BestRacesFlagship ranking · updated July 28, 2026
Best Marathons in the US
Every "best marathons" list you've read was assembled in an editorial meeting. This one was computed. Each race below carries a composite score out of 100 built from four public signals — field size, history, credentials, and course character — and the breakdown is printed right on the row. We wrote the analysis after the math, not the other way around, which means a few results surprised even us. That's the point: a ranking you can argue with is worth more than one you have to take on faith.
A note on what the numbers reward. This index favors races that have proven themselves at scale and over time, which is why the majors sit up top. But the formula's log-scale field component means a 7,000-runner race with a great course and four decades of history can sit shoulder to shoulder with a 45,000-runner giant — and several do. If you're hunting a personal best rather than an experience, jump to the flat-and-fast picks flagged below; if you're hunting an experience, the top five are the top five for a reason.
Full formula, weights, and our never-sold pledge are on the methodology page. Spot a factual error in any listing? Race directors can claim and correct their own — that's free, always.
Composite /100 · FLD field · HST history · CRD credentials · CHR character
- 1 New York City Marathon 100.0/100
- 2 Chicago Marathon 94.5/100
- 3 Boston Marathon 93.3/100
- 4 Marine Corps Marathon 90.8/100
- 5 Grandma's Marathon 87.1/100
- 6 Twin Cities Marathon 85.0/100
- 7 Big Sur International Marathon 81.6/100
- 8 Richmond Marathon 80.7/100
- 9 Houston Marathon 80.5/100
- 10 Vermont City Marathon 77.4/100
- 11 Philadelphia Marathon 76.3/100
- 12 California International Marathon 74.7/100
- 13 Missoula Marathon 70.5/100
- 14 Eugene Marathon 68.5/100
- 15 Mesa Marathon 59.7/100
- 16 Beulah Block Micro Marathon - B2M2 15.0/100
- 17 Bound for Boston Marathon & Half Marathon - Denver 15.0/100
- 18 2026 Haulin Aspen 15.0/100
- 19 Crystal Lake Team Marathon 15.0/100
- 20 Bound for Boston Marathon & Half Marathon - Minneapolis 15.0/100
- 21 Appalachian Fair 2.62 Mile Mini Marathon & Kid's Duck Waddle Dash 15.0/100
- 22 Dark Horse Trail Series (26.2 - 13.1 - 10k) 15.0/100
- 23 Bound for Boston Marathon & Half Marathon - Milwaukee 15.0/100
- 24 Cape Blossom Marathon 15.0/100
- 25 Big Island International Marathon 2027 30 years running the old coast of Hawaii 15.0/100
- 26 Bull of the Woods Trail Races 15.0/100
- 27 Cadillac YMCA Festival of Races 15.0/100
- 28 Denver, CO Galloway Training Program 15.0/100
- 29 AIDSPIRIT USA Marathon 15.0/100
- 30 Bound for Boston Marathon & Half Marathon - Atlanta 15.0/100
- 31 BuckeyeThon 5K 15.0/100
- 32 Bird-in-Hand Half Marathon, 5K, and Kid's Fun Run 15.0/100
- 33 2026 Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Half Marathon and Fall 5K 15.0/100
- 34 Apple Dumpling Day Races 15.0/100
- 35 Cascade Express Marathon & Half Marathon 15.0/100
- 36 DoLittle Marathon 15.0/100
- 37 2026 Holland Haven Marathon 15.0/100
- 38 Boring Marathon, Half-Boring Half Marathon, Constantly Boring 10K, and Somewhat Boring 5K Race Series 15.0/100
- 39 Boston or Bust Marathon 15.0/100
- 40 Elk River Braxton County Monster Marathon/Half Marathon/5K 15.0/100
- 41 2026 - NorthShore Inline Marathon 15.0/100
- 42 Community First Fox Cities Marathon presented by Miron Construction 15.0/100
- 43 23rd Annual Groom Creek Classic: 1/2 Marathon, 10k, 5k Run 15.0/100
- 44 Back Your Badge Marathon 15.0/100
- 45 Best of the West 15.0/100
- 46 Circle the Lake Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K 15.0/100
- 47 Devil After Dark 15.0/100
- 48 11th Annual Plattsburgh Tour de Force Charity Run and Bike Race 15.0/100
- 49 Adrenaline Races 15.0/100
- 50 Bellingham Bay Marathon 15.0/100
- 51 Bound for Boston Marathon & Half Marathon - Oklahoma City 15.0/100
- 52 Discover Whitewater Series 15.0/100
- 53 2026 CTF Monarch Marathon 5K Run/Walk 15.0/100
- 54 26 x 1-Mile Marathon Relay 15.0/100
- 55 Belleville Main Street Marathon & Half Marathon 15.0/100
- 56 2026 Berlin Marathon Semper Fi & America's Fund Team 15.0/100
- 57 Berlin Marathon - SRPS Charity Team 15.0/100
- 58 2026 Chessie Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 26.2 Relay 15.0/100
- 59 Alum Creek Trail Races 15.0/100
- 60 Chernisky Ghost Town Trail-a-thon 15.0/100
- 61 Colorado Springs Marathon, Half, 5K, and Kids K 15.0/100
- 62 2026 Greenbrier River Trail Marathon & Half Marathon 15.0/100
- 63 BHM26.2 2026- The Alabama Race Series 15.0/100
- 64 Cedar Springs-Run Michigan Cheap 15.0/100
- 65 Backyard Ultra in New Town (Oct 10 8:00AM) 15.0/100
- 66 Breckenridge RunFest 15.0/100
- 67 2026 Fall Prairie Fire Marathon presented by Davis-Moore Automotive Group 15.0/100
- 68 2026 HARRA Warm-Up Series Bundles 15.0/100
- 69 2026 Humboldt Redwoods Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K 15.0/100
- 70 City of Trees Marathon 15.0/100
- 71 Durango Marathon 15.0/100
- 72 AmeriHealth Atlantic City Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & G. Larry James 5K 15.0/100
- 73 Baltimore Running Festival 15.0/100
- 74 Baptist Health: The American Bluegrass Classic 15.0/100
- 75 Blue Sky Trail Marathon & Half Marathon 15.0/100
- 76 Baystate Marathon 15.0/100
- 77 Buzz Sawyer Western Maryland Marathon/Half Marathon/10k 15.0/100
- 78 Cape Fear Marathon & Half, presented by Mount to Coast and hosted by Badwater® 15.0/100
- 79 6TH SEAWITCH 1/2 MARATHON CLASSIC (SEAWITCH RACING FESTIVAL WEEKEND) 15.0/100
- 80 Aiken Trailblazer Halloween Marathon, Half Marathon - 10K - 5K - Kids Fun Run at Stable View 15.0/100
- 81 ASP's Franconia Notch Half Marathon 15.0/100
- 82 Cape May Hallowed Half Marathon 15.0/100
- 83 Emerald Isle Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K 15.0/100
- 84 End of the Road Half Marathon & One Tunnel 4 Miler 15.0/100
- 85 2026 Dublin Marathon Semper Fi & America's Fund Team 15.0/100
- 86 2026 Marine Corp Marathon with Girls on the Run 15.0/100
- 87 2026 SFA Marine Corps Marathon Team 15.0/100
- 88 6th Banja Luka Marathon 15.0/100
- 89 Dublin Marathon - SRPS Charity Team 15.0/100
- 90 bg26.2 & half marathon and bg6000 15.0/100
- 91 Boston Mini-Marathon & Festival 15.0/100
- 92 Caesar Creek Trail Race 15.0/100
- 93 6th Annual BONT Florida Inline Skating Marathon! 15.0/100
- 94 14th Annual Springfield Marathon & Harvest Wind Half Marathon & 10K 15.0/100
- 95 19th Annual Jim Rowland FCA River Valley Run 5k, 10k, Half Marathon 15.0/100
- 96 Bobcat 15.0/100
- 97 Chick Fil A Corinth Half Marathon 15.0/100
- 98 2026 Running Richmond - Youth Programs Charity Entries 15.0/100
- 99 AdventHealth Presents the Central Florida Legends Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K 15.0/100
- 100 Allianz Richmond Marathon, CarMax Richmond Half Marathon, & Capital One Richmond 8k 15.0/100
- 101 D&L RaceFest presented by St. Luke's 15.0/100
- 102 2026 SFA Philadelphia Marathon Team 15.0/100
- 103 64th Annual JFK 50 Mile presented by Altra 15.0/100
- 104 2026 Route 66 Race Across Kansas 15.0/100
- 105 2026 Seattle Ghost Marathon, Half & 50K 15.0/100
- 106 2026 - San Antonio Marathon 15.0/100
- 107 2026 San Antonio Marathon 15.0/100
- 108 Bound for Boston Marathon & Half Marathon - Sarasota 15.0/100
- 109 Daytona 100 Ultra 15.0/100
- 110 2026 Honolulu Marathon Semper Fi & America's Fund Team 15.0/100
- 111 Cajun Country Run (1/2 Marathon, 10k, 5k & Fun Run) 15.0/100
- 112 2027 Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend 15.0/100
- 113 Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon & 17 Mile Fun Run 15.0/100
- 114 7th Annual Mangum Marathon & 1/2 Marathon 15.0/100
- 115 Big Beach Marathon, Half Marathon & Safari 5K 15.0/100
- 116 Bastrop Marathon, Half, 10K & 5K 15.0/100
- 117 DONNA Marathon Weekend 15.0/100
- 118 Cummins Falls Marathon, Half, 10K, 5K 15.0/100
- 119 DENFIT Winter Soldier 15.0/100
- 120 2027 SFA Los Angeles Marathon Team 15.0/100
- 121 25TH ANNUAL LITTLE ROCK MARATHON WEEKEND 15.0/100
- 122 2027 Zydeco Marathon - 26.2 Full | 13.1 Half | Team Relay | 5k | 1 Mile 15.0/100
- 123 ChesCo Race Fest 15.0/100
- 124 Combos(R) Marathon and Half Marathon 15.0/100
- 125 2027 Tokyo Marathon Semper Fi & America's Fund Team 15.0/100
- 126 22nd Annual Run Through Time Trail Marathon and Half Marathon 15.0/100
- 127 Catalina Island Marathon, 10K, 5K 15.0/100
- 128 Classic City Marathon, Half Marathon, and Marathon Relay 15.0/100
- 129 Coast Guard Marathon 15.0/100
- 130 ALBUQUERQUE MARATHON + HALF MARATHON, 10K, 5K AND KIDS K 15.0/100
- 131 Bakersfield Marathon 15.0/100
- 132 Bedrock Valley Trail Runs 15.0/100
- 133 Coastal Delaware Running Festival 15.0/100
- 134 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon, Half Marathon, Relays, 5k and Kids Run 15.0/100
- 135 Athens Ohio Marathon 15.0/100
- 136 Brew City Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & 5K 15.0/100
- 137 Carmel Marathon Weekend 15.0/100
- 138 Delaware Running Festival 15.0/100
- 139 2027 Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon 15.0/100
- 140 2Slow4Boston Marathon, Half & 50K 15.0/100
- 141 Cedar Rapids Marathon Weekend - Early Bird 15.0/100
- 142 Des Moines Women's Half Marathon, 10K & 5K 15.0/100
- 143 2027 Avenue of the Giants Marathon 15.0/100
- 144 Boise River Marathon 15.0/100
- 145 Chicagoland Spring Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K 15.0/100
- 146 Conquer The Canal 15.0/100
- 147 2027 Cape Town Marathon Semper Fi & America's Fund Team 15.0/100
- 148 Buffalo Marathon Weekend 15.0/100
- 149 Bangor Marathon - Full/Half/10K/5K - Running Festival 15.0/100
- 150 Augusta Marathon - 5K/10K/Half/Full - Running Festival 15.0/100
- 151 Big Sky Marathon 15.0/100
- 152 Conquer the Canyon Marathon Race Festival: Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K 15.0/100
- 153 Asics + Superfeet Marathon Training Program 15.0/100
The only race in our index that nearly maxes out every component at once. Five boroughs, the largest marathon field in the world, and a course that turns the city into a 26.2-mile grandstand — the wall of sound waiting on First Avenue is the most famous crowd moment in the sport. It isn't flat and it isn't fast; the bridges see to that. Nobody runs New York for the splits.
The fastest big-city course in America and the data agrees: a pancake-flat loop through more than two dozen neighborhoods, deep crowd support the whole way, and a start-line list that has produced world records. If New York is the experience pick, Chicago is the rare race that's both an experience and a PR course — the highest score-per-unit-of-suffering on this list.
The oldest annual marathon on earth, and the only one here you have to earn your way into. The scored components actually undersell it — no field-size number captures what a unicorn medal means to the people chasing one. Know what you're signing up for: the point-to-point course from Hopkinton gives back early and takes it away in the Newton hills, with Heartbreak Hill waiting at mile 20.
"The People's Marathon" — no prize purse, no elite appearance fees, just one of the largest fields in the country running past the monuments and getting their medal from a Marine. The Blue Mile, lined with photographs of fallen service members, is the most moving stretch of road in American running. Fifty years of history and a huge field give it a score that outranks races with far flashier reputations.
Proof of what the log-scale field component is for. Duluth is a fraction of the size of the cities above it, but a point-to-point course along Lake Superior, a June date that owns the early-summer calendar, and nearly fifty years of history earn it a top-five score. The whole town shows up. If you only travel for one non-major, the data says make it this one.
Bills itself as the most beautiful urban marathon in America, and in early October — lakes, river parkways, and fall color from Minneapolis to the finish at the St. Paul capitol — the claim holds up. Its character score is tied for the highest of any road marathon in the index. A quietly excellent BQ course too, if the weather cooperates.
The most beautiful road marathon in America, full stop — Highway 1, crashing surf, and a grand piano at Bixby Bridge. Its composite is held down by a small capped field and a brutally honest hill profile, which is the formula working as designed: this is a bucket-list race, not a fast one. Do it the same year as Boston if you can land both.
Markets itself as America's friendliest marathon and backs it up with junk-food stations and wet washcloths in the late miles — hospitality as race strategy. Underneath the charm is a legitimately good November course: rolling but honest, with a downhill finish to the river. Nearly fifty years of history does real work in its score.
The serious PR hunter's January pick. Flat, fast, superbly organized, and cool-weather reliable, with one of the largest winter fields in the country. Its character score is modest and its composite doesn't care — this race exists to produce fast times, and it does.
The surprise of the top ten, and a good example of the formula doing its job. Burlington's Memorial Day weekend race pairs Lake Champlain views with genuine small-city charm and three-plus decades of history. It scores on character and longevity rather than size — which is exactly why you can still get in.
A strong November option that threads historic districts and the Schuylkill River before finishing by the Art Museum. Solid on every component without dominating any — the definition of a dependable big-city marathon that's easier to enter than the majors.
The BQ and Olympic-Trials-qualifier factory. CIM's net-downhill point-to-point from Folsom to the state capitol is engineered for December speed, and its field is famously stacked with people chasing a number. Scores below flashier races on character; if you're reading this list for a qualifier, ignore that and register.
A summer point-to-point into downtown Missoula that runners consistently rate among their favorites anywhere. Small field, big-sky scenery, and western hospitality. Its score is capped by size and relative youth — its reputation is not.
TrackTown USA's marathon finishes on the Hayward Field track, which is the single best finish-line gimmick in the sport because it isn't a gimmick. Flat, green, and spring-dated. Young by this list's standards, which the longevity component prices in.
A February desert race built almost entirely for speed: a gentle net-downhill profile that has made it a fixture on BQ-chasers' calendars. The youngest and lowest-scored race on this list — and the one whose score we'd bet rises steadily as its history component compounds.