Runners and walkers in both the full and half marathons start the race downtown at the Seattle Center, just a few blocks away from Elliot Bay to the north and Lake Union to the east.
From there, runners head out on a counter-clockwise out-and-back loop through the city, hitting some rolling hills in the first few miles along 5th Avenue.
Upon reaching Cherry Street and the Sky View Observatory, runners turn left and head north onto the Interstate 5 express lanes, which have been cleared of traffic for the race. With the exception of a brief hill near the mile 4 marker, this stretch of the course is almost all downhill, letting runners cruise just like the cars — but without the cars.
After crossing the bridge and stepping off the highway, full marathoners continue northward into the University District, home of the University of Washington. But it’s westward bound for half marathoners, who head into the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle and enjoy beautiful (and flat) views of Lake Union through much of the next few miles until reaching the turnaround point near the mile 9 marker. Known for its history of counterculture, the neighborhood has since become home to breweries, technology companies, and the famous Fremont Troll — an 18-foot tall statue of a troll crushing a Volkswagen Beetle– which runners pass after completing an uphill stretch near the mile 11 marker.
The second bridge crossing leads runners back into the Queen Anne neighborhood, where the final two miles of the course unfold along Aurora Avenue before crossing the finish line at Memorial Stadium.
