Midnight Sun Marathon
Midnight Sun Marathon race day weather
Cool temps, strategic pacing needed
Runners will face temperatures starting at 51°F and dipping to 49°F throughout the race. With humidity at 75%, it's crucial to pace conservatively, especially during the headwind sections from miles 12-19. Light winds will be present, primarily affecting the early and late miles with crosswinds. Given the chance of light rain pre-race, a throwaway layer may be beneficial during warm-up.
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Midnight Sun Marathon route and elevation
The Midnight Sun Marathon course has about 710 ft (216 m) of climbing and 704 ft (215 m) of descent, and finishes near the elevation it starts. It is hillier than 79% of the marathon courses racecast.io has mapped, measured by what the hills cost in time. The hardest mile is mile 1, with 128 ft (39 m) of climbing and a 2.3% average grade.
Biggest climbs
- Miles 0.4 to 1: climbs about 120 ft (37 m).
- Miles 2.1 to 6: climbs about 85 ft (25 m).
- Miles 18.4 to 19.1: climbs about 115 ft (36 m).
What the hills cost
- 3:30 on a flat course is about 3:32 here (2 minutes slower).
- 4:00 on a flat course is about 4:02 here (2 minutes slower).
- 4:30 on a flat course is about 4:33 here (3 minutes slower).
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 | 128 ft | 8 ft | 8:58 | 10:14 | 11:31 |
| 2 | 9 ft | 123 ft | 7:31 | 8:37 | 9:41 |
| 3 | 49 ft | 2 ft | 8:20 | 9:31 | 10:43 |
| 4 | 7 ft | 4 ft | 7:58 | 9:06 | 10:14 |
| 5 | 5 ft | 9 ft | 7:56 | 9:04 | 10:12 |
| 6 | 49 ft | 18 ft | 8:11 | 9:22 | 10:32 |
| 7 | 49 ft | 53 ft | 7:55 | 9:03 | 10:11 |
| 8 | 8 ft | 51 ft | 7:47 | 8:53 | 9:59 |
| 9 | 24 ft | 22 ft | 7:57 | 9:05 | 10:14 |
| 10 | 8 ft | 27 ft | 7:52 | 8:59 | 10:07 |
| 11 | 28 ft | 4 ft | 8:08 | 9:18 | 10:27 |
| 12 | 18 ft | 28 ft | 7:54 | 9:02 | 10:10 |
| 13 | 53 ft | 7 ft | 8:20 | 9:31 | 10:42 |
| 14 | 29 ft | 45 ft | 7:52 | 9:00 | 10:07 |
| 15 | 38 ft | 53 ft | 7:53 | 9:00 | 10:08 |
| 16 | 13 ft | 5 ft | 8:00 | 9:09 | 10:18 |
| 17 | 4 ft | 6 ft | 7:56 | 9:04 | 10:12 |
| 18 | 2 ft | 36 ft | 7:48 | 8:55 | 10:02 |
| 19 | 83 ft | 23 ft | 8:27 | 9:39 | 10:51 |
| 20 | 52 ft | 130 ft | 7:38 | 8:44 | 9:50 |
| 21 | 31 ft | 20 ft | 8:02 | 9:11 | 10:19 |
| 22 | 36 ft | 28 ft | 8:01 | 9:09 | 10:18 |
| 23 | 34 ft | 49 ft | 7:52 | 9:00 | 10:07 |
| 24 | 59 ft | 32 ft | 8:10 | 9:20 | 10:30 |
| 25 | 19 ft | 42 ft | 7:51 | 8:58 | 10:05 |
| 26 | 32 ft | 26 ft | 7:59 | 9:07 | 10:17 |
| Last 0.2 | 1 ft | 11 ft | 1:44 | 1:59 | 2:13 |
Explore the Midnight Sun Marathon course with the weather and your pace along the route, or compare it with other races.
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About the Midnight Sun Marathon
The Midnight Sun Marathon is an annual 42.2 km road marathon in Tromsø, Norway, held each June near the summer solstice, when the sun stays above the horizon around the clock. The marathon starts at 8:30 PM local time so that most finishers cross the line after midnight while the sky remains bright. The course crosses the Tromsø Bridge twice and is certified by AIMS as the world's northernmost AIMS-certified marathon. First run in 1990, held every year except 2020 (COVID).
