The Mississippi River Marathon course offers very good chances at PRs and BQs. The course is extremely flat with the exception of the Greenville Bridge (Hwy 82) spanning the Mississippi River. The typical race day weather is cool.
The start for the point to point course is in Arkansas and the finish in Mississippi.
The Mississippi River Marathon was the 282nd largest marathon in the U.S. last year.
This year 13.2% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon and 20.7% of runners qualified for Boston in 2023.
This gives the Mississippi River Marathon the 51st highest percentage of Boston Marathon qualifiers in the U.S. last year and the 109th highest percentage so far in 2024.
Its Course Score of 99.52 ranks it as the 97th fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 3rd fastest course in Mississippi.
The typical race time temperature and humidity levels are within the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. This, coupled with the Course Score, gives the Mississippi River Marathon a PR Score of 99.52. This PR Score ranks it as the 66th fastest marathon in the U.S. and the 2nd fastest in Mississippi.
Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.
Mississippi River Marathon Elevation Chart
Max Elevation: 220 feet (67m) Min Elevation: 114 feet (34m)
Hotel & VRBO Accommodations for the Mississippi River Marathon
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This race was perfect in 2023. Temps were chilly standing around at the start line, but were basically perfect for racing. Aid stations were plentiful and well stocked with gatorade and water. Basically all of the crowd support was from aid station volunteers and law enforcement/EMTs directing traffic and they were great, but the route can feel pretty lonely if you're used to big city races or running with a crowd.
Race Tips
This course is flat flat flat except for the bridge, which has an almost imperceptible incline and decline. There are 22 aid stations over 26.2 miles and because it's so flat and rural, you can almost see from one aid station to the next. Show up for the bus ride before 6:30! Several runners missed the bus, which would be a terrible way to start the day. The course was re-certified in 2016, so ignore older comments about it running long. I had 26.3 miles exactly on my watch at the finish line.
We stayed at the Tru by Hilton on the outskirts of Greenville and it was great. I heard some horror stories from other runners about the Rodeway Inn near downtown. There aren't many dining options, but the Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Greenville was decent and a good way to load up on rice for carbs.
CYL's review of 2017 Mississippi River Marathon.
5 /
5 Stars
Review
Thought it was great, and well run, and enjoyed the beer and food and the massages were an extra-special touch! The only thing I would change is to add more fruit at the water stations and add more port-a-potties at the starting lines. Other than those two things, you guys have done an outstanding job on this marathon! You could definitely teach other races a thing or twelve! Volunteers did an amazing job!
Race Tips
Be on the buses at 6:30, don't wait until the last minute to sign up for the race, and be sure to show appreciation for the folks who give up vast amounts of their time to organize, put on and see this race through!
Arrive as soon as you can, the hotels are ok in the area.
KM's review of 2017 Mississippi River Marathon.
4 /
5 Stars
Review
For a small race, this was an amazingly organized and well run event!! Everyone was friendly and helpful and things ran very smoothly. It seems wind is at times an issue and it was hot this year but that is no reflection on the race organizers themselves. Traffic control was spot on. This event does not have pacers. If you feel that a pace group is important to you, this may not be the right event for you. Otherwise, it was very well done.
Race Tips
This event does not have pace groups and can be windy. That is something to be prepared for.
I ran this in 2015 . . . it was cold with virtually no wind . . . the course was pancake flat except for the bridge over the Mississippi River. My watch did record the distance as 26.5 miles and I was running tangents, so I will plan for that distance when I run this race again in 2016. After party was great, and being able to pick up awards as you win them rather than having to wait around for the awards ceremony was nice. All race pix were free - a nice perk.
Ample parking near finish line/bus to start. We stayed at local motel 6 and drove in.
YM's review of 2012 Mississippi River Marathon.
3 /
5 Stars
Review
I ran the inaugural MS River Marathon. My watch recorded 26.59 miles. That's the longest my watch has ever recorded for a marathon course, and it had too few turns for me to blame it on how I ran my tangents. The wind was brutal along the flat highway stretches, which was a large portion of the course. The course was nice at the beginning around the lake and at the bridge, but the rest was boring. The town of Greenville doesn't have much to offer as far as restaurants/amenities. The after-party at the finish line was really fun. They had a fabulous blues band and lots of food for the runners. The course was very flat, so if you luck out with no wind, it could be good for a PR. Just add in some extra time for your goal for that extra .39 miles.
4.4 Stars from 5 Reviews
