Boston Cut-off Time Prediction Contest

Boston Cut-off Time Prediction Contest

Predict the 2027 Boston Cut-off Time and win a great prize and bragging rights among all your running friends.

Submit Your Prediction

ENDS 5PM EDT FRIDAY, 9/18!

Marathon Pace Bands

Marathon Pace Bands

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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!

Fastest Marathons in May

This list ranks the fastest marathons in May based on the race's Personal Record (PR) Score. The PR Score for each marathon is created from an algorithm derived from research on how grade, elevation, and wet bulb temperature and ambient temperature affect marathon running performance. 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 only on the course (no weather impact), visit the Fastest Marathon Courses page.

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

Fastest Marathons in May

	Race Name	PR Score	BQ %	Elevation
1	Revel Reno Tahoe Marathon Reno, NV	103.07	4.60%	Downhill Course
2	Mud Mountain Dam (Spring) Marathon Enumclaw, WA	102.46	25.00%	Downhill Course
3	Sugarloaf Marathon Kingfield, ME	100.10	14.29%	Downhill Course
4	La Crosse Marathon La Crosse, WI	99.77	12.56%	Downhill Course
5	Windermere Marathon Spokane, WA	99.63	8.97%	Mostly Flat Course
6	Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon St. Joseph, MN	99.63	18.41%	Mostly Flat Course
7	Toronto Marathon Toronto, ON	99.60	0.00%	Downhill Course
8	Charles River Marathon Boston, MA	99.55	27.72%	Very Flat Course
9	Georgina Spring Fling Marathon Georgina, ON	99.55	21.49%	Mostly Flat Course
10	Fargo Marathon Fargo, ND	99.44	5.55%	Very Flat Course
11	Long Island Marathon East Meadow, NY	99.36	0.00%	Mostly Flat Course
12	Pine Tree Marathon Portland, ME	99.29	2.33%	Mostly Flat Course
13	Bayshore Marathon Traverse City, MI	99.24	19.98%	Mostly Flat Course
14	Great Allegheny Ohiopyle Marathon Ohiopyle, PA	99.13	5.66%	Rolling Course
15	Chicagoland Spring Marathon Schaumburg, IL	99.06	9.18%	Mostly Flat Course
16	Ogden Marathon Ogden, UT	99.03	8.44%	Downhill Course
17	Famous Idaho Potato Marathon Boise, ID	99.02	12.88%	Mostly Flat Course
18	Walter Childs Memorial Race of Champions Marathon Holyoke, MA	98.96	0.10%	Mostly Flat Course
19	Hudson Valley Marathon at the Walkway Over the Hudson Highland, NY	98.92	11.82%	Rolling Course
20	Fredericton Marathon Fredericton, NB	98.91	0.00%	Mostly Flat Course
21	Lincoln Marathon Lincoln, NE	98.86	8.68%	Rolling Course
22	Potomac River Run Marathon Washington, DC	98.84	15.64%	Mostly Flat Course
23	Epic Marathon Green Bay, WI	98.82	8.18%	Rolling Course
24	Red Island Marathon Warwick, RI	98.81	2.04%	Mostly Flat Course
25	Colorado Marathon Fort Collins, CO	98.77	6.28%	Downhill Course
26	Northwoods Escape Marathon Minocqua, WI	98.76	0.00%	Mostly Flat Course
27	Eau Claire Marathon Eau Claire, WI	98.71	6.81%	Rolling Course
28	Brainerd Jaycees Run for the Lakes Marathon Nisswa, MN	98.67	8.77%	Mostly Flat Course
29	Copenhagen Marathon Copenhagen, DK	98.66	0.00%	Mostly Flat Course
30	Med City Marathon Rochester, MN	98.65	8.39%	Mostly Flat Course
31	York Marathon York, PA	98.65	11.91%	Rolling Course
32	Granite State Marathon Nashua, NH	98.61	0.10%	Rolling Course
33	Cleveland Marathon Cleveland, OH	98.57	4.27%	Rolling Course
34	OC Marathon Costa Mesa, CA	98.55	3.62%	Mostly Flat Course
35	Vancouver Marathon Vancouver, BC	98.50	0.00%	Rolling Course
36	Tacoma City Marathon Tacoma, WA	98.49	3.08%	Hilly Course
37	Avenue of the Giants Marathon Weott, CA	98.41	6.79%	Hilly Course
38	Steel Rail Marathon Pittsfield, MA	98.32	8.33%	Mostly Flat Course
39	Course des Pompiers Marathon Laval, QC	98.30	0.00%	Rolling Course
40	Providence Rhode Races Marathon Providence, RI	98.27	12.15%	Rolling Course
41	Buffalo Marathon Buffalo, NY	98.25	9.88%	Mostly Flat Course
42	Ottawa Marathon Ottawa, ON	98.24	0.00%	Rolling Course
43	Maine Coast Marathon Wells, ME	98.24	9.05%	Mostly Flat Course
44	Coeur d Alene Marathon Coeur d' Alene, ID	98.17	4.02%	Rolling Course
45	Pittsburgh Marathon Pittsburgh, PA	98.15	4.46%	Rolling Course
46	Three Days at the Fair Marathon (Spring) Augusta, NJ	98.00	0.10%	Mostly Flat Course
47	Stockholm Marathon Stockholm, SE	98.00	0.00%	Rolling Course
48	Madeline Island Marathon La Pointe, WI	97.85	7.69%	Rolling Course
49	Vermont City Marathon Burlington, VT	97.75	13.93%	Rolling Course
50	Flying Pig Marathon Cincinnati, OH	97.70	4.61%	Hilly Course
51	Blue Nose Marathon Halifax, NS	97.28	0.00%	Hilly Course
52	Capital City Marathon Olympia, WA	97.26	4.88%	Rolling Course
53	Calgary Marathon Calgary, AB	97.19	0.00%	Rolling Course
54	Nutmeg State Marathon Hartford, CT	97.13	6.25%	Rolling Course
55	Cape Town Marathon Cape Town, ZA	97.12	0.00%	Rolling Course
56	Garmin Durham Marathon Durham, NC	96.94	6.59%	Rolling Course
57	New River Marathon Fleetwood, NC	96.38	2.75%	Hilly Course
58	Whitefish Marathon Whitefish, MT	96.12	5.84%	Hilly Course
59	Maple Leaf Marathon Fairlee, VT	95.50	0.10%	Rolling Course
60	Prince of Wales Island Marathon Craig, AK	94.46	0.00%	Very Hilly Course
61	Colfax Marathon Denver, CO	92.77	2.50%	Rolling Course
62	Shiprock Marathon Shiprock, NM	92.48	0.53%	Hilly Course