Overview The Duke City Marathon takes Albuquerque's runners from Civic Plaza downtown out along Historic Route 66 and the Paseo del Bosque Trail beside the Rio Grande, through Old Town and the Village of Los Ranchos, with the Sandia Mountains ahead from mile 10. Race day offers seven events: the marathon, a marathon relay, the half marathon, and a 10K and 5K each for runners and for walkers. The race calls itself New Mexico's longest-running fitness event and the state's only qualifying run for the Boston Marathon. Mayor Harry Kinney started it in 1984 with the 15th Duke of Alburquerque, who traveled from Madrid for the first race. On site Race week in 2025 ran from early packet pickup at the Big 5 Sporting Goods store on San Mateo Boulevard to a free Saturday Health and Fitness Expo and a Sunday start at 7 a.m. on Civic Plaza. The finish festival fills the plaza from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the winners' awards ceremonies, music on the Civic Plaza stage, food and drink, and free massages for participants. Audience Runners and walkers both have their own distances, so the field runs from marathoners chasing a Boston time to 5K walkers. In the five years to 2025, every U.S. state and nine countries were represented. The Mayor's Team Challenge fields five-person teams, one per distance from the half marathon down to the 5K walk, scored on combined time. Track record The race says it grew more than 70% in the ten years to 2025. Proceeds from the Mayor's Team Challenge go to Boys and Girls Clubs of Central New Mexico, Running Medicine, Running 505 and Team Red White and Blue. Brand presence Big 5 Sporting Goods held the title in 2025 and 2026. Below it, a presenting or race sponsor can attach its name to one race and put its logo on that race's bibs, and every level puts logos on the finish-line banner and the 5,000 race shirts, inserts into the 5,000 race packets and booths at the expo and on Civic Plaza on race day. Sponsors at the top levels also appear in the race's TV advertising with Comcast and its radio advertising with 94 Rock, and hear their names over the PA through the morning. Exhibitors can sell from their booths at the expo and on race day.