FindMyMarathon.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter




Best Boston Marathon Qualifiers

Best Boston Marathon Qualifiers

It's here! Our annual list of the year's
best marathons to help you qualify for the Boston Marathon.


Marathon Pace Bands

Marathon Pace Bands

Run the Right Pace in Your Next Marathon

Nearly 500 marathon courses.
Ships same or Next Day


Fastest Marathons in California


This list ranks the fastest marathons in California based on the race's Personal Record (PR) Score. The PR Score for each marathon is created from an algorithm derived from research on how grade, elevation, and wet bulb temperature and ambient temperature affect marathon running performance. For more detailed information, please visit the FAQ.

The BQ % is the percentage of runners who qualified for the Boston Marathon according to the latest race results. Although it is not always indicative of a fast or slow course, the percent of Boston Marathon qualifiers can provide insight into the quality of the field and/or the speed of the course.

To see a ranking of marathons based only on the course (no weather impact), visit the Fastest Marathon Courses page.

The list only includes certified marathon courses. Keep in mind that PR Scores and ranking assume very good course management and pacing - especially for the extremely downhill races.


 
Race Name PR Score BQ % Elevation
1 REVEL Big Bear Marathon
Redlands, CA
106.02
40.50%
Downhill
Downhill Course
2 Ventura Marathon
Ventura, CA
101.36
26.40%
Downhill
Downhill Course
3 California International Marathon
Sacramento, CA
100.38
31.06%
Downhill
Downhill Course
4 SoCal Marathon
Huntington Beach, CA
100.38
5.30%
Downhill
Downhill Course
5 Mountains 2 Beach Marathon
Ventura, CA
99.93
28.25%
Downhill
Downhill Course
6 Napa Valley Marathon
Napa, CA
99.75
15.29%
Downhill
Downhill Course
7 Modesto Marathon
Modesto, CA
99.47
11.37%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
8 Redding Marathon
Redding, CA
99.35
6.21%
Downhill
Downhill Course
9 Two Cities Marathon
Fresno, CA
99.32
11.85%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
10 Surf City Marathon
Huntington Beach, CA
99.15
8.38%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
11 Death Valley Marathon
Death Valley, CA
98.81
2.67%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
12 Bakersfield Marathon
Bakersfield, CA
98.67
2.25%
Hilly
Hilly Course
13 OC Marathon
Costa Mesa, CA
98.55
6.91%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
14 Surfers Point Marathon
Ventura, CA
98.53
8.00%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
15 Santa Rosa Marathon
Santa Rosa, CA
98.47
22.06%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
16 Carlsbad Marathon
Carlsbad, CA
98.24
9.51%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
17 Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon
Susanville, CA
98.11
0.10%
Downhill
Downhill Course
18 Buzz Marathon
San Miguel, CA
98.09
0.10%
Hilly
Hilly Course
19 Oakland Marathon
Oakland, CA
97.99
10.17%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
20 Seaside Marathon
Ventura, CA
97.74
5.56%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
21 Big Sur International Marathon
Carmel, CA
97.43
3.50%
Hilly
Hilly Course
22 Los Angeles Marathon
Los Angeles, CA
97.34
2.33%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
23 Humboldt Bay Marathon
Eureka, CA
97.03
25.53%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
24 Long Beach Marathon
Long Beach, CA
96.79
8.90%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
25 Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon
San Diego, CA
96.78
4.01%
Downhill
Downhill Course
26 Shoreline Marathon
Ventura, CA
96.65
7.27%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
27 Camarillo Marathon
Camarillo, CA
96.46
9.18%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
28 Avenue of the Giants Marathon
Weott, CA
95.78
8.92%
Hilly
Hilly Course
29 San Francisco Marathon
San Francisco, CA
95.59
3.79%
Hilly
Hilly Course
30 Lake Tahoe Marathon
South Lake Tahoe, CA
87.70
0.61%
Very Hilly
Very Hilly Course