Best Boston Marathon Qualifiers for 2026

Best Boston Marathon Qualifiers

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

2026 IS HERE!

Marathon Pace Bands

Marathon Pace Bands

Run the Right Pace in Your Next Marathon

Nearly 500 marathon courses.
Ships same or Next Day

Illinois Marathons

Decide which marathon is best for you by using our comprehensive Illinois Marathons Calendar.

Quickly view the course Elevation Profile and Race Details.
Create free course-specific marathon Pace Bands or buy waterproof, snap-on Pace Bands for your race.
Compare the details of marathons side-by-side.
View the PR Score and Course Scores of over 500 marathons to determine which gives you the best chance to PR or qualify for Boston.

Want to narrow down your marathon search? Use the Advanced Search Tools to find your perfect marathon by Location, State/Province, or by Keywords.

Featured Races

Date	Race
February 7, 2027	7th Annual St. Petersburg Marathon St. Petersburg, Florida FLAT, fast, scenic, certified, PR course, BQ! Florida in February = Ideal weather.
May 16, 2027	Windermere Marathon Spokane, Washington Participate in the resort town of Coeur d’Alene, ID for a stunning BQ race with lake views.
September 27, 2026	Boulderthon: Boulder Marathon Boulder, CO World-Class Marathon Experience Finishing in the Heart of Boulder.

Illinois Marathons						Course	PR Score	Finishers	BQ%	Reviews	Compare
Rend Lake Marathon Whittington, IL 03/27/2027						Mostly Flat 90 Finishers		90 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Spring Chance BQ.2 Marathon Geneva, IL 04/11/2027						Very Flat 124 Finishers		124 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Illinois Marathon Champaign-Urbana, IL 04/24/2027						Mostly Flat 1,099 Finishers		1,099 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Nauvoo Marathon Nauvoo, IL 04/25/2026						Rolling Hills	Course is Not Certified		Course is Not Certified	Reviews	Compare Races
Chicagoland Spring Marathon Schaumburg, IL 05/02/2027						Mostly Flat 534 Finishers		534 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Starved Rock Country Marathon Ottawa, IL 05/09/2026						Rolling Hills 125 Finishers		125 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Last Chance BQ.2 Marathon Geneva, IL 09/06/2026						Very Flat 164 Finishers		164 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Fox Valley Marathon St. Charles, IL 09/20/2026						Mostly Flat 497 Finishers		497 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Belleville Main Street Marathon Belleville, IL 09/26/2026						Rolling Hills 206 Finishers		206 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Quad Cities Marathon Moline, IL 09/27/2026						Mostly Flat 576 Finishers		576 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Des Plaines River Trail Marathon Lincolnshire, IL 10/10/2026						Mostly Flat 232 Finishers		232 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Chicago Marathon Chicago, IL 10/11/2026						Very Flat 54,492 Finishers		54,492 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Springfield Marathon Springfield, IL 11/07/2026						Mostly Flat 93 Finishers		93 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races
Tunnel Hill Marathon Vienna, IL 11/14/2026						Rolling Hills 94 Finishers		94 Finishers		Reviews	Compare Races