Best Marathons for Beginners
A guide to beginner-friendly marathons: mostly flat courses, big crowds and well-run events for first-timers, with course facts and time limits taken from each race page.
Flat Marathon Courses, Ranked by Published Elevation
Which marathons are flat? Courses ranked by the elevation figure their organisers publish, plus the races whose organisers describe the course as flat without giving a number.
Best Coastal & Island Marathons
Ten seaside and island running experiences, from Honolulu and Big Sur to the French Riviera and Easter Island, with course facts and time limits taken from each race page.
Best Half Marathons for Your First Race
A guide to eight half marathons across Europe, Asia, Oceania and North America, with course facts and time limits from each race page and notes on which suit first-timers, plus training and race-day tips for your first 21.1 km.
Best Bucket List Marathons You Must Run
From the Antarctic ice to the Great Wall of China — marathons where the setting is the point. A guide to bucket-list races and how to plan for them.
Cheapest Marathons: Entry Fees Compared
Marathon entry fees compared across the races on Marathon Index that publish a price, from Palermo and Skopje to Porto and Mt. Fuji, plus what the fee does and doesn't cover.
Marathon Packing List & Race Day Checklist
The complete marathon packing list and race-day timeline — from gear by weather condition to morning-of logistics and mental preparation strategies.
Marathon Training Plan: Your 16-Week Guide
A complete 16-week marathon training plan covering base building, peak training, and taper phases. Includes cross-training, recovery strategies, and race-specific preparation.
Marathon Nutrition: What to Eat Before, During, and After
A science-backed guide to fuelling your marathon — from carb-loading strategies and race-day gels to hydration planning and post-race recovery meals.
World Marathon Majors: The Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about the Abbott World Marathon Majors — the original six, Sydney, and Cape Town as the next Major — from entry lotteries and qualifying times to courses, weather, and the Six Star Medal.
Best Fall Marathons (September–November)
A guide to fall marathon racing, from Berlin in September through Chicago, Amsterdam, Dublin and Melbourne in October to New York City and Athens in November, with climate averages, course details and sourced race facts.
Best Marathons in Europe: A Runner's Travel Guide
Discover the best marathons across Europe — from world-record courses in Berlin to the Original Marathon Course in Athens, and from Seville in February to Valencia in December. Course details, climate averages and sourced race facts for the trip.
Best Spring Marathons (March–May)
Your guide to the best spring marathons worldwide, March through May. Top picks include Tokyo, Barcelona, Boston, London, Paris and Hamburg, with climate averages, course details and training tips for spring racing.
How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon
A guide to Boston Marathon qualifying: the B.A.A.'s current standards and course rules, a selection of flat, fast races people use to chase a BQ, and how to run your qualifier.
Most Scenic Marathons in the World
A bucket list of 13 scenic marathons and half marathons, from the Great Wall of China to Patagonia, with course details from each race page, travel tips, and what to know before you go.
Your First Marathon: A Complete Beginner's Guide
Everything you need to know before running your first marathon — from choosing the right race and building a training plan to race-day strategy and recovery.