Casino Niagara Marathon
The Marathon starts in Buffalo, New York, U.S.A. Traveling past historic neighbourhoods before crossing the Peace Bridge at about the 5 mile point and entering Canada. Within Canada this route takes runners along the beautiful Niagara Parkway and ends right at the brink of the majestic Horseshoe Falls.
- Niagara Ultra; Run Niagara. Saturday 5k Series; Niagara Popup Series; Marathon in a Month; Spring 5k Training Program; Spring Trail Running Program; Buffalo Architecture Runs; Urban Run Series at Flying Bison Brewery; Canadian Invasion – RUN 716.
- Casino Niagara International Marathon Niagara Falls, ON. Jonathan Adams Niagara Falls 3:14:13 0:07:24 3/M20-24 73/M 85.
How often can you say you ran a marathon from one country to another? At this race you can!
Event: Niagara Falls International Marathon
Date: Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016
Location: Buffalo, N.Y. to Niagara Falls, Ont.
Races: Marathon, Half, 10K, 5K, Schools Marathon Challenge
Website: www.niagarafallsmarathon.com
Casino Niagara Marathon 2020
After a long, storied and at time turbulent past, the Niagara Falls International Marathon is celebrating it’s 19th anniversary this weekend. First run in 1974 as the Skylon Marathon, the original event folded in 1986. It was revived in 1998 as the Casino Niagara International Marathon and again re-branded in 2007. This will be the 10th year it is known as the Niagara Falls International Marathon.
RELATED: A brief history of the Niagara Falls Marathon
The course has changed over the years but remains one of few events worldwide that start in one country and finish in another. Additional race options–a popular half marathon as well as 10 and 5K–have also been added but only the signature marathon offers a truly international experience. Marathon participants are pre-cleared by border officials and then bused across the border to the start in Buffalo, N.Y. on race morning. They must either carry their passports while they run or have them securely stored during the race.
The current marathon course begins in Buffalo, N.Y. at the Albright Knox Art Gallery and takes participants on a brief journey through the city before crossing the International Peace Bridge into Canada. Following a loop of historic Fort Erie, participants travel north for a majority of the race distance along the Niagara River Parkway to the “world’s most famous finish line” near the Horseshoe Falls, which is the finish for all race participants. The half-marathon is also run as a point-to-point course that starts approximately 21K from the finish. 10K and 5K races start on Upper Rapids Boulevard in Niagara Falls and complete a short out-and-back along the Parkway before finishing at the falls.
The event also features a two-day Health and Fitness Expo which is open to the public and takes place at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls on Friday and Saturday. On Saturday morning there is a Running Room International Breakfast Run to help shake out pre-race nerves. New to 2017, a post-race party at the Niagara Brewing Company will be offered featuring music, prizes and live event coverage.
The Niagara Falls International Marathon is one of Canada’s most unqiue and storied races. It now attracts approximately 1,000 participants in the marathon and about 2,000 in the hugely popular half-marathon. An additional 1,000 also participate in the 5K and 10K.
Sunday October 24th, 2021
Niagara Falls, Canada
Distance: Marathon · Half Marathon · 5K
The First Annual Buffalo to Niagara Skylon International Marathon took place on Saturday, October 26th, 1974. It was a great success right away. The organizers were very excited about the number of participants and the publicity that the sponsor Skylon Tower got.
The Marathon quickly became a favorite and by 1976 it attracted more than 3,000 runners, surpassing the New York and Boston marathons in that same year.
In 1977 the race was renamed the Skylon International Marathon until 1985 when the name was changed to the Buffalo / Niagara Falls International Marathon.
Casino Niagara Marathon
In 1980 and 1984 the course was used for the men’s US Olympic marathon trials. Anthony Sandoval set a course record with a time of 2:10:19 in 1980 during the US Olympics trials race which has yet to be beaten.
In 1985 there was a special “Peace Bridge Trophy” which was presented to the first man and first woman to step foot in Canada. The Marathon ceased to exist after 1986 due to lack of sponsorship however the race continued in the US under the name Buffalo Marathon…a race that continues to this day.
The marathon was revived in 1998 under the new name Casino Niagara International Marathon with Casino Niagara as the title sponsor.
A half marathon was established in 2001, drawing additional participants to the race. The half marathon also offers a walking division.
Nicole Stevenson set a course record for women in 2004 with a time of 2:37:08 which has also yet to be beaten.