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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

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Fastest Marathon Courses


This list ranks the fastest marathon course based on the race's Course Score. The Course Score for each marathon is created from an algorithm derived from research on how grade and elevation affect marathon running performance (race time weather is not factored in). 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 on the weather factors, in addition to the course characteristics, visit the Fastest Marathons page.


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

 

Fastest Marathon Courses

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Race Name Course Score BQ % Elevation
351 Montreal Marathon
Montreal, QC
98.46
2.84%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
352 Bryan-College Station Marathon
College Station, TX
98.45
3.94%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
353 Salmon Marathon
Salmon, ID
98.44
3.85%
Downhill
Downhill Course
354 Cape Town Marathon
Cape Town, ZA
98.44
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
355 Marathon Bahamas
Nassau, BS
98.44
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
356 Des Moines Marathon
Des Moines, IA
98.43
8.89%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
357 Cowtown Marathon
Fort Worth, TX
98.43
2.53%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
358 Bass Pro Shops Conservation Marathon
Springfield, MO
98.43
6.30%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
359 Quebec City Marathon
Quebec, QC
98.42
5.58%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
360 Avenue of the Giants Marathon
Weott, CA
98.41
6.79%
Hilly
Hilly Course
361 Great New York State Marathon
Syracuse, NY
98.41
2.45%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
362 Trailbreaker Marathon
Waukesha, WI
98.40
7.87%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
363 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
Oklahoma City, OK
98.40
2.77%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
364 Hartford Marathon
Hartford, CT
98.39
9.40%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
365 Mayors Marathon
Anchorage, AK
98.38
6.77%
Hilly
Hilly Course
366 Irving Marathon
Irving, TX
98.38
5.84%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
367 Sleeping Bear Marathon
Empire, MI
98.38
0.76%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
368 Victoria Marathon
Victoria, BC
98.36
9.29%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
369 Maui Oceanfront Marathon
Maui, HI
98.35
7.28%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
370 Auckland Marathon
Auckland, NZ
98.35
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
371 Kalamazoo Marathon
Kalamazoo, MI
98.33
6.78%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
372 Monument Marathon
Gering, NE
98.33
4.84%
Downhill
Downhill Course
373 Lakefront Marathon
Milwaukee, WI
98.32
3.14%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
374 Grand Rapids Marathon
Grand Rapids, MI
98.29
7.69%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
375 Seattle Marathon
Seattle, WA
98.29
5.51%
Hilly
Hilly Course
376 Providence Rhode Races Marathon
Providence, RI
98.27
5.63%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
377 Carlsbad Marathon
Carlsbad, CA
98.24
5.65%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
378 Maine Coast Marathon
Wells, ME
98.24
7.67%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
379 Los Angeles Marathon
Los Angeles, CA
98.22
1.39%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
380 Route 66 Marathon
Tulsa, OK
98.21
7.09%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
381 Silver Comet Marathon
Mableton, GA
98.18
7.54%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
382 Coeur d Alene Marathon
Coeur d' Alene, ID
98.17
5.12%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
383 Tupelo Marathon
Tupelo, MS
98.16
15.28%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
384 Pittsburgh Marathon
Pittsburgh, PA
98.15
4.46%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
385 Oakland Marathon
Oakland, CA
98.14
4.24%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
386 RDC Marathon
Durham, NC
98.14
9.78%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
387 New York City Marathon
New York City, NY
98.13
10.42%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
388 Cape Breton Fiddlers Run Marathon
Sydney, NS
98.12
12.50%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
389 Asheville Marathon
Asheville, NC
98.12
6.16%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
390 Humboldt Bay Marathon
Eureka, CA
98.12
16.39%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
391 Dallas Marathon
Dallas, TX
98.10
4.81%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
392 Buzz Marathon
San Miguel, CA
98.09
0.10%
Hilly
Hilly Course
393 Humpys Marathon
Anchorage, AK
98.08
6.47%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
394 Madison Marathon
Madison, WI
98.07
5.97%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
395 Garmin Marathon - Tucson
Tucson, AZ
98.07
6.94%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
396 Vermont City Marathon
Burlington, VT
98.06
11.24%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
397 Valley Harvest Marathon
Wolfville, NS
98.06
5.56%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
398 Little Rock Marathon
Little Rock, AR
98.04
2.98%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
399 Spinx Runfest Marathon
Greenville, SC
98.03
7.29%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
400 Bizz Johnson Marathon
Susanville, CA
98.02
0.10%
Downhill
Downhill Course