Equinox Marathon and Relay
About this race
NOTE: For RELAY TEAM INSTRUCTIONS, click on the EVENT INFO heading on the home page and then scroll down to "Marathon Relay."
Founded in 1963, the Equinox Marathon is the premier distance running event in Interior Alaska. Held amid golden fall colors, this event will test your running abilities and mental fortitude — but with a marathon run, marathon hike and 3-person relay, it's accessible to just about any runner or hiker. The iconic event, held mostly on trails with some dirt and paved roads, starts and finishes at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and includes a challenging climb up Ester Dome and a long descent back to campus. Marathoners will climb 3,300 feet of vertical gain. The relay is renowned for being festive and teams will combine to complete the full course in three 8-to-9-mile legs. Race-day weather and course conditions can range from dry trails and mild temperatures to wind, snow and mud. There are nine aid stations and a great vibe at the finish area. The event is organized by Running Club North. NOTE: Online registration closes at 7:59 p.m. on Friday, September 18!
Pick your distance
Trail running
Marathon Run
This event is for RUNNERS that wish to participate as an individual. (There is a separate Marathon Hike event.) JUNIORS age 17 & under, current UNIVERSITY students and active MILITARY will receive a $25 discount.
Marathon Relay
This event is for runners or hikers that wish to participate as part of a 3-person relay team. JUNIORS age 17 & under, current UNIVERSITY students and active MILITARY will receive a $75 discount. INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTERING A TEAM: The first person to register will be the team CAPTAIN, select the team name and must PAY THE FULL TEAM FEE. The captain can add the 2nd and 3rd team members, or alternatively those members can enter themselves at no charge after joining their designated team through the team search. This can be done through the SIGN UP buttons on the home page or by clicking the "MARATHON RELAY TEAMS" heading near the top of the page. Captains can also later add or delete members and make other edits. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd leg designations will be done at bib pickup.
Marathon Hike
This event is for HIKERS of the full Equinox Marathon. It is intended for those who expect to spend 7 to 10 hours on course. Hikers that finish faster than 7 hours will be moved to the Marathon Run results. JUNIORS age 17 & under, current UNIVERSITY students and active MILITARY will receive a $25 discount.
Typical race-day weather
Based on 2 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Fairbanks, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 7:26 AM and sets at 8:02 PM local time (AKDT) in Fairbanks on September 19, 2026 — 12h 36m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
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Results — Equinox Marathon and Relay
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 13 Fairbanks events
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