Congers, United States of America · Sunday 4 October 2026
The Empire State Half Marathon and 5k are on the flattest and fastest road course on the East Coast: Rockland Lake State Park In just a few laps around the lake, just north of the NJ/NY border, you ll walk away with a big shiny medal, a tech race shirt, and hopefully a shiny new personal best! Follow us on IG: empirestatehalfmarathon for future updates! Please arrive before 8am to avoid paying the park admission fee! Race Schedule 8:00am - 5k Start 8:45am - HM Elite Introductions 9:00am - Half Marathon Start 9:15am - 5k Awards Available 10:00am - Beer Garden Opens 11:15am - Half Marathon Awards Available Course The course is a USATF-certified loop around scenic Rockland Lake. Course Profile As shown on the Rockland Lake Half Marathon Strava Segment, the course has 135 of elevation over the 13.1 miles. The difference between its highest elevation point (170 ) and lowest (155 ) is just 15 , making it a pancake flat loop. Fueling Stations There are three aid stations with both water and Gatorade along the course. Elite Athlete Program (EAP) The EAP provides a complimentary entry, personal water stations, preferred baggage claim, and for some, free lodging. Please email empirestatehalfmarathon gmail.com your running resume for consideration. NEW for 2025: Individual Prize Structure $500 - Top M/F and top M/F Masters $300 - 2nd M/F and 2nd M/F Master $200 - 3rd M/F and 3rd M/F Master Team Prize Structure $500 - Top M/F Teams (3/Team) HM and 5k Medals: 5 Year Age Groups Top 3 finishers to male/female finishers in 19 and under, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70 HM AG Winners win ice cream from the Sweet Guy Ice Cream Truck Bib Pickup Bibs can either be picked up at Road Runner Sports (Paramus) on Friday evening (5pm-7pm), Saturday morning (10am-1), or at the race site on Sunday morning. Empire State Challenge Medal Any runner finishing both the Empire State Half Marathon and the Garden State 10 Miler (or the Empire State 5k) will rece
Adjusted Time
1:40:47
Time difference: -4.2 minutes compared to a flat, road, temperate course.
Empire State Half Marathon & 5k is a half marathon held in Congers, United States of America, scheduled for Sunday 4 October 2026. The course is run on road surface with 0m of total elevation gain, reaching a maximum altitude of 0m above sea level. For registration and full race details, visit the official Empire State Half Marathon & 5k website.
This is a very flat course with only 0m of total elevation gain across the full distance. The course ranges from 0m to 0m above sea level — a 0m elevation range that makes it one of the flatter races available. Runners targeting a personal best will appreciate the minimal climbing.
Empire State Half Marathon & 5k is run on road surfaces, which provide the fastest and most predictable conditions for marathon running. Road courses allow for consistent pacing and are typically the best choice for runners targeting a personal best time.
Our difficulty rating for Empire State Half Marathon & 5k is calculated using a model that combines elevation gain, temperature impact, and surface type. Use the difficulty calculator above to enter your target finish time and see exactly how many minutes this course would add or subtract compared to a perfectly flat, cool, road-based half marathon. Faster runners and slower runners are affected differently by the same course conditions, so the difficulty is personalised to your pace.
Looking for an easier marathon or a tougher challenge? You can also compare Empire State Half Marathon & 5k against other half marathons to find the right race for your goals.
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