time limit. Start time is 8:00 AM Saturday.
5K
Out-and-back · Road · starts 8:15 AM- Elev gain
- —
- Elev loss
- —
- High point
- —
- Low point
- —
- Turnaround at the midpoint; the second half retraces the first
- Aid stations seen twice
Flat, fast out-and-back. Held Sunday morning at 8:15 AM, 15 minutes after the marathon start. 1-hour time limit. Part of the Lobstah Challenge when combined with the Saturday half marathon.
Marathon Relay
Loop · Road · starts 8:00 AM- Elev gain
- 598 ft
- Elev loss
- 594 ft
- High point
- 49 ft
- Low point
- 5 ft
- Start and finish in the same area
- Easier spectating and repeated aid access
5-person team relay following the full marathon course. Legs range from 2.8 to 7.5 miles. Capped at 100 teams. Registration closes 2 weeks before race weekend. Starts concurrently with the marathon at 8:00 AM Sunday.
Travel
- Base town
- Falmouth
- Nearest airport
- BOS · 100 min
- Rental car
- Recommended
- Rideshare
- Good
- Lodging
- Good
- Facilities
- Good
- Trip length
- 2 nights
- Travel complexity
- 6/10
Cape Cod is a peninsula with limited bridge access (Sagamore and Bourne Bridges); fall weekend traffic can add 30–60 minutes each way. No practical public transit. A rental car is essentially required. Lodging in Falmouth is limited and books quickly around race weekend.
Providence TF Green (PVD) is also ~70 miles away and roughly equivalent in drive time. Barnstable Municipal Airport (HYA) in Hyannis is only 19 miles away but has very limited service (Cape Air only). Enterprise, Avis, and Hertz operate in Falmouth itself.
Best for / avoid if
Best for
- BQ seekers
- first-time marathoners
- destination race weekenders
- runners who love coastal scenery
- relay teams
- Boston hopefuls
- coastal scenery lovers
- runners seeking a supportive small-town vibe
Avoid if
- you hate wind exposure
- you need big-city race infrastructure
- you're traveling from far away without a car
- you dislike rolling hills
- require a flat course
First-timer mistakes
Underestimating Cape Cod's October wind — the coastal stretches have zero windbreak and 18+ mph average winds. Also, bridge traffic over the Sagamore or Bourne Bridge can add 30–60 minutes to your drive from Boston on race weekend mornings.
Photos
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