Races Marathon · Raleigh, USA
City of Oaks Marathon
City of Oaks Marathon is a hilly marathon in Raleigh, USA, held each November. An out-and-back course from downtown Raleigh along Hillsborough Street and the Capital Area Greenway to a turnaround at Shelley Lake. It rolls throughout, with about 340 m of climbing. Early November in Raleigh is usually cool and dry, with race-morning temperatures of about 4 to 18°C. Respect City of Oaks Marathon's profile: pace the climbs conservatively and practise downhill running — quads fail before lungs here.
Page rebuilt 2026-11-14 · race facts not independently verified — confirm dates and entries on the official race site
When
November
every year
Course
hilly
Marathon
Conditions
Early November in Raleigh is usually cool and dry, with race-morning temperatures of about 4 to 18°C.
Racing this course well
An out-and-back course from downtown Raleigh along Hillsborough Street and the Capital Area Greenway to a turnaround at Shelley Lake. It rolls throughout, with about 340 m of climbing.
Respect City of Oaks Marathon's profile: pace the climbs conservatively and practise downhill running — quads fail before lungs here.
Getting a place
- How you get in
- Open entry: first come, first served
Official City of Oaks Marathon site →Checked November 2026
Race day
- Time limit
- 6 hours
- Also on the day
- half-marathon, 10k, 5k
The course in numbers
The route runs out along the greenway to Shelley Lake and returns the same way, so the climbs are met twice.
- Layout
- Out-and-back
- Surface
- City streets and greenway paths
- Total climb
- 340 m (1,120 ft)
- Total descent
- 350 m (1,150 ft)
- Course status
- USATF certified
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
Worth knowing
- The course passes the North Carolina State Capitol and the NC State Belltower.
- The race is held on the first Sunday of November, and the finish is in the Glenwood South district.
Pick your goal for Raleigh
Pace charts, weekly structure and timelines for the most common marathon goals:
We don’t hold a confirmed date for this edition, so any countdown comes from the date you enter here.
Build your training around City of Oaks Marathon.
RunV works backwards from race day to today. Your plan adapts when life interrupts, and you approve every change. It does not adapt to this specific course — the pacing guidance above is where the course knowledge is.
Everything above stays free and complete — this is an optional next step, not a paywall.
Asked often
- When is the City of Oaks Marathon?
- It is held each November in Raleigh, USA. Check the official City of Oaks Marathon site for the exact date and entry windows.
- Is the City of Oaks Marathon course flat?
- An out-and-back course from downtown Raleigh along Hillsborough Street and the Capital Area Greenway to a turnaround at Shelley Lake. It rolls throughout, with about 340 m of climbing.
- How do I enter the City of Oaks Marathon?
- Open entry: first come, first served.
- Is the City of Oaks Marathon a Boston qualifier?
- Yes. The City of Oaks Marathon is run on a certified course, so a time set here can be used to apply for the Boston Marathon.
- How should I train for the City of Oaks Marathon?
- Build for the course you'll actually race at the City of Oaks Marathon: hilly terrain, November conditions. RunV Premium builds a training plan around your goal time and race date, and lets you adapt it when life interrupts the Raleigh build.
Not sure what to target? Predict your marathon time from a recent race →
More marathon races
Supplements research for this distance
Build for Raleigh — around your actual life
RunV engineers your block backwards from race day in November — and adapts it when training doesn't go to script. You approve every change.
