Modesto Marathon course: route, elevation and race day
The Modesto Marathon is on Sunday, April 4, 2027, starting at 7:00 a.m. in downtown Modesto. The race calls the course flat and fast, and its USA Track and Field certificate agrees: the start and finish are both 26 m above sea level, and the whole route stays inside a 23 m band. It runs from downtown through historic, tree-lined college neighborhoods and out into the countryside with views of the Diablo Range, then finishes a block from where it started. The course is open 7 hours, which the race says gives first-time marathoners time, and it bills itself as a Boston and New York qualifier.
Runsy is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Modesto Marathon. Course facts come from the race's own pages and its USATF certificate.
USATF certified · CA23021DT
Modesto Marathon
Modesto, CA
Race day
Sunday, April 4, 2027
25weeks to go · 175 days
- Distance
- Marathon
- Net drop
- 0m
Verified Oct 11, 2026 from modestomarathon.com
The Modesto Marathon course, section by section
In the order the race's course page describes it. The race does not publish mile points for each section, so none are given here.
| Section |
|---|
| Start |
| College neighborhoods |
| Countryside |
| Return |
Source: Modesto Marathon, course page and FAQ. Checked 11 October 2026.
Aid stations
Twelve marathon aid stations. Medical is available at every one, and the race says electrolyte drink (Gatorade) is served at most.
| Station |
|---|
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 |
| 8 |
| 9 |
| 10 |
| 11 |
| 12 |
Source: Modesto Marathon, course page and FAQ. Checked 11 October 2026.
Elevation: start and finish at the same height
The race's flat and fast claim checks out against USA Track and Field. The course's only active marathon certificate, CA23021DT, effective December 30, 2023, puts the start and the finish both at 26 m above sea level, with the lowest point at 12 m and the highest at 35 m. That is no net drop and a 23 m (about 75 ft) band for the whole course. A certificate does not give the total climb in between, so read 23 m as a range, not a climb figure.
For Boston, a Modesto time is a clean one: the B.A.A. accepts qualifying times only from certified courses and adjusts them only for 1,500 ft (457.2 m) or more of net downhill, and Modesto has none. The race's homepage says MarathonGuide.com ranks it among its top 30 "Most Likely To Qualify" Boston qualifying races. See our Boston qualifying times for the standards and the BQ Course Index for other certified courses.
How to pace the Modesto Marathon
This section is Runsy's advice, not the race's. It is how we would run this course from the facts above.
- Run it even. With no net drop and a 23 m band, the clock rewards the same pace every mile. Decide it before the start and hold it.
- Break it into the race's four sections. Downtown, the college neighborhoods, the countryside and the run back. Each is a smaller race to win.
- Use the aid rhythm. Stations come about every two miles, from 3.8 to 25.2. Practise drinking at that spacing in long runs.
- Plan your countryside miles. The countryside section takes you farthest from downtown. Know your fuel and your splits before you get there.
- A first marathon? Use the 7 hours. The course stays open from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., so a steady run-walk plan is realistic.
- Count back from April 4. A 16-week plan for Modesto starts on Monday, December 14, 2026, so most of your build runs through December and January.
Turn a goal time into splits with the marathon pace chart, or sanity-check the goal with the race time predictor.
Running Modesto on April 4, 2027?
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Race-week logistics
From the race's 2027 race weekend page and FAQ.
- Packet pickup and expo: Saturday, April 3, 2027, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the Graffiti USA Classic Car Museum, 610 N. 9th Street.
- Race morning: bag drop and race-day packet pickup open at 6:00 a.m.; wheelchair and assisted divisions start at 6:55 a.m.; marathon and half at 7:00 a.m.; 10K and 5K at 7:25 a.m.
- Course closes: 2:00 p.m., seven hours after the start.
- Who it helps: race proceeds benefit Teens Run Modesto.
Training for it: our intermediate marathon plans are the base the plan bridge above builds from. The 16-week beginner plan suits a first marathon, and the advanced plans suit runners chasing a qualifying time.
Train for Modesto's flat 26.2, week by week
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Fair questions
What is the Modesto Marathon course?
It starts downtown, runs through historic, tree-lined college neighborhoods and past the Modesto Junior College west campus, heads into the countryside with views of the Diablo Range and past the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, then returns to finish a block from the start.
Is the Modesto Marathon course flat?
Yes. The race calls it flat and fast, and its USATF certificate CA23021DT puts the start and finish both at 26 m above sea level, with the whole course between 12 and 35 m.
Is the Modesto Marathon a Boston qualifier?
The race bills itself as a Boston and New York qualifier, and the course holds an active USATF certificate, CA23021DT. With no net drop, no B.A.A. downhill adjustment applies.
What time does the Modesto Marathon start?
7:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 4, 2027, with the half marathon. The course closes at 2:00 p.m., a 7-hour window.
Where are the aid stations on the Modesto Marathon course?
At miles 3.8, 5.5, 7.6, 9.8, 12.1, 14.1, 16.2, 18.4, 20, 21.9, 23.8 and 25.2. Medical is available at every aid station.
When should I start training for the Modesto Marathon?
Our marathon plans run 12, 16 or 20 weeks. For Sunday, April 4, 2027, a 16-week plan starts on Monday, December 14, 2026 and a 20-week plan on Monday, November 16, 2026. The plan bridge above dates the weeks for you.