How to Create a Marathon Map Poster in Under 2 Minutes

You trained for months. Maybe years. You crossed the finish line, took the medal photo, and shared it everywhere. But that Strava screenshot? It deserves better.

A custom marathon map poster turns your exact race route into a piece of art you can frame, print, and keep forever. Here's how to make one in under two minutes — free, no account needed.

Step 1: Open MapMyTrail

Go to mapmytrail.com/create or use one of our race course templates if your marathon is already in our library (Boston, NYC, London, Berlin, Chicago, Tokyo, Paris, Sydney, Cape Town, Singapore).

If your race is in the template library, the route is pre-loaded with accurate GPS waypoints — start, key landmarks, and finish. Skip to step 3.

Step 2: Add your race locations

Use the search bar to add the key points of your marathon:

  • The start line (usually the race's home city or neighbourhood)
  • A midpoint or landmark you remember (a bridge, a hill, a crowd-lined street)
  • The finish line

The map will draw lines between your pins, tracing your journey.

Strava user? Connect your Strava account and import the activity directly. Your exact GPS route gets drawn on the map automatically.

Step 3: Choose your map style

Pick from 9 hand-crafted styles:

  • Street — classic colour map, great for city marathons
  • Monochrome styles — Sky Blue, Vintage Green, Rusty, Pink, Lavender, Royal Purple, Midnight Green, Light Green. These look stunning when printed and framed.

For most race posters, a monochrome style wins — it photographs well and looks premium on the wall.

Step 4: Name your journey

Add your race name as the title (e.g. "Boston Marathon 2026") and personalise the subtitle — your finish time, the date, who you ran with, or a phrase that meant something on race day.

Step 5: Choose your print size and download

Select A4, Polaroid, or Instax Mini. Hit Download Map Poster — you'll get a 300 DPI PNG, ready to send to any print shop or print at home.

Where to print your marathon poster

Most local print shops can handle a 300 DPI PNG. For best results:

  • A4: standard home or office printers work fine
  • A3 or larger: use a local Staples, FedEx Office, or an online print service
  • Framed gift: services like Framebridge (US) or Snap Fish (UK) print and frame in one order

Marathon poster ideas

Not running for yourself? A marathon map poster makes an incredible gift:

  • First marathon — a milestone worth memorialising
  • Boston qualifier — the achievement of a lifetime for many runners
  • Race-day anniversary — "remember when we ran London together?"
  • Coach gift — show them the route they trained you for

Ready to make yours? Start creating your marathon map poster →

Create Your Map Poster — Free →