The 51st Marine Corps Marathon takes place Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, with the main race starting at 7:20 a.m. on Route 110 in Arlington, between the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, according to WJLA and FOX 5 DC.

Wheelchair and handcycle participants start at 7:05 a.m. and duos at 7:07 a.m., per the International Business Times (Singapore Edition).

The USATF-certified 26.2-mile course crosses into Washington through Georgetown and the National Mall, returns over the 14th Street Bridge, winds through Crystal City, and finishes uphill at the Marine Corps War Memorial.

An 8K, kids' fun run and Finish Festival run in Rosslyn from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., per The Economic Times.

WTOP reports the forecast calls for a cold but favorable morning, with patchy frost possible early — particularly west of Interstate 95 — and temperatures around 40 degrees at the 7:20 a.m. start before climbing into the 50s by midmorning.

FOX 5 DC notes freeze warnings and frost advisories are in effect until 9 a.m. Sunday in parts of Maryland and northern Virginia, where temperatures could fall as low as 30 degrees in valleys.

Light winds and plenty of sunshine follow, with afternoon highs around 65 degrees, making the day a scenic one for runners and spectators alike as fall foliage reaches moderate color across the D.C. area.

NBC4 Washington and DC News Now report D.C. emergency no-parking restrictions run from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday on streets including 3rd, 7th and 14th between Constitution and Independence, M Street, Canal Road, Wisconsin Avenue, K Street, Madison Drive, Jefferson Drive and Independence Avenue.

Streets and bridges — including Rock Creek Parkway, the 14th Street Bridge HOV lanes, Key Bridge and Memorial Bridge — close from about 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Arlington closures run from about 3 a.m. to as late as 6 p.m., affecting Route 110, Fort Myer Drive, N. Lynn Street, Crystal Drive and multiple I-395 ramps. Southbound Route 110 between Washington Boulevard and Route 1 closed at 4 p.m.

Saturday and reopens at 5 p.m. Sunday.

FOX 5 DC reports runners must clear three checkpoints, known as Gauntlets, to remain on the certified course and be recognized as official finishers: the DC Gauntlet at Independence Avenue by 12:33 p.m., the 'Beat the Bridge' Gauntlet at 14th and D Streets just before the 14th Street Bridge (Mile 20) by 1:15 p.m., and the Crystal City Gauntlet at 12th South and Crystal Drive by 1:49 p.m.

Those who miss a cutoff are diverted from the main course. The race is the nation's third-largest marathon and offers no prize money, according to The Economic Times, but its certified course allows qualifying times to count toward Boston Marathon entry, per IBTimes.

WJLA reports Metrorail will open at 5 a.m. Sunday to help runners reach the start, with runners using Pentagon station and spectators accessing viewing spots near Smithsonian, Crystal City and L'Enfant Plaza; Arlington Cemetery station opens around 9 a.m.

Bus detours run between 2:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. around the Pentagon, Rosslyn, Crystal City and parts of D.C. Drivers face towing if parked along posted emergency restrictions, and police in both jurisdictions caution that all closure times are approximate and subject to change based on course cleanup.

Updates are available through @DCPoliceTraffic, Arlington Alert and Metro service alerts.

Spectators can follow runners through the official Marine Corps Marathon live-tracking service and app, with results and split times posted on the race's official results platform afterward, according to IBTimes.

For the running community, attention now pivots toward the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1, 2026, which marks the 50th anniversary of its five-borough course — Secret NYC reports NYRR is hosting a free interactive experience at Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall from October 27–30, challenging New Yorkers to collectively reach 1,976,000 steps in honor of the inaugural year, and NYC is giving away 350 free grandstand finish-line tickets via lottery through October 26.