BMW Dallas Marathon 2024 Review

The BMW Dallas Marathon takes place in downtown Dallas. We stayed at the Hampton Inn on Commerce Street which was a great location. The starting corrals, expo, and finish were a 5-minute walk away. The course ran past the hotel at the 26-mile mark. Leading up to the race, options for running were limited. A mile down the street was the Trinity River with a trail that runs along it. The trail alternates between concrete and gravel. However, the morning before the marathon, a 5K and 8K ran in front of the hotel. As a result, the roads were closed making for a great running route.

The expo was one of the best we have experienced. With this event being sponsored by BMW, several models were on display. One car had the names of all participants painted on the side.

The marathon course consisted of a mix of concrete and asphalt. The road surface was uneven with cracks, manholes, and reflectors. The course also had a fair number of hills. We would not consider this a PR course. The half, full, and 50K started together so the course was congested early. The course went out to the east and around a White Rock Lake. This was the nicest part of the course even though the fog and mist made it difficult to see the lake along the way.

Dean spectated and provided hydration to Paula. The way the course runs, he was able to wait at the Whole Foods Market at mile 9 and then see them again after the loop around the lake around mile 20. He left the hotel early to avoid road closures. Google Maps provided directions back to the hotel avoiding road closures.

Aid stations were great with Gatorade, water, pickle juice, and UCAN Edge gels. There were lots of spectators and the course was marked very well. After the finish, the walk was long to the reunion area. But the post-race food was plentiful.

Overall, if you are looking for a race in Texas, this is a good one but don't expect a personal best.

Dallas as a city had lots of restaurant options. But we were surprised and disappointed with the amount of homelessness.