Course & Elevation

The Essentia Health Fargo Marathon is a road marathon through Fargo, North Dakota, and its twin city Moorhead, Minnesota, held on a Saturday in May as part of a race weekend that also has a half marathon, a 10K, a 5K and a youth run. The first race was held on 14 May 2005. The marathon starts at 7:00 a.m. just outside the FARGODOME, at 33 17th Avenue North, and the finish is inside the dome. The organisers describe a mostly flat and fast route that goes through downtown Fargo, crosses into Moorhead, follows riverfront sections and passes local landmarks, universities and neighborhoods. The course is USATF-certified and an official Boston qualifier. Aid stations are spaced along the route. The course records are 2:19:24 for men, set by Abraham Kipkemei in 2023, and 2:37:27 for women, set by Semehar Tesfaye in 2016.

Surface: road Profile: Flat

Weather

Typical climate for the race month — an estimate, not a forecast or a race-day record

Temperature 14°C

Humidity 60%

Rain Chance 37%

Late May in Fargo averages a daily high of about 20°C and a low of about 7°C, with some precipitation on around eleven days of the month.

Related Guides

The Race

Fargo

Race Lore

The First Race on the Bridge, 2005

2005 Origin

The inaugural Fargo Marathon took place on 14 May 2005 and started on the Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Red River between Minnesota and North Dakota. The race weekend offered a 5K on Friday and a marathon, a marathon relay and a half marathon on Saturday, starting at 8 a.m. Almost 3,000 runners were there, and prize money was offered, including $400 for first place in the marathon.

Flood Year, 2009

2009 Drama

In 2009 the course had to be changed because of flooding. The marathon route took two laps instead of one large loop.

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Course Record

02:19:24

Abraham Kipkemei (2023)

Registration

Entry fee, registration dates and lottery rules are not confirmed here yet. Check the official registration page.

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Fun Facts

▸ The first Fargo Marathon, on 14 May 2005, started on the Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Red River and had almost 3,000 runners across its races.
▸ The course crosses the Red River into Moorhead, Minnesota, and goes through the Concordia College and Minnesota State University Moorhead campuses.
▸ In 2009 the route had to be changed because of flooding, and the marathon took two laps instead of one large loop.
▸ The women's course record of 2:37:27 was set in 2016 by Semehar Tesfaye, a Fargo South High School graduate.

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