Fargo Marathon 2015: Route, Course Map, Times, Event Details

The 2015 Fargo Marathon, like the 10 before it, features a test of will power and endurance over the course of 26.2 flat miles.

Unlike other popular events around the globe during marathon season, the Fargo iteration does not feature sweeping hills and dramatic drops amid various scenery, but instead is good old-fashioned pavement through rural and residential areas.

The big event itself occurs Saturday, May 9, and for the first time starts inside the Fargodome before unleashing the droves of competitors upon the course.

Event	Start Time (local)
Full Marathon	7:30 a.m.
Half Marathon	8 a.m.
10K	8:30 a.m.

It's not difficult to tell the ever-growing event continues to increase in popularity, either, after planners reopened registration to the closed event, as the marathon's Twitter account reveals:

The event started back in 2005 at the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge and continues to boom. A new, innovative start to the spectacle only helps matters, as does the fact that proceeds from each registration will go toward donations providing shoes for children.

Another facet of the event's growing popularity? Actor Will Ferrell, of course.

The marathon's Facebook page continues to weave in invitations to the world-famous actor:

For event organizers, social media is a major strategy behind growing the event, which is once again supposed to feature more than 20,000 participants of all ages. Graphics and marketing coordinator Sue Knutson explains the approach, per Jeff Kolpack of Inforum.com: 

"Our demographic for the race is on Facebook. That includes the twentysomethings up to the sixtysomethings—those who want to stay involved and educated. And those are the people that are usually running in races and marathons."

As for the route and course map, the marathon's official website provides a detailed guide:

The inside-to-inside course—the finish line rests inside a dome, too—features more than just a new wrinkle at the beginning. 

According to Kolpack, this year's course will feature more of Moorhead than usual as event organizers attempt to weave in more of the three college campuses into the route, those colleges being Minnesota State Moorhead, Concordia College and North Dakota State.

Kolpack also spoke with executive director Mark Knutson, who says starting the race in a dome helps to counteract any potential negative weather occurrences, unlike other marathons.

“I like the fact that if we do have incompatible weather—rain, wind or cold—this takes it out of the equation," Knutson said "And even if you’re warmed up and ready to go, you might have to go outside and stand for 10 minutes. You get pretty cold standing around waiting for that to happen.”

As the event continues to grow, it's clear those involved want the best possible experience for participants. The dome start helps runners, as does the early-morning start time of 7:30 a.m. local time, which will help to fend off hot temperatures and keep runners cool over the course of the 26.2 miles.

Those who cannot make the event but want to take part can view it on TV subchannel WDAY'Z Xtra or stream it online at wday.com or inforum.com.

The biggest iteration yet of a young event that continues to capture the eye of the nation offers a new beginning and more scenic course this year to provide a comprehensive overview of the area.

With perhaps a bigger crowd of participants and more observers than ever, the 2015 iteration of the event isn't one to miss.

Info courtesy of FargoMarathon.com unless otherwise specified.