The bg26.2 marathon, half marathon and bg6000 start at 7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at Bowling Green Ballpark. Prices, packet pickup, parking.

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Race details from the organizer’s bg26.2 race page on RunSignup; questions go through its contact page.

Bowling Green’s marathon weekend is Saturday, Oct. 31, and Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. The bg26.2 marathon and half marathon start at 7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, from Bowling Green Ballpark, and the bg6000, about 3.7 miles, follows at 7:15 a.m. The course is a 13.1-mile loop through downtown and the Western Kentucky University campus; marathoners run it twice.

At a glance

  • Race day: Sunday, Nov. 1. Marathon and half marathon 7 a.m.; bg6000 7:15 a.m.
  • Kids’ run: bgKIDS, 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, free, ages 12 and under
  • Packet pickup, expo and pasta dinner: 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the ballpark
  • Where: Bowling Green Ballpark, 300 E. Eighth Ave.
  • Register: runsignup.com/Race/KY/BowlingGreen/bg262
  • Clocks: daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Nov. 1, the night before the race. Set your alarm by the new time.

Races and prices

From the organizer’s registration page:

Race When Price
bg26.2 marathon 7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 $145
Half marathon 7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 $125
bg6000 (6K) 7:15 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 $50
bgKIDS fun run 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 Free

Virtual entries cost the same as the in-person races. The marathon also has a pushrim wheelchair division and an assisted wheelchair duo team. Online registration for the marathon and half marathon closes at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31; the bg6000 stays open until 6:45 a.m. race morning, and it is the only race you can enter on the day, according to the race FAQ.

Age limits: 16 and older for the marathon, 12 and older for the half marathon. The bgKIDS run is two laps of the ballpark concourse, a little over half a mile, and every finisher gets a medal.

All proceeds from the marathon and half marathon go to the National MS Society in memory of Susan B. Riherd, the organizer says.

Schedule

From the event schedule:

Saturday, Oct. 31 - 4 p.m.: bgKIDS run, Bowling Green Ballpark - 4:30 p.m.: VIP swag pickup and early pasta dinner entry - 5 to 7 p.m.: packet pickup and expo on the ballpark concourse, with the pasta dinner. The dinner is free for paid runners; guests pay $3 at the door.

Sunday, Nov. 1 - 6 to 6:30 a.m.: race-day packet pickup at the ballpark concession window. No packets are handed out after 6:30 a.m. - 7 a.m.: marathon and half marathon start - 7:15 a.m.: bg6000 start - 1 p.m.: course support ends

A friend can pick up your packet for you, the FAQ says. Gear check is in the ballpark lobby near the start, and restrooms are inside the ballpark.

The course and the cutoff

The course is USATF certified, so a bg26.2 time counts as a Boston Marathon qualifier, and the race is the RRCA Southern Region Marathon Championship. There are eight water stations, with water first and Gatorade last at each one. Maps and turn-by-turn directions are on the course maps page.

The time limit is six hours. Marathoners must hold a 14-minute-mile pace or reach the halfway point within three hours; there is no course support or police protection after the six-hour mark. Marathoners pass five checkpoints, half marathoners two, and a marathoner who stops after one loop is recorded as a DNF.

Roads, parking and getting there

No roads close. The organizer describes the bg26.2 as an open course, with coned lanes on University Boulevard, Fairview Avenue, Kentucky Street and Adams Street. Side streets stay open and cars will be turning in and out, so drivers downtown and around WKU should expect runners in those lanes Sunday morning until about 1 p.m.

Parking: free in the Stadium Park Plaza garage next to the ballpark and in the BGMU lot, the organizer says. Some downtown lots are private and not free, and cars left there can be towed.

What to know

  • No strollers and no dogs on the course. The race follows Road Runners Club of America guidance on strollers.
  • No bikes unless you are official race crew in an orange vest; that is at the request of the Bowling Green Police Department.
  • No unregistered runners. Pacers, coaches and children cannot run in with you without a bib, the FAQ says.
  • Headphones: the race asks runners to keep the left ear free.
  • Bib on the front, where photographers and timers can read it.
  • Awards: no ceremony; collect overall and age-group awards at the awards tent on the concourse. Overall awards go by gun time, the rest by chip time.

Race weekend is also Halloween weekend. See our trick-or-treat hours and Halloween events pages for Saturday night, and things to do this month for the rest of the fall calendar.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Bowling Green marathon in 2026?

The bg26.2 marathon and half marathon start at 7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at Bowling Green Ballpark. The bg6000 starts at 7:15 a.m. and the free bgKIDS run is 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.

How much does the bg26.2 marathon cost?

The organizer lists the marathon at $145, the half marathon at $125 and the bg6000 at $50. The bgKIDS run for ages 12 and under is free.

Can I register for the bg26.2 on race day?

Only for the bg6000. There is no race-day registration for the marathon, half marathon or kids’ run; online registration for those closes at 6 p.m. Oct. 31.

Where do I park for the bg26.2?

The organizer points runners to free parking in the Stadium Park Plaza garage next to Bowling Green Ballpark and the BGMU lot. Some downtown lots are private, and cars there can be towed.

Are roads closed for the Bowling Green marathon?

No. The organizer says the bg26.2 is an open course, with coned lanes on University Boulevard, Fairview Avenue, Kentucky Street and Adams Street. Side streets stay open to cars.