The BHM 26.2 Marathon was the 257th largest marathon in the U.S. last year and was the 242nd largest in 2022.
This year 1.3% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon and 0.6% of runners qualified for Boston in 2023.
This gives the BHM 26.2 Marathon the 440th highest percentage of Boston Marathon qualifiers in the U.S. last year and the 353rd highest percentage so far in 2024.
Its Course Score of 96.98 ranks it as the 373rd fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 7th fastest course in Alabama.
The typical race time temperature and humidity levels are above the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. This, coupled with the Course Score, gives the BHM 26.2 Marathon a PR Score of 96.12. This PR Score ranks it as the 372nd fastest marathon in the U.S. and the 6th fastest in Alabama.
Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.
BHM 26.2 Marathon Elevation Chart
Max Elevation: 959 feet (292m) Min Elevation: 589 feet (179m)
100% of race proceeds go to charity. The course runs through nice parts of Birmingham which is a nice city. The venue for the start, finish, and after party is very nice.
Race Tips
Prepare for monster hills and heat. There are two BIG hills. The second at mile 16.5 is huge. The rest of the course rolls. By the end of the second hill I was wiped out. The heat didn't help.
There aren't many runners in the marathon. Most of the runners are on marathon relay teams. I got lonely at times.
The Hilton Garden Inn is very close to the start and finish. The hotel gave a me a 1:00pm check out which meant I had plenty of time to race and then go back and shower.
