You're standing on Fort Street, it's barely light out, and the air smells like a mix of Detroit River mist and Tiger Balm. If you've ever done the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon 2025, you know that specific pre-race hum. It's not just a race. It’s a logistical feat that somehow involves Homeland Security, a massive bridge, and a tunnel that feels about ten degrees warmer than the surface of the sun.
Most people think of marathons as just "running really far." But Detroit is weird. In a good way.
Where else do you start in one country, run into another, and then realize you forgot to check if your GPS watch would freak out when you crossed the international date line? Okay, we aren't crossing a date line, but we are crossing a border. That creates a set of challenges most runners in Chicago or New York never have to think about.
The Logistics of the Ambassador Bridge
Let’s talk about that bridge. The Ambassador Bridge is the star of the show for the international half marathon.
You hit it early. Like, really early. You’re barely warmed up and suddenly you’re staring at a steady incline that looks way steeper than the elevation charts promised. But once you’re up there? Man. The view of the Detroit skyline on one side and Windsor on the other is arguably the best moment in Midwest distance running.
Honestly, it’s the only time you’ll ever be on that bridge without sitting in a line of semi-trucks.
Running into Canada is the easy part. The "international" aspect of the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon 2025 means you need your WHTI-compliant documents. If you’re a first-timer, don’t be the person who forgets their passport or enhanced license at the gear check. The race organizers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have this down to a science, but they don't play around. They use "bib verification" which basically links your race number to your security clearance. It's high-tech, slightly intimidating, and totally necessary.
Windsor’s Hidden Speed
Windsor is where the "International" part of the half marathon actually happens.
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Most runners think Canada is just a quick loop. It's not. You spend a solid few miles on the Windsor side, running along the Riverfront Trail. It’s flat. It’s fast. This is where you make up the time you lost sucking wind on the bridge incline.
The crowd support in Windsor is surprisingly loud for a Sunday morning. You’ll see locals on their balconies with coffee, yelling at you in a mix of English and French. It’s a vibe. You’re essentially a tourist at 8:00 AM, just a very sweaty one.
Then comes the "Underwater Mile."
The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel: The Mental Game
If the bridge is the glory, the tunnel is the grind.
The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel is the only underwater international mile in the world. Sounds cool on a T-shirt. In reality? It’s a bit of a trip. It’s humid. Your GPS is going to drop. Just accept it. If you rely on your Garmin to tell you your pace every ten seconds, you’re going to have a panic attack when it suddenly claims you’re running a 2-minute mile or that you’re currently in the middle of the river.
Run by feel here.
It’s quiet in there, too. Just the sound of hundreds of feet hitting the pavement and the occasional "whoop" echoing off the tiled walls. When you finally see the light at the end of the tunnel—literally—you’re back in the U.S. and heading into the final stretch of the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon 2025.
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The climb out of the tunnel is short but punchy. Your legs will hate you. Just keep moving.
Why People Get the Training Wrong
I see it every year. People train on flat rail-trails and think they’re ready for Detroit.
Detroit is "flat-ish," but the bridge and the tunnel exit are rhythmic killers. You need to train for "interrupted" elevation. Find a steep overpass. Run it when your legs are already tired. That’s the only way to simulate what mile 3 and mile 8 feel like in this specific race.
Also, the weather. October in Michigan is a gamble.
One year it’s 40 degrees and raining sideways; the next, it’s 70 degrees and humid enough to make the tunnel feel like a sauna. Layering is your best friend. Wear the "throwaway" hoodie from the thrift store. You’ll see thousands of them discarded at the start line.
The Neighborhood Spirit
Once you’re out of the tunnel, the course winds through some of Detroit’s most iconic spots. You’ll hit Corktown. You’ll see the refurbished Michigan Central Station, which, let’s be real, looks incredible now compared to ten years ago.
The energy in Corktown is different. It’s grittier. You’ve got people outside McShane’s or PJ’s Lager House handing out... well, sometimes they hand out beer. I wouldn't recommend it at mile 10, but hey, it’s your race.
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Registration and Deferrals: The Fine Print
Don't wait. The Detroit Free Press Half Marathon 2025 will sell out. It always does.
Because of the international border requirements, the "close date" for registration is usually much earlier than your local 5k. They need time to run the manifests through border security. If you try to sign up in late September, you’re probably going to be stuck doing the "U.S.-Only" domestic half marathon.
The domestic half is great—don't get me wrong—but you miss the bridge. And if you’re coming to Detroit, you want the bridge.
- Check your Passport expiry: If it expires before October 2025, renew it now.
- Verify your "Expected Finish Time": Detroit uses waves to prevent a bottleneck on the bridge. If you lie and say you're a 6-minute miler when you're a 12-minute miler, you’re going to get trampled.
- The Expo: It’s usually at Huntington Place. It’s huge. Give yourself two hours just to walk through it and grab your bib.
Recovery in the D
The finish line is right near Fort Street and Cass. It’s a madhouse.
Once you get your medal—which, by the way, usually has a cool spinning element or some heavy-duty metalwork—get some food. Detroit’s food scene has exploded. You’re a short walk from Lafayette or American Coney Island. It’s a rite of passage to eat a coney dog with a half-marathon medal around your neck.
If you want something "fancier," hit up one of the spots in Capitol Park. You earned the calories.
Final Tactics for Race Day
- Pacing: Don’t PR on the bridge. You’ll pay for it in the tunnel.
- Drafting: If it’s windy on the riverfront (and it usually is), find a group and tuck in.
- Footwear: Use shoes you’ve put at least 50 miles on. The expansion joints on the bridge can be tricky in brand-new carbon-plated shoes.
- Hydration: The aid stations are well-spaced, but the tunnel is a dry zone. Drink right before you go in.
The Detroit Free Press Half Marathon 2025 is a bucket-list race for a reason. It’s weird, it’s international, and it shows off a version of Detroit that people who only watch the news never get to see.
Next Steps for Runners:
First, verify your passport or enhanced ID status today; if it's nearing expiration, the renewal backlog can take months. Second, incorporate "climb-and-sink" repeats into your long runs—find a route with a significant incline followed immediately by a flat stretch to simulate the Ambassador Bridge exit. Finally, bookmark the official Free Press Marathon registration page and set an alert for the "International" cap limit, as those slots typically vanish by early summer. Don't forget to test your "bridge layers"—clothing you can easily peel off once the sun hits the river.