The City of Albuquerque has entered into a new partnership with the Duke City Marathon, becoming the presenting sponsor of New Mexico’s largest running event. This collaboration, starting with the 2025 race, will introduce changes including a revised marathon route that follows Rio Grande Boulevard and passes through historic Old Town.
The Duke City Marathon, now in its 42nd year, draws thousands of runners from both local and visiting communities to downtown Albuquerque every October. The event features seven races: a full marathon, half marathon, 10K run, 10K walk, 5K run, 5K walk, and a marathon relay, all beginning and ending at Civic Plaza.
Duke City Marathon Founder and Race Director Tico Navarro said, “We are thrilled to welcome the City of Albuquerque as our presenting sponsor. This partnership reflects the City’s dedication to fostering a healthy, vibrant community and helps us ensure an exceptional race experience for everyone involved.”
Mayor Tim Keller stated, “The Duke City Marathon is a cornerstone of Albuquerque’s active lifestyle and community connection. It’s easy to get behind an event that celebrates our city, inspires healthy living, and has been bringing people together here since 1984.”
This year’s marathon route includes significant updates aimed at enhancing community involvement. For the first time, the southbound portion of the course will move off the Paseo del Bosque Trail and follow Rio Grande Boulevard for five miles through the Village of Los Ranchos. Runners will also pass through the Duranes neighborhood and Old Town Plaza as they approach the finish line. These changes are intended to highlight Albuquerque’s scenery and landmarks while making the event more accessible to spectators.
Lawrence Rael, mayor of Los Ranchos, commented on the collaboration: “This partnership shows a real spirit of cooperation and a great sense of leadership on behalf of the mayor and city of Albuquerque. This gives us an opportunity to showcase the beauty and rural nature of Los Ranchos, and will provide shade for runners as they pass under the trees and open space in the village.”
Other planned improvements include “The Mayor’s Mile,” where Mayor Tim Keller will run the first mile of the race along Route 66; additional entertainment along the course; increased charitable support for organizations such as Boys and Girls Club of Central New Mexico; and new programs for other community causes.
On Saturday, October 18, a day before the marathon, Run Club ABQ and The ABQ Run Collective will host a pre-race event at Little Bear Coffee Downtown. Runners can participate in various distances, enjoy music from a DJ, and visit vendors.
The 2025 Duke City Marathon is scheduled for October 19. Registration is currently open on the Duke City Marathon website. Organizers report that over 4,000 participants have already signed up and expect registration numbers to surpass previous records.
In addition to the races, there will be a free health and fitness expo at the Albuquerque Convention Center on October 18 and a Michelob Ultra Beer Garden at Civic Plaza on race day.
For more details about participation or sponsorship opportunities, visit the Duke City Marathon website or follow its social media accounts.
Founded in 1984, the Duke City Marathon is recognized as New Mexico’s longest-running fitness event and is known for its route along the Rio Grande and through Albuquerque.
