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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!


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Cascade Express Marathon

North Bend, WA
Saturday, September 12, 2026


  4.3 Stars from 4 Reviews
Top 50 Best Boston Qualifying Marathon for 2026

Course Description
** The 2026 Cascade Express Marathon will be under 1500' net downhill resulting in no penalty time for Boston Marathon qualifying. **

The Cascade Express Marathon course is one of the fastest in the country. The low starting elevation of 2,550' and gentle decent makes the courses great for fast times. It is the perfect race to set a PR, snag a BQ and have a great time. Don't let "trail" in the description deter you. The courses are smooth and runnable much like road events. You can expect fast feet with ~1,200' of net elevation loss at a consistent grade (no Boston downhill time penalty).

The Cascade Express Marathon course starts at Snoqualmie Pass, makes a 10 mile out and back on the Iron Horse trail before entering the 2.4 mile Snoqualmie Tunnel. The first 10 miles of the course are relatively flat with minimal elevation gain or loss. The course becomes downhill after running through the tunnel to the finish.

With 1,247 feet of net downhill, this course blends flat, runnable miles with sustained gradual descent--perfect for negative splits, PRs, and Boston Qualifying performances.

The Super Marathon is run on the same course in June.

September Other Marathons in September Other Marathons in Washington Marathons near North Bend, WA



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Race Information

Race Dates

2026: Saturday, September 12, 2026
2025: Saturday, September 6, 2025

Course Information

Profile: Downhill
Type: Point to Point
Surface: Trail

Boston Qualifier?: Yes
World Marathon Major Qualifier?: No

Race Day Weather

Mean Temp.: 57°F (13°C)
Average High: 65°F (18°C)
Average Low: 49° F (9°C)




PR Score & Course Score

PR Score: 101.84
Course Score: 102.58

Race Size

2025: 545 Finishers
2024: 526 Finishers
2023: 195 Finishers
2022: 229 Finishers
2021: 179 Finishers
2020: No Results

BQ Percentages

2025: 25.9%
2024: 25.9%
2023: 19%
2022: 33.8%
2021: 27.4%
2020: N/A

Miscellaneous Information

Pace Groups?: Yes

Weather Averages for Last 8 Years


Race Day Temperatures

High: 71°F  (22°C)
Low: 57°F  (14°C)

Race Start Conditions

58°F  (14°C)
Humidity: 72%

Clear
S 4 mph

PR Score

102.19

Course Score

103.73






Cascade Express Marathon Rankings, Course Speed & Boston Qualifier Statistics

The Cascade Express Marathon was the 128th largest marathon in the U.S. in 2025 based on the number of finishers. In 2024, it ranked as the 130th largest marathon in the U.S..

In 2025, 25.9% of Cascade Express Marathon finishers achieved Boston Marathon qualifying times. In 2024, 25.9% of finishers qualified for Boston.

Based on its percentage of Boston Qualifiers (BQs), the Cascade Express Marathon ranked 23rd among marathons in the U.S. in 2025 and 30th in 2024. In Washington, it ranked 3rd in 2025 and 5th in 2024. These rankings provide a useful benchmark for runners comparing Boston Marathon qualifying potential across different races.

The Cascade Express Marathon has a Course Score of 102.58, ranking it as the 11th fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 1st fastest marathon course in Washington.

Typical race-time temperature and humidity levels are slightly above the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. Combined with the course profile, this gives the Cascade Express Marathon a PR Score of 101.84. The PR Score ranks the Cascade Express Marathon as the 14th best marathon in the U.S. for running a Personal Record (PR) and the 4th best marathon for a PR in Washington.

Together, these rankings provide a quick snapshot of how the Cascade Express Marathon compares with other marathons in the U.S. and Washington for speed, PR potential, Boston Marathon qualifying success, and overall participation.

Cascade Express Marathon Marathon Rankings Summary
Course Speed11th fastest marathon course in the U.S.
Ranked 1st fastest marathon course in Washington
Top 3% Nationally#1 of 25 in Washington
PR Potential14th best marathon for a Personal Record in the U.S.
Ranked 4th best marathon for a PR in Washington
Top 4% Nationally#4 of 25 in Washington
Boston Qualifier Rate23rd highest BQ percentage in the U.S.
Ranked 3rd highest BQ percentage in Washington
Based on 2025 Boston Marathon qualifying results
Top 5% Nationally#3 of 24 in Washington
Race Size128th largest marathon in the U.S.
Ranked 6th largest marathon in Washington
Based on 2025 results
Top 22% Nationally#6 of 32 in Washington

Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.



Elevation Chart


Max Elevation: 2578 feet (785m)
Min Elevation: 1409 feet (429m)

Elevation Gain: 190 feet (57m)
Elevation Loss: 1339 feet (408m)


Cascade

Course updated 12/20/2025




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Compare the Cascade Express Marathon to other Marathons

Use tools below to compare races and convert times across courses.

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Compare the details of the Cascade Express Marathon side-by-side with other marathons with our Comparison Tool.


Comparison Tool

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Race Reviews


4.3
Based on 4 reviews
Write Your Own Review

A Little of Everything!

Full Review:

Love starting off in the tunnel, it's always nice and cool inside. The volunteers are so supportive and the best! The course is beautiful! It's like running on trails without being technical. You get trees, tressels, and PNW beauty without being out in the middle of nowhere. The finish line support is unmatched. With the gradual downhill course, this race can't be beat!

Race Tips:

Being a good headlamp for the tunnel. Wear thick sole shoes for the trail. It doesn't require trail shoes, but minimalist road shoes might hurt your feet. The course is packed down trail, so it's not technical and you don't really need gaitors.

Travel/Logistics Tips:

Parking can be a little confusing, get there early. There are buses between the start and the finish.
Reviewed by Aurea About 2025

Downhill and Awesome Scenery

Full Review:

Sabrina as the race director did an awesome job in fact the whole Super Series staff was outstanding.

Race Tips:

The course is a compact gravel railroad bed so I recommend wearing high end trail shoes.

Travel/Logistics Tips:

Hilton Garden Inn in Issaquah was amazing!
Reviewed by Tom "Run Like You Stole It" Nichols Race About 2025

Beware of the tunnel

Full Review:

This is a scenic and fun course to run. But the organization is poor. The flashlights they hand out at the tunnel entrance are pathetic. You may as well be running with a match. Runners near me could also not see well. Take a headlamp with you. You will need to see your way well as there are many potholes.

Race Tips:

Take your own headlamp. They will not handle your headlamp, so you must carry it the whole way. But it is worth it. Do not trust the flashlight handouts. They are small, cheap flashlights. I lost 2-3 minutes in the tunnel not being able to see anything, but maybe the ground as I hit it. This is a real hazard!

Travel/Logistics Tips:

Pay the parking fee. They send out someone to issue tickets. The race people do not tell you this. Don't count on any special grilled cheese sandwich as advertised. They were small, cold and plain. Eat something else instead.
Reviewed by CED About 2019

Beautiful, good support, and fast

Full Review:

This was a lovely marathon. The weather was perfect and the downhill is very gentle so it's not hard on the knees. The pacer I followed was very supportive and cheered as we passed each mile market. I was able to beat my previous marathon time from 6 months before by 8 minutes.

There was plenty of support along the trail in terms of water, gatorade, and gels.

There was even parking, so you didn't have to spend a long time bussing to the location. Lines for porta-potties were short.

Because it's only a few hundred runners and is along a trail with not a lot of access to cars, there's not much in the way of crowd support. But, I didn't mind that.

The tunnel section is quite surreal. If you live near the course, I'd recommend running through it before the race to get a sense of what it will be like. I found this the hardest part since I don't have great night vision. They give you a flashlight, but it's a little tricky to run at marathon pace and carry a flashlight.

Race Tips:

I brought an extra light that clipped on my belt to help with the dark 2.5 mile tunnel.
Reviewed by JOG About 2018