Charles River Marathon
Always double-check with the organizer's website! This page may contain affiliate links.
Charles River Marathon - RACE Cancer Foundation
The Charles River Marathon on May 3, 2026 is the event’s 10th annual running. It is held at the DCR Herter Park in Boston, MA and is presented as a fundraiser for the RACE Cancer Foundation. Registration includes a race entry fee plus a fundraising requirement and the field is limited to 200 runners; entry fees are nonrefundable and failure to meet the fundraising minimum forfeits the race entry.
The course is USATF certified (certificate MA23005JK) and eligible as a Boston Marathon qualifier. The marathon is ten laps of a 2.6 mile paved loop along the Charles River. The route is primarily flat with a short, roughly 50 foot climb and a sharp left to cross the Eliot Bridge that can feel steep later in the race. Portable toilets are placed on the course near the start/finish and at multiple points along the loop.
Hydration and nutrition include three BODYARMOR stations around the loop and a self-serve bring-your-own-bottle station near the start line with rules about bottle size and placement. GU Energy products are provided at course stations with specified gel and liquid flavors at different locations. Pacing is allowed only by official entrants or registered pacers and pacers are limited to seven laps. Dogs and strollers are not permitted. Awards include top three overall for women and men and age group awards with overall awards based on gun time and age group awards based on chip time. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
