La Crosse Marathon
Race Day Weather
Cool start — fast day potential, warming through the race
A cool 47°F at the start line is ideal for fast times — expect to warm up quickly once you're moving. Temperatures rising to 56°F through the course will gradually increase perceived effort in the second half. Light winds shouldn't be a major factor for pacing.
The finish is 24 miles from the start, so we look at it at 2 points, not just the start line. In a typical year, at 9:00/mi, you start at 47° and finish around 10:55 AM in 56°.
Pace Calculator
Enter a finish time to see what race day does to it.
Get forecast alerts for La Crosse Marathon
We'll text or email you when the forecast shifts — so you can adjust gear, pacing, and strategy. Max one per day.
Race Info
The La Crosse Marathon is held in early May and runs from Sparta, Wisconsin, to Riverside Park in downtown La Crosse. The point-to-point course follows river bike trails through the Driftless Region and small Wisconsin towns, with about 20 miles of crushed gravel and 6 miles of paved trail. The marathon is USATF certified and a Boston qualifier. A half marathon from West Salem and a 5K run/walk finish in the same area. Source
