And they're off! Runners take to the streets for the 48th Detroit Free Press Marathon

The 48th annual Detroit Free Press Marathon presented by MSU Federal Credit Union has begun in downtown Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 19.

The first wave of runners — for the marathon, international half-marathon and marathon relay — took off from the starting line at 7 a.m. at downtown Detroit's West Fort Street and 3rd Avenue. Just before that, participants in the Adaptive Athlete Division started at 6:58 a.m. The Motor City half-marathon begins at 10:30 a.m.

Last year's marathon was marked by both love and loss. A married couple, Sydney Devore-Bowman and Andy Bowman, both of Ferndale, each won their respective marathons, embracing at the finish line in a dramatic, memorable moment in Detroit marathon history. However, tragedy also took place that day, as a 57-year-old man running the marathon collapsed near the fifth mile marker in the Canadian stretch of the race course. He was taken to the Windsor Regional Hospital and soon pronounced dead.

This year's marathon route is slightly different from last year's, though it will cross into Windsor via the Ambassador Bridge like usual, return to Detroit via the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, then cross through several Detroit neighborhoods including Woodbridge and Indian Village, through Eastern Market and along the Dequindre Cut before ending at Woodward and Congress, near Campus Martius.

Other races during Detroit Free Press Marathon weekend included the 1-mile, 5K and Kids Marathon on Saturday.

How to track your Detroit marathon runner

To follow along, download the Detroit Free Press Marathon app (on iOS or Android) and select “Start Tracking” when the main menu opens up. That way, you can search for participants by name or bib number and keep track of your favorite racers.

Detroit marathon weather

We could have a rainy marathon day. The Detroit weather forecast calls for a high of 63 degrees; breezy in the morning, with periods of rain.

How to follow the Detroit marathon

Stay tuned to Freep.com for updates all day long from the marathon.

Follow along with us as we watch thousands cross the finish line by using #freepmarathon on social media.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: And they're off! 2025 Detroit marathon is underway