2026 Boston Qualifying Times and Qualifier Races

Big Austin winter race with rolling hills, live music, loud crowd support, South Congress miles, and a downtown finish by the Texas State Capitol.

Tokyo Marathon is a lottery-driven spring major with immaculate organization, a fast city course, and one of the deepest international fields in racing.

Big Island International Marathon is a Hilo road marathon with coastal miles, two out-and-backs, and a warm, humid race morning on Hawaii Island.

The Tobacco Road Marathon is a fast Cary spring race on the American Tobacco Trail, known for Boston-qualifier attempts and PR-friendly pacing.

Asheville Marathon & Half is a rolling Asheville road race with downtown climbs, riverside greenways, and a New Belgium Brewing finish in March.

Heroes of America Marathon/Half Marathon/5K is a downtown Columbus road race with Riverwalk miles, Fort Moore segments, and a flat certified course.

Two Rivers Marathon Race Festival is a BQ-focused Lackawaxen road marathon weekend with fast Saturday racing, cold-weather risk, and a small-field feel.

Bakersfield Marathon is a Kern County road race with a Kern County Museum start, Bakersfield neighborhood miles, and a hometown Boston-qualifier feel.

Modesto Marathon is a flat Central Valley road marathon built for fast times, Boston qualifying, and a straightforward spring morning downtown.

Oakland Marathon is a one-loop urban road marathon with Bay Bridge miles, East Bay crowd energy, and a certified course that can still punish pacing.

Yuengling Shamrock Marathon is a flat Virginia Beach road marathon with oceanfront energy, big local support, and a fast Boston-qualifying course.

Heckscher State Park Marathon is a spring Long Island road marathon with closed park roads, looped laps, and an explicit Boston-qualifier setup.

Rend Lake Marathon is a southern Illinois road marathon with lake views, paved path sections, rolling roads, and Boston-qualifier eligibility.

REVEL Mt Charleston is a fast downhill road marathon from Kyle Canyon to Las Vegas, built for PR attempts, downhill specialists, and BQ chasing.

Savin Rock Marathon is a two-loop Connecticut road marathon along Long Island Sound with hills, state-championship billing, and Boston-qualifier status.

Yakima River Canyon Marathon is a scenic Washington point-to-point road marathon between Ellensburg and Selah on a certified Boston-qualifier course.

Chattanooga Marathon is a hilly Tennessee road marathon with a certified Boston-qualifier course and a route built to showcase the city itself.

Irving Marathon is a fast, flat North Texas road marathon centered at Toyota Music Factory with Boston-qualifying and USATF-certified credentials.

Redmond City Marathon is a flat Washington path marathon along the Sammamish corridor, built as a Boston qualifier on an out-and-back course.

Raquette River Marathon is a small Potsdam road marathon with rolling river miles, a USATF-certified course, and clear Boston-qualifier status.

Salisbury Marathon is a flat Eastern Shore road marathon with Boston-qualifier credentials, a seven-hour cutoff, and a fast-course focus for PR-minded runners.

Victory Marathon trades city streets for a closed former munitions complex in western Indiana, giving Boston chasers a flat, unusual road course.

Coast Guard Marathon is a flat Elizabeth City road race with base access, runway miles, and one of the clearest Boston-qualifier pitches in the South.

Knoxville Marathon is a hilly neighborhood road race with loud local support, live music, and a tougher Boston-qualifier feel than its city size suggests.

Millbrook Marathon is a rolling Hudson Valley road course that trades PR ease for quiet farms, spring scenery, and a certified Boston-qualifier route.

Spring Chance BQ.2 is a small Geneva marathon built for runners chasing Boston, with strict entry standards, cool mornings, and elite bottle support.

Run the River is a flat Tri-Cities road marathon beside the Columbia, built for fast spring miles on paved paths and roadways across all three cities.

Athens Ohio Marathon is the state's longest-running marathon, using a flat Hockhocking Adena Bikeway course and Boston qualifier setup in spring.

Delaware Marathon is Wilmington's certified road marathon, giving runners a rare shot at a Delaware Boston qualifier from the Riverfront start.

Jersey City Marathon is a flat, certified spring road race that gives the region a true fast-course option without New York's entry barriers.

Mountains 2 Beach is a downhill point-to-point California marathon from Ojai to Ventura, built for fast times, net-drop pacing, and quick sellouts.

Boston Marathon is the sport's hardest prestige race to get into, with qualifying pressure, a net-downhill course, and the Newton Hills late.

Frisco Railroad Run is a flat out-and-back rail-trail marathon in Missouri with USATF certification, Boston Qualifier status, and an Ozarks club feel.

Illinois Marathon mixes campus streets, town roads, and a stadium finish, giving Champaign-Urbana a bigger race-weekend feel than most college-town marathons.

Wisconsin Marathon hugs Lake Michigan with a flat double-loop course, a smaller field, and a cleaner profile now that the gravel is gone for good.

Big Sur is a bucket-list point-to-point on Highway 1, where ocean views, Bixby Bridge, and Hurricane Point matter more than easy splits or PR math.

Eugene Marathon brings TrackTown identity to a fast spring road course, with a sold-out field, Hayward Field finish, and a seven-hour limit.

Gettysburg North South Marathon leaves the battlefield roads behind for hillier Adams County back roads and a cross-state loop into Maryland.

Glass City is a proven Toledo PR marathon with smooth roads, little elevation change, and a stadium finish that keeps Boston chasers coming back.

The downhill Lehigh Gorge rail-trail course makes Jim Thorpe a fast Boston qualifier, with train-start logistics and a mountain-town finish.

MV Spring Classic gives runners a capped Martha's Vineyard marathon with flat bike-path miles, ocean views, and Boston-qualifying certification.

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon pairs a broad city tour with a strong remembrance mission, making it feel more meaningful than a typical big April road race.

TCS London Marathon is a massive spring major with relentless crowd support, strong charity culture, and one of the hardest entries to secure.

Whidbey Island Marathon starts at Bowman Bay, closes Deception Pass Bridge for runners, and finishes with a long downhill into Oak Harbor waterfront.

Run for the Lakes gives Minnesota a spring Boston qualifier with Northwoods lake roads, volunteer-led production, and a compact Nisswa race weekend.

Great Allegheny Ohiopyle gives runners a certified crushed-limestone trail marathon on the GAP corridor, with early-start flexibility and live results.

The IronHorse Marathon is a small border-country race on the WGWL trail system that doubles as a Boston qualifier and crosses between Iowa and Minnesota.

La Crosse Marathon gives western Wisconsin a certified spring race with river-city logistics, Festival Foods backing, and a useful early-May BQ slot.

Potomac River Run Marathon gives D.C. runners a small Boston qualifier on the C&O Canal Towpath, with a flat gravel out-and-back from Fletcher's Cove.

Avenue of the Giants Marathon is a redwood-road classic with old-growth scenery, shaded park miles, and one of road running's most distinctive settings.

BougeBouge Festival & Ile Perrot Marathon gives Quebec runners a flat Boston-qualifying course, island roads, and a community-heavy spring race day.

Adelaide's marathon gives South Australia a flat, fast, Boston-certified city course through parklands, river paths, race-day crowds, and sold-out demand.

Charles River Marathon is a limited-field Boston fundraiser race built for qualifying attempts, with ten flat paved laps around Herter Park.

Colorado Marathon is a point-to-point descent through Poudre Canyon that draws runners chasing fast times, canyon views, and a serious Boston-qualifier setup.

Hudson Valley Marathon uses the Walkway Over the Hudson setting for a Boston-qualifying New York course with river-valley views and Alpha logistics.

Providence's spring marathon gives New England runners a Rhode Island city course, RunSignup entry, and an established downtown race-weekend setup.

Toronto's point-to-point spring marathon gives runners a fast north-to-downtown course with Sportstats timing and a certified Boston route for PB attempts.

Walter Childs Marathon is one of the country's older small marathons, a certified Boston qualifier on Ashley Reservoir's packed-dirt loops in Holyoke.

York Marathon gives central Pennsylvania a certified rail-trail-heavy course, YMCA production, and a fast early-May BQ target with limited entries.

Milton Keynes offers a bank-holiday marathon with stadium finish energy, AIMS certification, and a course used by UK spring goal-time runners.

Maple Leaf Marathon opens the New England Challenge with certified loops around Lake Morey, an early start, and a small multi-day field in Vermont.

Granite State Marathon is a certified Nashua loop race through Mine Falls Park, with a 6 a.m. start and small New England Challenge race field.

Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon is a flat rail-trail favorite for runners who want long steady miles, a smaller field, and real Boston-qualifier intent.

Fredericton's long-running spring marathon gives goal-time runners a Boston-qualifying course and a compact New Brunswick race weekend in May.

Pine Tree Marathon closes New England Challenge I on Back Cove Park loops, with a certified dirt-path course and compact early-start field in Maine.

Madeline Island Marathon gives runners a capped Apostle Islands race with ferry logistics, mostly paved island roads, and a certified Boston course.

Ogden Marathon is one of the West's best-known downhill marathons, pairing canyon scenery, fast splits, and a polished race-weekend production.

Famous Idaho Potato Marathon is Boise's long-running YMCA spring race, with a flat Greenbelt course, local identity, and BQ appeal for spring PRs.

Armed Services Marathon gives Michigan a certified May course with military-themed race production, early-start support, and Grand Haven bike-path miles.

Capital City Marathon is a Pacific Northwest staple with rolling Olympia roads, a community-race feel, and enough hills to keep it from reading as a free PR.

Denver Colfax Marathon is the big urban marathon in Denver, known for city landmarks, relay energy, and a race weekend that stretches well beyond the full.

EPIC Marathon runs through Wisconsin lake country with a multi-distance festival format, RunSignup tracking, and a practical spring race date.

Med City Marathon anchors Rochester's spring race weekend with a Boston-qualifying full, relay depth, and a long-running Minnesota medical-city identity.

Halifax's Blue Nose marathon gives runners a hilly harbour-city course, Boston-qualifying status, Atlantic roads, and a lively race weekend.

REVEL Reno Tahoe is a fast downhill marathon from Mt Rose Summit to Reno, built for PR attempts, high-desert scenery, and serious BQ pacing.

Sugarloaf Marathon is a sought-after Maine race with a runner cap, mountain views, and one of the Northeast's best-known Boston-qualifier reputations.

Windermere Marathon gives Spokane a point-to-point spring Boston qualifier on the Centennial Trail, finishing downtown with multi-distance depth.

Prince of Wales Island Marathon is a capped Southeast Alaska destination race, with a certified out-and-back course from Craig and rainforest scenery.

Fast, scenic Memorial Day weekend marathon in downtown Buffalo, New York, with a convenient start/finish, waterfront views and Boston-qualifying course.

Coeur d'Alene's marathon follows lake and river paths on a Boston-certified course that blends resort-town scenery with goal-time potential.

Calgary's marathon is Canada's longest-running marathon, with an early start, certified course, late-May weather shifts, and Rocky Mountain context.

Ottawa's international marathon anchors Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend with a sold-out urban course, World Athletics label status, and Boston value.

Fargo Marathon mixes flat prairie-city running with a full weekend festival setup, making it one of the Upper Midwest's best-known large marathon events.

Mud Mountain Dam Marathon gives Washington runners a late-May point-to-point route from Buckley toward Orting, with Tacoma-area event production.

Newport Marathon is one of Oregon's major spring marathons, with a Boston-qualifying course, coastal weather, GetMeRegistered entry, and bay scenery.

Carmel Marathon's postponed 2026 race adds a rare late-May Indiana BQ opportunity, with a fast suburban course and strong qualifier reputation.

TCS Sydney Marathon is the newest World Marathon Major, with harbour views, bridge running, and a point-to-point course that is scenic but not flat.

BMW Berlin Marathon is the fastest World Marathon Major, with a flat city course, deep international field, and one of the best PR chances in racing.

Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a flat, fast major with 29 neighborhoods, massive crowd support, and one of the cleanest PR courses in the sport.

TCS New York City Marathon is the sport's biggest marathon, with five-borough crowds, bridge climbs, and a course that is tougher than it looks.

Fast, flat November race through downtown Indianapolis; USATF-certified, PR-friendly, and a top U.S. Boston-qualifier with big crowds and crisp conditions.

Riverfront Richmond marathon with a downhill finish and rolling, certified miles. Cool mid-November weather and smooth ops make it a reliable PR/BQ opportunity.

Uptown start and a city tour through Dilworth, Myers Park, and Plaza Midwood. Rolling hills, big crowds, and crisp November weather reward smart pacing.

Scenic, moderately hilly tour of Madison's lakes and UW campus with a Capitol Square start/finish, USATF-certified Boston-qualifier and cool November temps.

Scenic Palermo city marathon through historic streets, parks and seafront, FIDAL-certified and Boston-qualifying with mild Mediterranean November temperatures.

Fast city marathon from Bentegodi Stadium to Piazza Bra on mostly flat certified roads along the Adige River, cool November air and classic Verona scenery.

Fast, scenic marathon with Center City, Fairmount Park and Schuylkill River views; cool November weather and a certified course make it great for PRs and BQs.

Downtown Memphis marathon from Beale Street through Midtown, Overton Park and the St. Jude campus; rolling hills, huge crowd support and cool December weather.

Net-downhill, point-to-point from Folsom Dam to the State Capitol. Cool December temps and a flat final 10K make CIM a PR-friendly, Boston-qualifying race.

Scenic Honolulu marathon from Ala Moana past Waikiki and Diamond Head; ocean views, warm December weather and a certified course that is more tough than fast.