Where does Run Madtown take place?

Run Madtown takes place in Madison, USA.

What distances does Run Madtown offer?

Entry options include: Twilight 5K, 10Κ, Mad for Madtown (5K & 10K), Half Marathon, Mad for Madtown (5K & Half Marathon).

How is Run Madtown rated by runners?

Run Madtown has an average rating of 4.72 out of 5 from 104 verified participant reviews on Racecheck.

What is Run Madtown like?

Based on participant reviews, runners describe it as: Somewhat challenging (48% of reviews), Large Festival Atmosphere (72% of reviews), Urban & Nature Mix (56% of reviews), Undulating - Mixed (73% of reviews).

Run Madtown reviews

Name: Run Madtown
Start: 2026-05-24
End: 2026-05-24
Location: Madison, USA
Rating: 4.72

Alexandria L.

4.9

· 2026 Half Marathon ·

This race is a BLAST. From the glitter before the start, to the awesome announcers (Harmony Breeze, you are a true queen) to the finish line energy to the mom hugs that made me tear up. So much fun.

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Claire P.

4.9

· 2026 Mad for Madtown (5K & 10K) ·

Run MadTown is the best race in Madison in my opinion. The vibes are impeccable and you know it’s going to be a party. They are also very inclusive, celebrating runners of all age, skill, and speed. They also have great finish line snacks! Oh and the Mad for MadTwon Challenge - w...

Run MadTown is the best race in Madison in my opinion. The vibes are impeccable and you know it’s going to be a party. They are also very inclusive, celebrating runners of all age, skill, and speed. They also have great finish line snacks! Oh and the Mad for MadTwon Challenge - who doesn’t love a bonus challenge medal??

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Thanks Claire - we work hard on bringing the fun and making the events inclusive and celebratory!

Matthew O.

5.0

· 2026 Half Marathon ·

Perfect!

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Thank you so much Mathew - we love seeing multiple generations running together!

Philip W.

5.0

· 2026 Mad for Madtown (5K & 10K) ·

I did not receive an official time for either of my races. I searched the finisher times for both of my races and was told that no record was available. My bibs were worn on the front of my kit. I have done this race from the time it was the Madison Marathon held in the spring an...

I did not receive an official time for either of my races. I searched the finisher times for both of my races and was told that no record was available. My bibs were worn on the front of my kit. I have done this race from the time it was the Madison Marathon held in the spring and then switched to the fall, being replaced by the current races -- which I continued to support. I have never experienced a dropped recorded time using timing bibs. Very disappointed.

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Hi Philip - I reached out privately but also wanted to respond here. Sometimes volunteers forget to "save" when they assign a bib number. I will have our timer find your bib and attach it to your name and you will be able to find your results and photos. So sorry for the inconvenience.

Adam C.

3.7

· 2026 Half Marathon ·

Several of the mile markers were off by a lot. The mile 5 marker was off by nearly a half mile. In the group I was running with, we were all looking at our watches like, "is it possible for them to get the marker wrong by this much?" The total course distance was spot on though. ...

Several of the mile markers were off by a lot. The mile 5 marker was off by nearly a half mile. In the group I was running with, we were all looking at our watches like, "is it possible for them to get the marker wrong by this much?" The total course distance was spot on though. The event is very welcoming, but be aware that there is a drag queen as the MC of the race. Drag is adult entertainment and, in my opinion, it made the event less family friendly.

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Hi Adam, yes the mile markers were off from 4 - 8, basically the Arboretum portion of the course. I reached out to the partner who placed the mile markers for us and was told that he had a challenging time finding the marks so he estimated - obviously he was WAY off. The person who certified the course actually ran it on Sunday and he too was very confused as he knew where they were supposed to be. Your electronic splits are correct and the overall distance was correct but the miles in the Arboretum were off. I can only imagine how frustrating that can be. We do have a plan to correct that for next year, so we won't have that problem again. Thanks for the feedback!

Alex M.

5.0

· 2026 Half Marathon ·

Amazing course and support, everything was top-notch. Can’t wait to race again next year!

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Thanks Alex, we can't wait to welcome you back next year!

Joanie d.

4.1

· 2026 Half Marathon ·

I would love to get more swag other than just the shirt and medal. Add some gu’s or something. Us runners pay a lot to participate in these. My friend I were really disappointed not really much of an expo. Maybe some of the sponsors would want to donate a gift or something? We wo...

I would love to get more swag other than just the shirt and medal. Add some gu’s or something. Us runners pay a lot to participate in these. My friend I were really disappointed not really much of an expo. Maybe some of the sponsors would want to donate a gift or something? We work so dang hard for this and it’s like that’s it? We paid over $100 for the half marathon.

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Hi Joanie, thanks for the feedback. We don't put gels on course due to the clean up involved, but did have gummi bears for the added boost at the last water station. Since it is Memorial Day Weekend, some of the sponsors are unable to join us in person, but are able to support in other ways. We were excited to offer additional activations race weekend including 5 different photo opportunities, the glitter bar and beading bar which were all included for free. We also include a lot of post race goodies including water, Bubblr', popcorn, potato chips, granola bars, beef sticks, bananas, chocolate milk, granola, rice crispy treats and beer!

James V.

4.5

· 2026 Half Marathon ·

The mile markers from miles 4-6 were around 1/2 mile off. They eventually got back on schedule by mile 9 but was a bit disconcerting. Accurate mile markers are key to make sure pacing strategy is on point and without them, we are left to guess just how accurate our watches are

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Hi James, thanks for the feedback. Our course was re-certified last month due to construction around Camp Randall. That changed our course from mile 3.5 on, is it possible you were looking at an old map? I will verify with the team that put out the mile markers to ensure that they followed the new certified map. Additional feedback - I spoke with the certifier (who ran) and the person who put out the mile markers. Basically the mile markers in the Arboretum were off since he had trouble finding where they were supposed to go. The overall distance was correct and your electronic splits were correct, but mile markers 4 - 8 were off and I know how confusing that can be and how that can really throw off your race and I apologize for that. We do have a plan to ensure that it doesn't happen again next year or in the future.

Michael G.

4.9

· 2026 Mad for Madtown (5K & 10K) ·

Run Madtown is my favorite race event of every year. Love the positive vibes and the energy everyone brings to this whole weekend event! So much fun!

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Thank you Michael! We work hard to make it feel positive and high energy! Looking forward to having you join us next year! Congrats on your double finish!

Bridge G.

5.0

· 2026 Half Marathon ·

Everything was great! The event is done well! Medal, shirt, snacks , and etc great!! This is a hilly course! So be prepared!

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Thanks for the review Bridge! So glad you had fun and enjoyed the event - we look forward to seeing you again next year!

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