The 51st Marine Corps Marathon takes place on Sunday, October 25, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Known as “the People’s Marathon,” it is the largest marathon in the world that offers no prize money — and one of the biggest road races in the United States, with roughly 40,000 participants in the 50th anniversary running in 2025.
This guide covers the start times, the course, road closures, the best spectator spots, and — most importantly for families at home — where to find official results and track a runner.
2026 results
Men’s winner: Kyle King (Montclair, Virginia, Marines category) — 2:17:31. Second was Daniel Soltys (2:22:10), third Joseph Reimann (2:23:28), fourth Lucas Stalnaker (2:24:14) and fifth Jordan Smith (2:24:41). King’s time betters his own 2025 MCM winning time. This is his third straight MCM win and fourth overall, after 2022, 2024 and 2025.
Women’s winner: Kaylee Slade (Arvada, Colorado) — 2:44:34. Second was Rebekka Kalenga (2:46:36), third Julia Flower (2:49:01), fourth Bowman Shaughnessy (2:49:49) and fifth Kate Llorente (2:51:01).
These times are now official: a Marine Corps-sourced release names Kyle King the first-place finisher with an official time of 2:17:31 and Kaylee Slade the overall women’s winner at 2:44:34. The release was distributed via EIN Presswire and quotes U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jenny Colegate, commanding officer of Marine Corps Base Quantico. (Note: this is a Marine Corps-sourced release, not a post on marinemarathon.com itself.)
Start times and the course
Per the official weekend schedule, the 51st MCM starts on Route 110 in Arlington: wheels at 7:05 am EDT, duos at 7:07 am EDT and runners at 7:20 am EDT, following an opening ceremony at 7:00 am. The 26.2-mile course winds from Arlington through Washington, D.C. — past the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial and through Georgetown — before returning to Arlington and finishing uphill at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Rosslyn.
The course closes at 3:05 pm EDT. Runners must hold a 14-minute-per-mile pace and make three cut-off clocks on course — near 17 miles, at 20 miles and at the Crystal City gauntlet — or they are removed from the course with no official finish recorded. The race is USATF-certified and a Boston Marathon qualifier.
How to track a runner and find results
The official source is the Marine Corps Marathon website (marinemarathon.com) and its linked live-tracking service and marathon app. Spectators can follow a runner’s split times live through the official tracking service; full results and finish times are posted to the official results platform as runners finish.
To look up a runner, search the official results platform by bib number or last name — third-party results sites republish the same data, but the official platform is the first place results appear. Note: results stories circulating about a “50th Marine Corps Marathon” with a 2:34:08 women’s course record refer to the 2025 race, not today’s 51st running — do not confuse last year’s winners with this year’s results.
Road closures and getting around
Road closures affect both sides of the Potomac all Sunday morning, including the National Mall, Rock Creek Parkway, Key Bridge, Memorial Bridge, and roads through Georgetown and Crystal City. Drivers should allow extra travel time and avoid crossing the course where possible. Metro is the recommended way to reach spectator areas, and the Rosslyn Finish Festival runs from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm EDT.
Best spectator spots
Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall: the most iconic backdrop, early in the race.
Crystal City / National Landing: home of the final gauntlet, where spectators can see runners multiple times around the turnaround at 2121 Crystal Drive.
Rosslyn Finish Festival: the finish at the Marine Corps War Memorial, plus the Family Link Up area, where families find runners using yellow alphabet towers matched to the first letter of the runner’s last name.
What makes this race different
Founded in 1976, the Marine Corps Marathon is organized by the Marine Corps Marathon Organization and staffed by Marines along the course. There is no prize money and no entry lottery — anyone over 14 can enter — which is why it is called the People’s Marathon. The course records have stood for more than 35 years: 2:14:01 for men (Jeffrey Scuffins, 1987) and 2:37:00 for women (Olga Markova, 1990).
FAQ
When is the Marine Corps Marathon 2026? Sunday, October 25, 2026, with runners starting at 7:20 am EDT.
Who won the Marine Corps Marathon 2026? Kyle King won the men’s race in 2:17:31 and Kaylee Slade won the women’s race in 2:44:34 — both now official per the Marine Corps-sourced release.
Where can I find Marine Corps Marathon 2026 results? On the official results platform linked from marinemarathon.com, searchable by bib number or last name.
How many runners are in the Marine Corps Marathon? About 40,000 participated in the 50th running in 2025; the 2026 field is of a similar size.
Is there prize money? No — the Marine Corps Marathon is the largest marathon in the world without prize money.
Sources
– https://www.marinemarathon.com/event/marine-corps-marathon/weekend-events/
– https://www.ibtimes.sg/marine-corps-marathon-2026-start-time-route-map-live-tracker-road-closures-results-95498
– https://fatmarathoner.com/marine-corps-marathon-2026-results/ (winners, sourced from official MCM live tracker)
– https://wisevoter.com/world/us/2026/10/25/kyle-king-wins-marine-corps-marathon (corroborates King 2:17:31)
– https://coupevillesports.com/2026/10/25/kyle-king-forever-faster-than-everyone-else/ (King 3rd straight / 4th overall, Slade women’s winner)
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTHtx1W9G-k (NBC4 Washington: King 4th title, 3rd straight, 2:17:31)
– https://sse.einnews.com/pr_news/952380651/33-000-marathoners-take-on-51st-mcm-fourth-victory-for-king (Marine Corps-sourced release: King official time 2:17:31, Slade women’s winner 2:44:34)