Just an easy drive from Toronto (it will take you about four hours), the Detroit Free Press Marathon needs to be added as a destination race on your bucket list. I’ve run the marathon twice now (in 2019 and again this year) and it’s now one of my favourite races. Here’s why you should register for the race (besides the marathon, the race also offers an international half-marathon, a U.S.-only half-marathon, a marathon relay, a 5k, a 1K and a few kids events) and explore Detroit.
The race is extremely well organized.
You’ll find detailed maps in the race kit and online, plenty of signage throughout, lots of space so there’s little to no bottlenecking or lines for anything—for someone like me with little sense of direction, I was able to easily find everything from the efficiently run bag check and my corral to the “runner reunite” area. Everything went super smoothly. There are plenty of porta-potties at the start area and also a number of places near the start line where you can hang out inside to keep warm (I waited in the lobby of the Westin where there was no line for the women’s washroom and then even found a spot to sit and relax before the start time). Score!
With just one small entry to get into each corral, I did have to wait in a crowd on the sidelines til the race actually started before I could move into the starting chute (but that’s on me–I probably should’ve headed to my corral earlier). On the race route, I didn’t need a port-a-potty so I didn’t notice if there were many along the course. There are kilometre markers for every 5k, but I only noticed one of them because I was also quite focused on my pace and relied on my Apple Watch Ultra to check what distance I was at. At the end of the race, the finish chute had plenty of volunteers handing out the medals, water, bananas, chocolate milk and heat sheets. Then it’s a short walk to Campus Martius, where there was a fun after-party with live music on stage and a bar selling drinks, including Motor City Miles, the official marathon beer from Eastern Market Brewing Co.
The city’s spirit will inspire you.
Detroit is an underdog and the people here are hardworking and proud, and there’s something to this toughness that’s inspiring—you want to fight harder for that PB, to go faster and be stronger. The city filed for bankruptcy in 2013, but it’s on the rise; last year it’s population grew for the first time since 1957 and there’s a lot of development taking place, including a revitalized waterfront and the opening of Michigan Central (an abandoned historic train station that’s been transformed into an innovation hub for events, restaurants and art installations). The Motor City exudes a resilient attitude that’ll motivate you.
The spectators and volunteers are awesome.
There are spots where you’ll find lots of spectators (at the finish line as expected, but also at the tunnel exit), there are spectators scattered along pretty much the whole route, even at some of the more industrial areas at the beginning of the race and on the tree-lined residential streets. They’re an enthusiastic bunch–lots of cheering and funny signs. There were lots of volunteers at the hydration stations, ready to hand you a cup and share some words of encouragement. I have never run a race where spectators and volunteers cheered me on by name as much as I have this marathon and I appreciated it every single time. There are even stations where you can grab a beer, a pickle shot and other snacks like pretzels and gummy candy.
The views into Windsor are spectacular.
This Ambassador Bridge doesn’t normally allow pedestrians so you get this unique opportunity to go on foot over this bridge at sunrise—it makes for a magical view at the beginning of the race. This is one of the few races during which you run into another country and there are lots of smiling agents at the border high-fiving you. To run back into the U.S., you run the Underwater Mile through the tunnel (be aware it can get a bit hot and stuffy in the tunnel) and it’s fun to see the border line for Canada and the U.S. in the tunnel (some runners stop here for a photo opp). Tip: If you use an eSim rather than “roam like home” for your smartphone, you likely will have to change your settings for race day. I usually travel using an Airalo eSim, so the morning of the marathon, I decided to switch on my usual cellular network and also turned on data switching (given that the route does bring you into Canada) so that I would have uninterrupted service for the entire race.
The route is flat and fast.
Other than the Ambassador Bridge, when you exit the tunnel and a short incline at the end of the Dequindre Cut, the marathon route is very flat. Online, the Detroit Marathon has been on lists as amongst one of the fastest routes in the U.S., with an elevation gain of 67 metres and elevation loss of 67 metres. It’s scenic, too; there are also a few parts of the route that take you on tree-lined residential streets—with the leaves turning colours, it makes for a pretty run (and, mentioned above, the epic Ambassador Bridge crossing). The time of year also means there’s a decent chance you’ll have good weather for the race. This year, it was about 6 Celsius when the race started at 7 a.m., a mix of sun and cloud, and it warmed up to a pleasant 18 degrees or so by the time I crossed the finish line
The medal and finisher t-shirt are pretty cool.
I typically don’t find medals or race t-shirts all that special, but the Detroit Marathon seems to often have great ones. This year’s long-sleeve t-shirt has a fun graphic of the bridge on the back and the medal is a nice weight and features Canada on half of the ribbon with the U.S. on the other half (that said, I have seen some runners disappointed that the medal is almost identical to the ones from 2023).
You get to explore Detroit post-race.
Conde Nast Traveler named Detroit as one of the best places to go in North America in 2024 and if you’ve never been to the D, you’ll quickly discover there’s plenty to enjoy while in the Motor City.
Where to stay: The Godfrey Detroit takes you just outside of the downtown core to Corktown, a charming historic neighbourhood with cobblestone streets (plus directly across the street is Ottavia Via restaurant, perfect for some pasta pre-race if you can snag a table). The modern rooms are spacious with comfortable beds and C.O. Bigelow-stocked bathrooms, and in the lobby, you’ll find plenty of runners, medals on, relaxing post-race watching the big-screen TVs.
What to do: Music lovers will not want to miss the Motown Museum and for some gentle active recovery after the race, stroll through the Detroit Institute of Arts to take in pieces by Picasso, Monet and the incredible Detroit Industry Murals by Diego Rivera. If you’ve got great weather, keep those legs moving by checking out the street art in Eastern Market and the Belt.
Where to eat: The only problem when it comes to food in Detroit is narrowing down where to eat. For carb-loading before the race, there’s Ottavia Via across from the Godfrey Detroit, but there’s also a great tagliatelle with meat sauce at Alpino, where the cuisine is centred on dishes from the Alpine region. For your post-race lunch, if you want to go with something that’s a Detroit specialty, get yourself to Buddy’s Pizza, the birthplace of Detroit-style pizza. They’ve been slinging the square-cut, caramelized-cheese crust pies since 1946.
Then for a decadent dinner, you can’t go wrong with Le Supreme (located in the Book Tower) for bistro classics including escargot, foie gras and filet mignon. Follow it with cocktails upstairs at Kamper’s Rooftop Lounge, where you’ll get a fantastic view of downtown Detroit and then head over to the charming Candy Bar in The Siren Hotel. This cozy pink cocktail lounge, with its stunning oversize chandelier, has been named the most beautifully designed bar in Michigan and its intimate atmosphere is perfect for toasting your race over inventive craft cocktails.
