2026 Course Changes

Dear Idaho Falls Marathon Family,

First, thank you.

Whether this is your first Idaho Falls Marathon or you've ran with us for before, thank you for choosing to spend your Saturday morning with us. Every registration represents countless miles, early mornings, and personal commitment. We don't take that lightly, and we appreciate the trust you've placed in us to deliver a first-class race.

You may have noticed that we've introduced new courses for the marathon, half marathon, and 5K this year. That wasn't done on a whim. It was a deliberate decision based on safety and runner experience. It was a pleasure sharing the city’s running path, but we’ve grown and need more space for your race.

As race directors, our job is simple: make the best decisions for the greatest number of runners. As our event has grown to more than 600 participants, it became clear that the previous Greenbelt-centered course was no longer the best venue for race day.

The new courses were designed to accomplish several objectives:

Provide a smoother, faster, and more consistent race experience.

Eliminate the traffic signals and interruptions runners experienced on the previous course.

Reduce congestion and bottlenecks on narrow multi-use paths.

Improve runner safety through better traffic control and emergency access.

Give volunteers and course marshals better visibility and positioning.

Reduce conflicts with pedestrians, cyclists, and families enjoying the Greenbelt on a busy Saturday morning.

Allow runners to stay focused on racing instead of navigating obstacles.

The result is a cleaner, safer course where you can settle into your pace and run your race.

We're also excited to announce that both the marathon and half marathon courses will be USA Track & Field (USATF) certified i.e. a Boston Qualifier (are you?). That means the distances have been measured and certified to the national standards.

Now, let's talk about the Greenbelt. We love it. It's one of the crown jewels of Idaho Falls and one of the reasons so many of us enjoy living and running here. It's the perfect place for a pre-race shakeout run, a post-race recovery walk, or simply spending time with family along the Snake River.

But it's not the right place to safely race 600-plus runners on a Saturday morning.

We believe these changes create a better event for our runners while also being more respectful of the community that shares these public spaces.

Our commitment remains the same: continue improving every year.

We listen to feedback. We evaluate what worked and what didn't. Then we make decisions that improve the race for everyone. That's exactly what these course changes represent.

We encourage everyone to review the updated course maps on our website before race weekend so you know what to expect on race morning.

Thank you again for being part of the Idaho Falls Marathon. Thank you for supporting our volunteers, our sponsors, our nonprofit mission, and the running community here in Eastern Idaho.

Train hard. Arrive prepared. Enjoy the experience.

We'll see you at the starting line.

Semper Fi,

Chris Carney

Race Director

Idaho Falls Marathon Foundation, Inc.