Marathon PR Finder
56 U.S. marathons, scored on hills, race-morning weather, wind, and altitude. Find the course where your next PR is hiding.
How the PR Nerd Fast Course Score works
The score estimates how much a course and its typical race-day weather slow you down, as a percent of your finish time. A perfectly flat, sea-level course on a cool, calm, dry morning would score 100. Every 1% of estimated slowdown takes 20 points off.
- Hills: about 2% added to your finish time for every 1,000 feet of climbing. Courses that finish lower than they start get a smaller credit, because downhills don't give back everything the climbs cost.
- Heat and humidity: based on typical race-morning temperature and dew point. The fastest marathon times happen in cool weather, roughly 40 to 50°F.
- Wind: a small penalty for windy race weeks.
- Altitude: about 4% for every 1,000 meters of average course elevation above about 1,650 feet, for runners who live near sea level.
Courses that drop 1,500 feet or more are marked as downhill specialty courses and aren't ranked with normal courses. That's the same line the B.A.A. now uses to add time to Boston qualifying marks run on big downhill courses.
The full methodology, research, and race-by-race notes are in the regional rankings. Start with the fastest marathons in the Midwest.
All 54 ranked marathons
Time cost is estimated for a 4:00 marathoner on a typical race day.
| # | Race | Month | Score | Time cost | BQ rate | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mesa MarathonMesa, AZ | Feb | 100 | −1.1 min | 16.3% | Mountain West |
| 2 | Steamtown MarathonScranton, PA | Oct | 97 | +0.3 min | 18.2% | Northeast |
| 3 | Houston MarathonHouston, TX | Jan | 93 | +0.9 min | 14.4% | South |
| 4 | Mountains 2 Beach MarathonVentura, CA | Apr | 92 | +1.0 min | 18.3% | West Coast |
| 5 | Boston MarathonBoston, MA | Apr | 89 | +1.3 min | 53.5% | Northeast |
| 6 | Wineglass MarathonCorning, NY | Oct | 88 | +1.5 min | 12.6% | Northeast |
| 7 | Mohawk Hudson River MarathonAlbany, NY | Oct | 88 | +1.5 min | 14.8% | Northeast |
| 8 | Erie Marathon at Presque IsleErie, PA | Sep | 85 | +1.8 min | n/a | Northeast |
| 9 | Chicago MarathonChicago, IL | Oct | 84 | +1.9 min | 16.1% | Midwest |
| 10 | Eugene MarathonEugene, OR | Apr | 82 | +2.1 min | 17.9% | West Coast |
| 11 | Napa Valley MarathonNapa, CA | Mar | 82 | +2.1 min | 12.5% | West Coast |
| 12 | Indianapolis Monumental MarathonIndianapolis, IN | Nov | 82 | +2.1 min | 18.8% | Midwest |
| 13 | Shamrock MarathonVirginia Beach, VA | Mar | 82 | +2.2 min | 5.0% | South |
| 14 | Fargo MarathonFargo, ND | May | 81 | +2.3 min | 5.6% | Midwest |
| 15 | Walt Disney World MarathonOrlando, FL | Jan | 81 | +2.3 min | 0.8% | South |
| 16 | Marine Corps MarathonArlington, VA | Oct | 80 | +2.4 min | 3.4% | South |
| 17 | California International MarathonSacramento, CA | Dec | 79 | +2.5 min | 30.2% | West Coast |
| 18 | Kiawah Island MarathonKiawah Island, SC | Dec | 78 | +2.6 min | 7.3% | South |
| 19 | Detroit Free Press MarathonDetroit, MI | Oct | 77 | +2.7 min | 3.4% | Midwest |
| 20 | Tucson MarathonTucson, AZ | Dec | 77 | +2.8 min | 17.3% | Mountain West |
| 21 | Glass City MarathonToledo, OH | Apr | 76 | +2.9 min | 23.5% | Midwest |
| 22 | Columbus MarathonColumbus, OH | Oct | 74 | +3.2 min | 6.7% | Midwest |
| 23 | Grandma's MarathonDuluth, MN | Jun | 73 | +3.2 min | 10.0% | Midwest |
| 24 | Buffalo MarathonBuffalo, NY | May | 73 | +3.2 min | 9.9% | Northeast |
| 25 | Twin Cities MarathonMinneapolis-St. Paul, MN | Oct | 73 | +3.3 min | 4.3% | Midwest |
| 26 | Rocket City MarathonHuntsville, AL | Dec | 72 | +3.4 min | 8.6% | South |
| 27 | Richmond MarathonRichmond, VA | Nov | 71 | +3.5 min | 8.4% | South |
| 28 | Tobacco Road MarathonCary, NC | Mar | 70 | +3.6 min | 12.4% | South |
| 29 | Hartford MarathonHartford, CT | Oct | 68 | +3.8 min | 9.4% | Northeast |
| 30 | Milwaukee Lakefront MarathonMilwaukee, WI | Oct | 68 | +3.8 min | 3.1% | Midwest |
| 31 | Bayshore MarathonTraverse City, MI | May | 68 | +3.8 min | 20.0% | Midwest |
| 32 | Long Beach MarathonLong Beach, CA | Oct | 68 | +3.8 min | 4.8% | West Coast |
| 33 | St. Jude Memphis MarathonMemphis, TN | Dec | 67 | +3.9 min | 4.9% | South |
| 34 | Philadelphia MarathonPhiladelphia, PA | Nov | 66 | +4.0 min | 8.7% | Northeast |
| 35 | Seattle MarathonSeattle, WA | Nov | 66 | +4.1 min | 5.5% | West Coast |
| 36 | IMT Des Moines MarathonDes Moines, IA | Oct | 65 | +4.2 min | 8.9% | Midwest |
| 37 | Vermont City MarathonBurlington, VT | May | 64 | +4.3 min | 13.9% | Northeast |
| 38 | Dallas MarathonDallas, TX | Dec | 60 | +4.8 min | 4.8% | South |
| 39 | Portland MarathonPortland, OR | Oct | 60 | +4.8 min | 4.5% | West Coast |
| 40 | Baltimore MarathonBaltimore, MD | Oct | 56 | +5.2 min | 4.5% | South |
| 41 | Los Angeles MarathonLos Angeles, CA | Mar | 56 | +5.3 min | 1.4% | West Coast |
| 42 | Pittsburgh MarathonPittsburgh, PA | May | 55 | +5.3 min | 4.5% | Northeast |
| 43 | New York City MarathonNew York, NY | Nov | 55 | +5.3 min | 10.4% | Northeast |
| 44 | Austin MarathonAustin, TX | Feb | 51 | +5.8 min | 2.2% | South |
| 45 | Flying Pig MarathonCincinnati, OH | May | 48 | +6.2 min | 4.6% | Midwest |
| 46 | Missoula MarathonMissoula, MT | Jun | 39 | +7.4 min | 8.1% | Mountain West |
| 47 | San Francisco MarathonSan Francisco, CA | Jul | 38 | +7.5 min | 2.2% | West Coast |
| 48 | Ogden MarathonOgden, UT | May | 27 | +8.7 min | 8.4% | Mountain West |
| 49 | Colorado MarathonFort Collins, CO | May | 12 | +10.5 min | 6.3% | Mountain West |
| 50 | Duke City MarathonAlbuquerque, NM | Oct | 10 | +10.8 min | n/a | Mountain West |
| 51 | Salt Lake City MarathonSalt Lake City, UT | Apr | 6 | +11.3 min | 3.3% | Mountain West |
| 52 | Big Sur International MarathonCarmel, CA | Apr | 4 | +11.6 min | 4.5% | West Coast |
| 53 | Colfax MarathonDenver, CO | May | 0 | +14.5 min | 2.5% | Mountain West |
| 54 | Honolulu MarathonHonolulu, HI | Dec | 0 | +12.9 min | 0.8% | West Coast |
Downhill specialty courses (not ranked)
These courses drop 1,500 feet or more. Boston now adds time to qualifying marks run on them.
| Race | Month | Net drop | BQ rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| REVEL Mt. Charleston MarathonLas Vegas, NV | Apr | About 5,100 ft | 9.8% |
| St. George MarathonSt. George, UT | Oct | About 2,560 ft | 8.6% |
Read the regional rankings
Fastest Marathons: Midwest
#1: Chicago Marathon (84)
Read the rankings →Fastest Marathons: Northeast
#1: Steamtown Marathon (97)
Read the rankings →Fastest Marathons: South
#1: Houston Marathon (93)
Read the rankings →Fastest Marathons: West Coast
#1: Mountains 2 Beach Marathon (92)
Read the rankings →Fastest Marathons: Mountain West
#1: Mesa Marathon (100)
Read the rankings →FAQ
What is the fastest marathon in the U.S.?
By the PR Nerd Fast Course Score, the top-ranked courses are Mesa Marathon (100), Steamtown Marathon (97), Houston Marathon (93). The best course for you also depends on when you want to race and where you live.
Why doesn't the race with the highest BQ rate rank first?
A race's Boston qualifying rate reflects its field as much as its course. Races with a reputation as BQ races attract runners who are already close to qualifying. The Fast Course Score only measures the course and its typical weather.
Does altitude really matter that much?
For runners who live near sea level, yes. VO2 max drops steadily as altitude rises. If you live and train at altitude, you'll lose much less, so treat the altitude part of the score as a comparison for visitors.
How accurate are the time estimates?
They're estimates for a typical race day, meant for comparing courses. A warm or windy year can change everything, so always check the forecast and adjust your race plan.
Picked your race? Get ready for it.
Scores are estimates based on typical conditions and published course data from RunDida, with Boston qualifying rates from Find My Marathon. Race dates, courses, and field sizes change, so check each race's official website before you register.