Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon

Grafton to Milwaukee, WI|Sunday, October 4, 2026|80 days away
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Weather

Climate Avg
TimeTempDew PtHumidityWindConditions
Start54.1 – 70.6°F51° Nice55 – 75%10 mph WPartly cloudy
8:00 AM54.7 – 72°F53° Nice61 – 74%10 mph WPartly cloudy
9:00 AM71.4 – 71.4°F60° Sticky68 – 68%8 mph SWClear sky
10:00 AM61.3 – 76°F54° Nice58 – 60%10 mph NWClear sky
11:00 AM63 – 80.2°F55° OK53 – 59%10 mph NWClear sky
Finish63.6 – 83.4°F55° OK48 – 59%10 mph SEClear sky

Based on 3-year average for this date. Real forecast available in 64 days.

Elevation Profile

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Course Stats

Net Elevation (downhill)
-80 ft
Distance
26.22 mi
Total Gain
+550 ft
Total Loss
-630 ft
Max Grade
5.6%
Altitude
771 ft

Mile Splits

MileGrade
1+0.3%
2-1.0%
3-0.2%
4-0.8%
5-0.1%
6-0.1%
7+0.6%
8-0.3%
9-0.3%
10+0.3%
11+0.8%
12-0.1%
13-0.3%
14-0.3%
15+0.0%
16+0.0%
17+0.1%
18+0.0%
19+0.4%
20+0.2%
21-0.9%
22+0.1%
23-0.2%
24+0.9%
25-0.4%
26-0.1%
27+0.1%

RM Difficulty Index

34/100Moderate
The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon profile costs 0:39 vs a flat course at 4:00-marathon pace. Ranked #22 of 38 marathon courses see the full rankings.

Race-Day Weather History

Race-morning conditions on this date over the past 5 years: median 60°F with a 53°F dew point and 9 mph wind. 2 of 5 years were warm enough to slow race pace.

YearTempDew PtWindRainSky
202372°F59°F11 mphPartly cloudy
202165°F62°F9 mphDrizzle
201949°F41°F8 mphPartly cloudy
201847°F35°F13 mphClear
201760°F53°F9 mphPartly cloudy

Morning conditions (race window) on the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon calendar date each year, from the ERA5 reanalysis archive — the race’s usual slot, not necessarily each edition’s exact day.

Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon Pace Calculator & Race Plan

The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon is a point-to-point course from Grafton south to the Summerfest grounds along Lake Michigan. The route has about 625 feet of gain with gentle rolling terrain through the North Shore suburbs before flattening out along the lakefront. The Hoan Bridge crossing is the most notable terrain feature.

October lakefront conditions can include wind off the lake. Our model adjusts for the terrain, the bridge climb, and the weather conditions to give you realistic splits for this scenic course.

Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon FAQ

When is the next Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon?

The next Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon is on Sunday, October 4, 2026.

How long is the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon?

The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon is 26.2 miles (42.195 km), the standard marathon distance. It runs in Grafton to Milwaukee, WI.

How much elevation gain does the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon have?

The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon has about 550 ft (168 m) of climbing and 630 ft of descent, with a maximum grade of 5.6%.

Is the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon flat, downhill, or hilly?

The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon is a net downhill course, dropping 79 ft (24 m) from start to finish, with 550 ft of climbing along the way.

How hard is the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon?

Runner's Math scores the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon 34/100 (Moderate) — #22 of 38 marathon courses in our library, ranked by modeled time cost. The profile costs about 0:39 versus a flat course for a runner at 4:00-marathon pace.

What's the weather usually like at the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon?

Over the past 5 years on this date, median race-morning conditions were 60°F with a 53°F dew point and 9 mph wind. 2 of 5 years were warm enough to slow race pace.