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Best Boston Marathon Qualifiers for 2026

Best Boston Marathon Qualifiers

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Ellerbe Marathon

Ellerbe, NC
Saturday, February 28, 2026


  5 Stars from 1 Reviews

Course Description
PRs and BQs will be hard to come by on the challenging Ellerbe Springs Marathon course. The double loop course features lots of hills of varying sizes throughout the race.

February Other Marathons in February Other Marathons in North Carolina Marathons near Ellerbe, NC



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Race Information

Race Dates

2027: TBD
2026: Saturday, February 28, 2026

Course Information

Profile: Hilly
Type: Multiple Loops
Surface: Road/Pavement

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

Race Day Weather

Mean Temp.: 54°F (12°C)
Average High: 64°F (17°C)
Average Low: 44° F (6°C)




PR Score & Course Score

PR Score: 96.42
Course Score: 96.42

Race Size

2026: 45 Finishers
2025: 40 Finishers
2024: 42 Finishers
2023: 59 Finishers
2022: 58 Finishers
2021: 103 Finishers

BQ Percentages

2026: 0%
2025: 2.5%
2024: 4.8%
2023: 1.7%
2022: 3.5%
2021: 9.7%

Miscellaneous Information

Pace Groups?: No

Weather Averages for Last 0 Years


Race Day Temperatures

High: 0°F  (°C)
Low: 0°F  (°C)

Race Start Conditions

0°F  (°C)
Humidity: 0%


 0 mph

PR Score

0

Course Score

0






Ellerbe Marathon Rankings, Course Speed & Boston Qualifier Statistics

The Ellerbe Marathon was the 487th largest marathon in the U.S. in 2025 based on the number of finishers. In 2024, it ranked as the 476th largest marathon in the U.S..

In 2026, no Ellerbe Marathon finishers have achieved Boston Marathon qualifying times. In 2025, 2.5% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon.

Based on its percentage of Boston Qualifiers (BQs), the Ellerbe Marathon ranked 391st among marathons in the U.S. in 2025 and currently ranks 211th so far in 2026. In North Carolina, it ranked 13th in 2025 and 9th so far in 2026. These rankings provide a useful benchmark for comparing the Ellerbe Marathon with other Boston Marathon qualifying races.

The Ellerbe Marathon has a Course Score of 96.42, ranking it as the 418th fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 15th fastest marathon course in North Carolina.

Typical race-time temperature and humidity levels are within the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. Combined with the course profile, this gives the Ellerbe Marathon a PR Score of 96.42. The PR Score ranks the Ellerbe Marathon as the 384th best marathon in the U.S. for running a Personal Record (PR) and the 14th best marathon for a PR in North Carolina.

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

Ellerbe Marathon Marathon Rankings Summary
Course Speed418th fastest marathon course in the U.S.
Ranked 15th fastest marathon course in North Carolina
Top 91% Nationally#15 of 16 in North Carolina
PR Potential384th best marathon for a Personal Record in the U.S.
Ranked 14th best marathon for a PR in North Carolina
Top 84% Nationally#14 of 16 in North Carolina
Boston Qualifier Rate391st highest BQ percentage in the U.S.
Ranked 13th highest BQ percentage in North Carolina
Based on 2025 Boston Marathon qualifying results
Top 82% Nationally#13 of 13 in North Carolina
Race Size487th largest marathon in the U.S.
Ranked 14th largest marathon in North Carolina
Based on 2025 results
Top 82% Nationally#14 of 16 in North Carolina

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



Elevation Chart


Max Elevation: 552 feet (168m)
Min Elevation: 285 feet (86m)

Elevation Gain: 1474 feet (449m)
Elevation Loss: 1471 feet (448m)


Ellerbe

Course updated 03/02/2026




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Compare the Ellerbe Marathon to other Marathons

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

Do you want to see how the Ellerbe Marathon stacks up against other marathons?

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


Comparison Tool

If you ran the Ellerbe Marathon in 4:15:00, what would your time in other marathons be?

See how your finish time would compare on other marathon courses with our Time Conversion Tool.


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Race Reviews


5.0
Based on 1 reviews
Write Your Own Review

Hilly but super fun

Full Review:

I was not prepared for ALL those hills! But this is a super cool event with some of the best volunteers ever. The course was challenging but the intimate number of runners was fun because I kept seeing some of the same people on my second lap. Also, the best hot tomato soup at the end! Small in size but BIG on fun.

Race Tips:

Do your hill workouts. Coming from the coast I trained on flat flat flat and paid for it on the hills. Don't worry about pacing (unless you are trying to BQ) and just enjoy the comradery and fresh country air.

Travel/Logistics Tips:

Parking was a breeze. I stayed at a hotel in Southern Pines and was only a 35 minute easy drive to the event
Reviewed by Dana Little About 2025