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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 Marathons


This list ranks the fastest marathons 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, 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

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Race Name PR Score BQ % Elevation
401 Big Apple Marathon
Brooklyn, NY
97.26
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
402 Mississippi Blues Marathon
Jackson, MS
97.24
4.22%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
403 Back Your Badge Marathon
Plainfield, IN
97.21
1.92%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
404 Last Chance BQ.2 (Grand Rapids) Marathon
Grand Rapids, MI
97.20
59.84%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
405 Calgary Marathon
Calgary, AB
97.19
4.70%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
406 Last Chance BQ.2 Marathon
Geneva, IL
97.19
33.54%
Very Flat
Very Flat Course
407 Delaware Marathon
Wilmington, DE
97.18
5.29%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
408 Knoxville Marathon
Knoxville, TN
97.14
2.49%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
409 Nutmeg State Marathon
Hartford, CT
97.13
6.25%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
410 Cape Town Marathon
Cape Town, ZA
97.12
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
411 Wausau Marathon
Wausau, WI
97.11
7.27%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
412 Beantown Marathon
Hingham, MA
97.09
33.33%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
413 Miami Marathon
Miami, FL
97.08
1.72%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
414 North Olympic Discovery Marathon
Port Angeles, WA
97.07
3.95%
Hilly
Hilly Course
415 Akron Marathon
Akron, OH
97.04
5.60%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
416 Humboldt Bay Marathon
Eureka, CA
97.03
14.58%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
417 Orange Curtain Marathon
Cerritos, CA
97.03
0.10%
Very Flat
Very Flat Course
418 Minuteman BQ Marathon
Arlington, MA
97.02
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
419 Wabash Trace Nature Trail Marathon
Shenandoah, IA
96.99
2.44%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
420 City of Oaks Marathon
Raleigh, NC
96.95
3.37%
Hilly
Hilly Course
421 Salt Lake City Marathon
Salt Lake City, UT
96.95
3.26%
Downhill
Downhill Course
422 Shoreline Marathon
Ventura, CA
96.95
9.84%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
423 Gettysburg North-South Marathon
Gettysburg, PA
96.94
3.68%
Hilly
Hilly Course
424 Garmin Marathon - Durham
Durham, NC
96.94
6.59%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
425 Central Florida Legends Marathon
DeBary, FL
96.93
3.59%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
426 Atlanta Marathon
Atlanta, GA
96.88
1.85%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
427 State 47 Las Cruces Marathon
Las Cruces, NM
96.88
11.25%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
428 Wicked Fast (CA) Marathon
El Cajon, CA
96.88
9.14%
Downhill
Downhill Course
429 Mount Desert Island Marathon
Bar Harbor, ME
96.85
4.44%
Hilly
Hilly Course
430 Juneau Marathon
Juneau, AK
96.85
8.00%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
431 Belleville Main Street Marathon
Belleville, IL
96.83
4.85%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
432 bg26.2 Marathon
Bowling Green, KY
96.81
1.09%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
433 Long Beach Marathon
Long Beach, CA
96.79
2.12%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
434 Palm Beaches Marathon
West Palm Beach, FL
96.78
2.93%
Very Flat
Very Flat Course
435 Fort Smith Marathon
Fort Smith, AR
96.78
4.76%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
436 Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon
San Diego, CA
96.77
2.12%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
437 Savin Rock Marathon
West Haven, CT
96.77
8.27%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
438 Sevier Valley Marathon
Richfield, UT
96.76
4.35%
Downhill
Downhill Course
439 Lubbock Marathon
Lubbock, TX
96.74
1.33%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
440 Millinocket Marathon
Millinocket, ME
96.73
4.19%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
441 Nebraska State Fair Marathon
Grand Island, NE
96.70
9.24%
Very Flat
Very Flat Course
442 Charlevoix Marathon
Charlevoix, MI
96.68
11.32%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
443 Maui Marathon
Kaanapali, HI
96.68
1.73%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
444 Bay of Fundy Marathon
Lubec , ME
96.68
9.38%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
445 Nova Scotia Marathon
Barrington, NS
96.59
15.38%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
446 Holland Haven Marathon
Holland, MI
96.50
3.12%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
447 Cannonball Marathon
Greensboro, NC
96.48
3.90%
Rolling Hills
Rolling Course
448 Camarillo Marathon
Camarillo, CA
96.46
13.04%
Mostly Flat
Mostly Flat Course
449 Hoover Dam Marathon
Boulder City, NV
96.44
0.10%
Hilly
Hilly Course
450 Ellerbe Marathon
Ellerbe, NC
96.42
0.10%
Hilly
Hilly Course