Welcome! Our Mount Desert Island Marathon features a hilly and scenic route which runs along the Atlantic Ocean, lakes, forests, and quaint villages. We have found that many runners more than welcome the challenge, as well as the stunningly beautiful backdrop of Acadia National Park during peak fall foliage season. We have advertised our course as hilly and tough from day one; thus the philosophy behind this amazing marathon. We believe our course is a true test and a breathtaking journey, as opposed to the 'come hither and qualify' mentality of many race directors who frankly seem more obsessed about digits on a clock than the necessary details needed to put on a quality race. First priority should be a great course: The times which have been posted here in the past seem to prove the point, which is that difficult courses can also be fast courses. We have had the honor of hosting the fastest winning marathon times run in the state of Maine for both men and women in several editions. We feel that the words "marathon" and "easy" don't belong in the same sentence, but "marathon" and "beauty" certainly belong together for our course! Come run with us and you'll feel and see how marathon running was meant to be!