Vancouver Marathon & Half Marathon
Vancouver, Canada · Sunday 5 May 2024
The BMO Vancouver Marathon is Canada's most popular destination race, consistently selling out months in advance, so registration opens early if you're serious about running it. The 42.2-kilometer course follows a point-to-point route through Vancouver's most scenic areas, taking you past mountains and golden beaches before finishing along the Stanley Park Seawall, which gives you some truly remarkable views as you're grinding through the later miles. You'll be dealing with moderately hilly terrain across the race, which means you can't just treat this like a flat fast course, but the elevation changes are reasonable enough that most runners can handle them with proper training. The race happens every May and has earned its reputation as one of the world's top destination marathons, so expect a well-organized event with good support and a strong community atmosphere. If the full marathon sells out before you can register, the half marathon and 8-kilometer race are solid alternatives that let you experience the same scenic course.
Difficulty Calculator
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:m
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Adjusted Time
4:41:49
Time difference: +41.8 minutes compared to a flat, road, temperate course.
Course Details
Elevation Gain306m
Elevation High102m
Elevation Low2m
Vancouver Marathon & Half Marathon 2024 Course Analysis
Vancouver Marathon & Half Marathon is a full marathon held in Vancouver, Canada, scheduled for Sunday 5 May 2024. The course is run on trail surface with 306m of total elevation gain, reaching a maximum altitude of 102m above sea level. For registration and full race details, visit the official Vancouver Marathon & Half Marathon website.
Elevation Profile
This is a hilly course with 306m of total elevation gain. The route climbs from 2m to as high as 102m above sea level — a substantial 100m elevation range. Runners should train on hills and plan for a more conservative pacing strategy, especially on the climbs.
Surface Type: Trail
Vancouver Marathon & Half Marathon is a trail race, meaning the course includes unpaved surfaces such as dirt, gravel, or forest paths. Trail surfaces are inherently slower than road courses due to uneven footing, technical sections, and often steeper gradients. Trail-specific shoes with good grip are recommended, and runners should expect a finish time 10-20% slower than their equivalent road marathon time.
How Difficult Is Vancouver Marathon & Half Marathon?
Our difficulty rating for Vancouver Marathon & Half Marathon 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 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 Vancouver Marathon & Half Marathon against other marathons to find the right race for your goals.
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