IronHorse Marathon
IronHorse Marathon race day weather
Cool morning, headwinds ahead
Runners will face a temperature rise from 47°F at the start to 54°F by the finish, with average humidity at 65%. A steady headwind will challenge performance from miles 3-8 and 20-21, while a tailwind will provide relief from miles 13-19. Adjusting pace early to conserve energy in the headwinds will be crucial for maintaining stamina throughout the race.
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IronHorse Marathon route and elevation
The IronHorse Marathon course has about 386 ft (118 m) of climbing and 441 ft (134 m) of descent, a net drop of about 55 ft (17 m). It is flatter than 80% of the marathon courses racecast.io has mapped, measured by what the hills cost in time. The hardest mile is mile 3, with 58 ft (18 m) of climbing.
Biggest climbs
- Miles 0.8 to 1.6: climbs about 50 ft (16 m).
- Miles 5 to 7.3: climbs about 55 ft (17 m).
- Miles 21.2 to 22.9: climbs about 55 ft (16 m).
What the hills cost
The hills change finish times by less than 0.2% here, under half a minute for a 4:00 runner.
Hills only, priced mile by mile on the course map. The pace calculator above adds the race-day weather.
Even-effort splits for a 3:30, 4:00 or 4:30 finish
| Mile | Climb | Descent | 3:30 | 4:00 | 4:30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 ft | 40 ft | 7:58 | 9:07 | 10:15 |
| 2 | 51 ft | 42 ft | 8:05 | 9:13 | 10:23 |
| 3 | 58 ft | 51 ft | 8:03 | 9:12 | 10:21 |
| 4 | 12 ft | 10 ft | 8:01 | 9:10 | 10:18 |
| 5 | 17 ft | 25 ft | 7:57 | 9:06 | 10:15 |
| 6 | 26 ft | 9 ft | 8:09 | 9:18 | 10:27 |
| 7 | 18 ft | 6 ft | 8:05 | 9:15 | 10:24 |
| 8 | 29 ft | 17 ft | 8:06 | 9:15 | 10:25 |
| 9 | 4 ft | 11 ft | 7:58 | 9:06 | 10:15 |
| 10 | 0 ft | 3 ft | 7:59 | 9:08 | 10:16 |
| 11 | 0 ft | 3 ft | 7:59 | 9:07 | 10:16 |
| 12 | 0 ft | 3 ft | 7:59 | 9:08 | 10:16 |
| 13 | 6 ft | 7 ft | 8:00 | 9:08 | 10:16 |
| 14 | 3 ft | 21 ft | 7:55 | 9:03 | 10:11 |
| 15 | 8 ft | 21 ft | 7:57 | 9:05 | 10:13 |
| 16 | 21 ft | 19 ft | 8:01 | 9:09 | 10:18 |
| 17 | 17 ft | 29 ft | 7:57 | 9:06 | 10:14 |
| 18 | 28 ft | 31 ft | 7:59 | 9:07 | 10:15 |
| 19 | 23 ft | 13 ft | 8:04 | 9:13 | 10:23 |
| 20 | 25 ft | 59 ft | 7:51 | 8:59 | 10:06 |
| 21 | 52 ft | 58 ft | 7:59 | 9:07 | 10:15 |
| 22 | 46 ft | 20 ft | 8:12 | 9:23 | 10:34 |
| 23 | 27 ft | 14 ft | 8:07 | 9:16 | 10:25 |
| 24 | 6 ft | 28 ft | 7:54 | 9:02 | 10:10 |
| 25 | 0 ft | 14 ft | 7:57 | 9:05 | 10:13 |
| 26 | 13 ft | 34 ft | 7:54 | 9:02 | 10:10 |
| Last 0.2 | 21 ft | 5 ft | 1:54 | 2:10 | 2:26 |
Explore the IronHorse Marathon course with the weather and your pace along the route, or compare it with other races.
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About the IronHorse Marathon
The IronHorse Races include a Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K Run. All are USATF Sanctioned. The Full Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K are USATF Certified. The Full Marathon takes place on the Wapsi-Great Western Line (WGWL) Trail located in Riceville, Iowa and the Shooting Star Trail in Minnesota. The Half Marathon, 10K and 5K take place on the WGWL Trail. The WGWL Trail has a Northern Branch and a Southern Branch. The races take place on the Rails-to-Trails recognized paved and concrete laid Northern Branch. The Iowan WGWL Trail is the first and official interstate trail connecting to Minnesota’s Shooting Star Trail.