MarathonGuide Weekly
Race results, upcoming events, and training tips for serious runners
➡️ Your weekly digest of marathon results, upcoming US races, training advice, and one event worth putting on your radar — all in one place.
⭐️ Training Tip
Running Shoes Demystified: How to Choose the Right Pair for Marathon Training
Before diving into specs, let’s settle a foundational point: you probably need two different pairs of shoes for marathon training, not one.
This isn’t a sales pitch — it’s practical. The shoe that protects you through 16-mile Sunday long runs is different from the shoe that makes your Tuesday tempo feel electric. Using a race-day super shoe for all your miles is expensive and unnecessary. Using a heavy trainer on race day leaves performance on the table.
Think of it like this:
A workhorse trainer for 80–90% of your miles — easy runs, long runs, recovery jogs
A performance shoe (racer or fast trainer) for 10–20% of your miles — tempo runs, race-pace workouts, and race day itself
With that framing in mind, here’s what to look for in each:
▶️ Upcoming US marathons for the next two weeks
This section is sponsored by:
⭐️ 7/18/2026 - Alaska Salmon Runs - Cordova, AK
⭐️ 9/20/2026 - Montana Marathon - Billings, MT
🏞 FLAT & FAST COURSES - Best for PRs and Boston Qualifiers
Jul 5 - Hotter Than Hell Marathon for RaceMD — Metairie, LA
Jul 12 - Shoreline Marathon — Ventura, CA
⭐️ SCENIC & DESTINATION RACES - Worth the travel
Jul 5 - Hellz Bellz Marathon — Yacolt, WA
Jul 11 - The Yellowstone Trail Marathon and Trail Races — West Yellowstone, MT
Jul 12 - Big Sky Marathon — Ennis, MT
Jul 12 - Augusta Running Festival Marathon — Augusta, ME
📢 TRAIL & ULTRA RACES - For runners who prefer dirt, distance, or both
Jul 11 - Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon — Duluth, MN
Jul 11 - Waugoshance Trail Marathon — Mackinaw City, MI
🏃🏻♀️ SMALLER & COMMUNITY RACES - Low-key, personal, often PR-friendly fields
Jul 11 - Madison Marathon — Ennis, MT
Christmas in July Series
Why wait until December to feel the holiday spirit? The Christmas in July Half-Marathon Series brings Santa, sleigh bells, and serious miles to three great Midwest cities — Indianapolis, IN, the Chicago area, and Dayton, OH. Festive costumes encouraged. PRs welcomed. Join Santa & Friends!
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👉 Catch up on the past week's results
Seven marathons reported results through MarathonGuide.com for the June 27–28, 2026 weekend, drawing a combined total of nearly 2,800 finishers across road and trail events in the American West, the Canadian Rockies, and the desert Southwest. The weekend’s two standout fields — Leadville in the Colorado high country and Missoula on the banks of the Clark Fork — accounted for the vast majority of runners, while five smaller events filled in a portrait of marathon racing at every scale and setting. Here is a race-by-race breakdown of every event reported.
Olympia Lakefair Races - Half Marathon, 8K & 3K
The Olympia Lakefair Races are part of a weekend-long running festival that features a Half Marathon, 8K and 3K; taking runners on routes that will circle around the town of Olympia and beyond into Tumwater and Thurston County. All three races start on 5th Avenue in downtown Olympia, and finish on 5th Avenue in front of Heritage Park. The 3K and 8K events circle Capitol Lake, with the 8K continuing into Tumwater Historical Park before returning. Both are flat and fast courses.
➡️ Featured race you shouldn’t miss
When runners talk about fall marathons, they usually mean New England leaves and packed corrals. The Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon offers something different: deep northern Minnesota wilderness, glassy lake reflections, and the kind of small-town race atmosphere where volunteers know your name by mile 10. If you’re looking for a fall race that earns its place on your calendar on scenery alone — and then earns it again on course and community — the Blue Ox deserves a hard look.
Thanks for reading 🤍
MarathonGuide Team