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.
Table of Contents
Fall is marathon season. Berlin, Chicago and New York City, three of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (worldmarathonmajors.com), are run in late September, October and early November, and a long list of other well-known races fills the weeks in between. Cool, settled weather is what distance running favours, and the autumn months deliver it across much of the Northern Hemisphere.
If you’re training through summer with a fall goal race, you’re in good company. The question isn’t whether to run a fall marathon — it’s which one. This guide goes through ten of them month by month, using each race’s own page for the facts, so you can choose with real data.
Why Fall Is Peak Marathon Season
Marathon performance generally suffers as temperatures climb, and that is the main reason so many runners aim for these months. Across the ten races below, the average daily high in the race month ranges from about 12°C (New York City) to about 20°C (Berlin and Melbourne). Those averages come from the climate data on each race page, not from forecasts for race day, so treat them as a guide to what is typical rather than a promise.
There’s a training advantage, too. A fall marathon means building your base through spring, hitting peak mileage in summer, and tapering as the weather cools. Yes, summer long runs are brutal — but they build heat adaptation that pays dividends when race day arrives noticeably cooler than your hardest training run.
The calendar also works socially. A late September or October marathon leaves room for a spring tune-up half and a summer of focused training, then frees you for the holiday season with fitness banked and a medal earned.
September: The Season Opener
September sits at the transition between summer and autumn. The late-September race in this guide, Berlin, averages highs of about 20°C and lows of about 10°C.
Berlin Marathon — The World Record Course
The Berlin Marathon is held in late September, normally on the last weekend of the month. The race starts on Straße des 17. Juni in the Tiergarten and finishes a short way along the same avenue, behind the Brandenburg Gate. Runners pass the Reichstag at around 10 km and Potsdamer Platz at about 34 km before the run-in to the Gate. The course has seen 13 official world records, including Eliud Kipchoge’s 2:01:09 in 2022.
Late September in Berlin is mild: average highs are about 20°C and lows about 10°C, with some rain on around twelve days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Finishers | 48,020 (2025) |
| Established | 1974 |
| Men’s course record | 2:01:09 (Eliud Kipchoge, 2022) |
| Women’s course record | 2:11:04 (Tigst Assefa, 2026) |
| Next edition | 26 September 2027 |
The case for Berlin: You want to run where marathon history is made: a city-centre course with 13 world records on it and a finish behind the Brandenburg Gate. The organisers reported more than 56,000 entrants from 162 nations for the 2026 edition. Places are allocated by lottery, so apply as soon as the window opens. The time limit is 6 hours 15 minutes, with a cut-off at km 33.
Other September Picks
Beyond Berlin, September offers options worldwide. Look for races in Northern Europe and Canada where the heat has broken but winter hasn’t arrived. The Warsaw Marathon is usually run on a Sunday in late September; the 2026 edition was the first to hold World Athletics Elite Label status and had 10,830 finishers.
October: The Main Event
October is the busiest month in this guide. Chicago, Amsterdam, Toronto, Frankfurt, Dublin, Detroit and Melbourne all hold their marathons on a Sunday in October. For the six Northern Hemisphere cities among them, average October highs run from about 14°C to about 17°C.
Chicago Marathon — The Windy City Classic
The Chicago Marathon is run on the second Sunday of October and is one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. It is a flat loop that starts and finishes in Grant Park and passes through 29 Chicago neighborhoods, among them Lakeview, Greektown, Little Italy, Pilsen, Chinatown and Bronzeville. In 2026 a race-record 54,492 runners finished.
October in Chicago is cool: average highs are about 17°C and lows about 7°C, with some rain on roughly ten days of the month. The early start is usually the coolest part of the day.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Finishers | 54,492 (2026, a race record) |
| Established | 1977 |
| Men’s course record | 2:00:35 (Kelvin Kiptum, 2023) |
| Women’s course record | 2:09:56 (Ruth Chepngetich, 2024) |
| Next edition | 10 October 2027 |
The case for Chicago: A flat loop with the start and finish in the same park keeps logistics simple, and the course has produced three men’s world records, most recently Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35 in 2023. Entry is by application to a guaranteed and non-guaranteed draw, held in October for the following year’s race. Deep-dish pizza has never tasted better than after 26.2 miles.
Amsterdam Marathon — Flat, Fast and Historic
The Amsterdam Marathon is held on a Sunday in October and carries a World Athletics Platinum Label. It starts and finishes in the Olympic Stadium, built for the 1928 Games, and the organisers describe the course as flat, fast and historic. The route passes under the Rijksmuseum, past the Heineken Experience, out along the river Amstel and through the Vondelpark before returning to the stadium.
October in Amsterdam is cool and damp: highs average about 15°C and lows about 8°C, with rain on roughly 12 days of the month. The 2026 race was run in wet conditions.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Established | 1975 |
| Men’s course record | 2:03:30 (Geoffrey Toroitich Kipchumba, 2025) |
| Women’s course record | 2:16:12 (Buze Diriba, 2026) |
| Race weekend, all distances | about 60,000 runners from 140 countries (2025) |
| Next edition | 31 October 2027 |
The case for Amsterdam: A flat, fast loop with a stadium start and finish. The marathon has a six-hour time limit. See our Europe marathon guide for more context.
Toronto Waterfront Marathon — Canada’s Fall Classic
The Toronto Waterfront Marathon is a point-to-point road race through downtown Toronto and along the city’s waterfront, held on a Sunday in mid-October. The marathon starts on Yonge Street north of Gerrard Street and finishes on Bay Street just north of Queen Street. The race weekend began in 1990 as a half marathon and 5K, and the full marathon was added in 2000, when about 600 runners lined up. Its organisers, Canada Running Series, call it Canada’s largest marathon, and since 2017 it has been Athletics Canada’s national marathon championship.
Mid-October in Toronto is cool: afternoon highs average about 15°C and mornings about 8°C, with measurable rain on around eleven days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Finishers | 7,538 (2025) |
| Established | 2000 |
| Men’s course record | 2:05:00 (Philemon Rono, 2019) |
| Women’s course record | 2:20:44 (Waganesh Mekasha, 2024) |
| Next edition | 17 October 2027 |
The case for Toronto: A downtown-to-waterfront course with a World Athletics Elite Label and national-championship status. The marathon is capped at 9,500 runners and has a six-hour time limit.
Frankfurt Marathon — German Precision, Part Two
The Frankfurt Marathon is Germany’s oldest city marathon, held in late October. It starts by the Messeturm and finishes on a red carpet inside the Festhalle, after 60 metres in the hall. The course runs into the city centre and passes the Alte Oper and the Roßmarkt, and about 90 action points with music line the route.
Late October in Frankfurt is cool and damp: highs average about 15°C and lows about 7°C, with rain on around fourteen days of the month. The 2026 race was run in rain and wind.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Established | 1981 |
| Men’s course record | 2:03:42 (Wilson Kipsang, 2011) |
| Women’s course record | 2:17:25 (Hawi Feysa, 2024) |
| Registered runners, 2026 | 19,720, a record, from 128 nations |
| Next edition | 31 October 2027 |
The case for Frankfurt: A different kind of German autumn marathon, finishing indoors in a trade-fair hall. Wilson Kipsang’s 2011 course record was only four seconds short of the world record at the time, so the course has a fast history.
Dublin Marathon — Ireland’s Big Day
The Dublin Marathon is a single-loop city marathon held on a Sunday in late October. It starts on Leeson Street Lower, runs down through St Stephen’s Green and the Liberties, and enters Phoenix Park at about 6 km, past Dublin Zoo. The organisers describe a route that combines flat sections with challenging climbs; the best known is the one they call Irish Heartbreak Hill, around the 35 km mark. The race finishes on Mount Street Upper.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Finishers | 18,880 (2026) |
| Established | 1980 |
| Men’s course record | 2:06:52 (Kemal Husen, 2023) |
| Women’s course record | 2:24:13 (Asmarech Nega, 2024) |
| Entry fee | €130 |
| Next edition | 24 October 2027 |
The case for Dublin: A city-centre loop through Phoenix Park, which the organisers call Europe’s largest enclosed park, with a real late-race climb to plan for. Entry is by ballot: for 2027, 17,200 of the 22,500 places are allocated through a public ballot. Runners raised €5.6 million for charity in 2026, according to the organisers.
Detroit Marathon — The International Border Crossing
The Detroit Marathon, officially the Detroit Free Press Marathon, starts and finishes in downtown Detroit and crosses into Windsor, Ontario, on a Sunday in mid-October. The route crosses the Ambassador Bridge into Canada and returns to Detroit through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, then runs through Woodbridge and Indian Village, past Eastern Market and along the Dequindre Cut. The organisers call it one of the few truly international marathon courses in the world.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| 2026 race weekend | a record 30,000 participants across all events |
| Established | 1978 |
| Men’s event record | 2:12:11 (Andy Bowman, 2026) |
| Women’s course record | 2:34:16 (Elena Orlova, 2004) |
| Time limit | 6.5 hours |
| Next edition | 17 October 2027 |
The case for Detroit: The bridge out and the tunnel back are the draw. Andy Bowman won the men’s race for the third year in a row in 2026, breaking Greg Meyer’s 1980 event record.
Melbourne Marathon — The Southern Hemisphere Pick
The Melbourne Marathon is the main race of the Melbourne Marathon Festival, held on a Sunday in October since 1978. October is spring in Australia, with average highs of about 20°C and lows of about 10°C. The 2026 course ran down St Kilda Road, past Flinders Street Station and around Albert Park Lake, with part of it on the Albert Park Formula One circuit, before finishing inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| 2026 festival | more than 20,000 runners across all events |
| Established | 1978 |
| Men’s course record | 2:09:10 (Eliud Kipchoge, 2026) |
| Women’s course record | 2:25:19 (Sinead Diver, 2018) |
| Next edition | not yet announced |
The case for Melbourne: For Northern Hemisphere runners, October in Melbourne is a chance to extend summer and finish inside the MCG. Eliud Kipchoge won the 2026 men’s race there in a course record.
November: The Closers
November is a narrower window, and the two races in this guide anchor it: New York City on the first Sunday of the month, and Athens on a Sunday later in November.
New York City Marathon — The Big One
The New York City Marathon is New York Road Runners’ point-to-point marathon through all five boroughs, held on the first Sunday of November. It starts at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, crosses the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn, continues through Queens and up Manhattan’s East Side to the Bronx, then returns to Manhattan for a finish in Central Park near West 67th Street. Runners cross five bridges along the way. In 2025 the race recorded 59,226 finishers, which NYRR reported as the largest marathon ever at the time; London passed that figure in April 2026.
Early November in New York is cool: average highs in Central Park are about 12°C and lows about 6°C, with rain on roughly nine days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Finishers | 59,226 (2025) |
| Established | 1970 |
| Men’s course record | 2:04:58 (Tamirat Tola, 2023) |
| Women’s course record | 2:19:51 (Hellen Obiri, 2025) |
| 2026 edition | Sunday 1 November 2026 |
The case for New York: Five boroughs, five bridges and one finish in Central Park. Entry is mainly through an NYRR drawing, alongside guaranteed routes such as time qualifiers and the 9+1 programme for NYRR members. The first race, in 1970, was run entirely inside Central Park with an entry fee of $1; 55 of its 127 registered runners finished. In 2026 the course changed for the first time in 15 years, with a small reroute in the Bronx.
Athens Marathon — The Original
The Athens Marathon follows the Original Marathon Course from the town of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium, the route Spyros Louis ran to win the gold medal at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. It is a point-to-point road course and not a flat one: the first 4 km are slightly downhill, km 6 to 10 near Nea Makri are flat, and from km 11 the road climbs in parts, most steeply until about km 20, with further uphills through Pikermi and Pallini. The top is at the Stavros junction at km 30-31, and a long downhill follows through Agia Paraskevi. The last 170 metres are run on the tartan track inside the stadium.
In November, Athens averages a high of about 19°C and a low of about 12°C, with rain on roughly 11 days of the month and relative humidity near 70%.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Men’s course record | 2:10:34 (Edwin Kiptoo, 2023) |
| Women’s course record | 2:31:06 (Rasa Drazdauskaitė, 2010) |
| Time limit | 8 hours |
| Next edition | 8 November 2026 |
The case for Athens: This is a pilgrimage, not a PR attempt: the long climb through the middle of the course makes it a different race from the flat city marathons above. Finishing on the track of the stadium that hosted the 1896 Games is the payoff. For more on this race, see our European marathon guide.
How to Choose Your Fall Marathon
By Goal
- Personal best: Chicago or Amsterdam (October), Berlin (September), Frankfurt (October). Their men’s course records (2:00:35, 2:03:30, 2:01:09 and 2:03:42) are an elite benchmark rather than a promise for your own time, but organisers describe Chicago and Amsterdam as flat.
- Bucket list: New York City (November), Berlin (September), Athens (November). Five boroughs, the Brandenburg Gate and the Original Marathon Course are experiences beyond racing.
- Travel adventure: Dublin, Melbourne, Detroit, or Athens. Races that double as memorable trips: a finish inside the MCG, a bridge and tunnel to Canada, a stadium finish in Athens.
- BQ attempt: A flat course helps; Chicago and Amsterdam are the two here that the organisers describe as flat. See our Boston qualifying guide for course-specific advice.
By Budget and Entry Route
- Fee recorded on the race page: the Dublin Marathon lists an entry fee of €130. Fees change every year, so check the official site before you budget.
- Entry by lottery or ballot: Berlin, Chicago, New York City and Dublin. You cannot count on a place, so keep a second race in mind.
- Everything else: For Toronto, Frankfurt, Athens, Detroit and Melbourne, check the race page and the official site for current fees and registration dates.
By Experience Level
- First marathon: Amsterdam or Chicago. Both are loops that start and finish in one place, which keeps race-day logistics simple. See our first marathon guide for preparation advice.
- Experienced racer: Berlin or Chicago for speed. New York City for the occasion.
- Veteran: Athens for the climb and the stadium finish. Detroit for the novelty. Melbourne for the adventure.
Fall Marathon Training Considerations
Training for a fall marathon means running your highest-mileage weeks in the heat of summer. A few practical tips:
- Start early — Begin your training cycle 16–20 weeks before race day, which means May or June for an October race. See our 16-week training plan for a structured approach.
- Embrace heat training — Summer long runs in heat build physiological adaptations that pay off on a cool race day. Run early (before 7 AM) and carry water.
- Adjust expectations — Your summer training paces will be slower than your fall race pace. Don’t panic. The fitness is there; the heat is masking it.
- Taper wisely — Many fall marathons are in October, which means tapering starts in late September as temperatures drop. Your easy runs will suddenly feel effortless — that’s the point.
- Race day gear — Pack for the conditions. Fall mornings can be cold at the start, but you’ll warm up quickly. Wear disposable layers at the start and plan your race day checklist accordingly.
The Bottom Line
Fall marathon season offers an embarrassment of riches. From September’s opener in Berlin through November’s closers in New York City and Athens, these three months bring together some of the world’s best-known courses and biggest fields.
Pick the race that matches your goal — speed, experience, travel, or bucket list — and commit. The training will be hard. The summer miles will be sweaty. But that October or November morning, standing at the start line in crisp autumn air with thousands of other runners, you’ll know exactly why fall is marathon season.
For spring racing options, check our best spring marathons guide. For scenic destination races year-round, see our most scenic marathons guide.