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.
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Spring is the marathon runner’s second season. Tokyo in March, then Boston and London in April, are all Abbott World Marathon Majors (worldmarathonmajors.com), and spring delivers the cool, stable conditions that fast marathon running demands while cities emerge from winter looking their best.
A spring marathon also makes practical sense for your annual training rhythm. You build your base through autumn, hit peak mileage in the cold but manageable months of January and February, and taper as the days lengthen and temperatures rise. By race day, you’ve spent your hardest training weeks in conditions that are challenging but not dangerous — the mirror image of summer training for a fall race.
This guide covers the best spring marathons worldwide, organized by month and region, using each race’s own page for the facts so you can choose with real data.
Why Choose a Spring Marathon?
Beyond the ideal weather window, spring marathons offer distinct advantages:
- Winter base building: Your highest-mileage weeks happen in cold weather — tough mentally, but physiologically kind. No heat adaptation required, no 5 AM alarms to beat the sun.
- Daylight advantage: Training through January and February is dark, but by March your evening runs have light again. The psychological boost of running in daylight shouldn’t be underestimated.
- Recovery timeline: A spring marathon gives you the entire summer to recover and cross-train before considering a fall race. That 5–6 month gap is ideal for a two-marathon annual cycle.
- City destinations at their best: European cities in April and May are at their best — outdoor terraces reopen and the weather is usually mild. Across the spring races in this guide, the average daily high in the race month runs from about 11°C (Seoul in March) to about 21°C (Prague in May). Those averages come from the climate data on each race page, not from race-day forecasts.
March: The Early Window
March is the earliest reliable window for spring racing in the Northern Hemisphere — still cold in some regions, but already mild in Southern Europe and East Asia. Average March highs run from about 11°C in Seoul to about 14°C in Tokyo and Nagoya, 16°C in Barcelona and 17°C in Rome.
Tokyo Marathon — A World Marathon Major in Asia
The Tokyo Marathon is a road marathon through central Tokyo held on the first Sunday of March, and one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. It starts at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku and finishes in front of Tokyo Station on Gyoko-dori. In between it passes Suidobashi, Ueno-hirokoji, Kanda, Nihonbashi, Asakusa Kaminarimon, Ryogoku, Monzen-nakacho, Ginza, Tamachi and Hibiya. The course is certified by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF) and by World Athletics and AIMS.
Early March in Tokyo is cool and fairly dry: average highs are about 14°C and lows about 5°C, with some rain on roughly ten days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Runners, 2026 | about 38,773 (preliminary count) |
| Established | 2007 |
| Men’s course record | 2:02:16 (Benson Kipruto, 2024) |
| Women’s course record | 2:14:29 (Brigid Kosgei, 2026) |
| Next edition | 7 March 2027 (the 20th Tokyo Marathon) |
The case for Tokyo: A bucket-list race in a bucket-list city, with the course passing Asakusa Kaminarimon, Nihonbashi and Ginza on the way to Tokyo Station. Entry is through a general ballot, charity runners and other routes, so plan ahead. Runners must be at least 19 on race day.
Seoul Marathon — The Dong-A Marathon
The Seoul Marathon, officially the Seoul Marathon and Dong-A Marathon, is run on a Sunday in March in the South Korean capital. The marathon starts at Gwanghwamun Square, in front of the royal palaces, and crosses the city to finish at the Jamsil Sports Complex, home of the 1988 Olympic Stadium. The race traces its roots to 21 March 1931, when the first Dong-A Marathon was run as a 14.5-mile loop from Seoul to Yeongdeungpo with 14 starters. It was suspended from 1940 for 14 years and returned in 1953 as a shortened race, and a full-distance marathon began in 1964.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Established | 1931 |
| Men’s course record | 2:04:22 (Haftu Teklu, 2026) |
| Women’s course record | 2:18:04 (Joan Chelimo Melly, 2022) |
| Time limit | 5 hours |
| Next edition | 21 March 2027 |
The case for Seoul: A city-centre race with real history behind it. Entry is not by lottery, but the race page records that places sell out in days. Full-marathon runners must be 18 or older and submit a recent marathon result of under 4 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds.
Nagoya Women’s Marathon — A Women-Only Tradition
The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is a women-only marathon held on a Sunday in March in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. It is open to women aged 19 or older on race day, and the course starts and finishes at Vantelin Dome Nagoya, so every runner finishes where she started. The marathon distance began in 1984, after a 20 km race had been run from 1980 to 1983; the race was known as the Nagoya International Women’s Marathon until 2010, and in 2012, having been limited to elite women, it was opened to recreational runners.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Established | 1984 |
| Women’s course record | 2:17:18 (Ruth Chepngetich, 2022) |
| Entry fee | ¥18,000–¥25,000 (general lottery ¥19,000) |
| Time limit | 7 hours |
| Next edition | 14 March 2027 |
The case for Nagoya: A women-only race in a Japanese city that most international visitors overlook. The 2027 edition has about 22,000 places across lottery, challenge, travel-plan, overseas, charity and other entry categories, and it also serves as a Japanese selection race for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing and the 2028 Olympics.
Rome Marathon — A Run Through Living History
The Rome Marathon is a March marathon through the historic centre of Rome. It starts on Via dei Fori Imperiali with the Colosseum behind the runners and, since 2025, finishes at the Circus Maximus. The route passes Piazza Venezia and the Vittoriano, skirts the Palatine and the Circus Maximus, and follows the Lungotevere to Castel Sant’Angelo and Via della Conciliazione, with St Peter’s Basilica at the end of that street. The organisers also name the Foro Italico, Ponte Milvio, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza di Spagna and Piazza Navona on the route.
March in Rome is mild but changeable: highs average about 17°C and lows about 6°C, with measurable rain on around seven days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Finishers | 21,910 (2025) |
| Present form since | 1995 |
| Men’s course record | 2:06:24 (Asbel Rutto, 2024) |
| Women’s course record | 2:22:44 (Pascaline Kibiwot, 2026) |
| Next edition | 14 March 2027 |
The case for Rome: A dense run of historic landmarks in one race, and a record 36,000 runners registered in 2026, from 166 countries. Read more in our European marathon guide.
Barcelona Marathon — Mediterranean Speed
The Barcelona Marathon is the city’s annual marathon, held on a Sunday in March and rated an Elite Label road race by World Athletics. It starts on Passeig de Gràcia, from Plaça Catalunya, and the fully urban course runs along the Gran Via, down Avinguda del Paral·lel to the port, along Passeig Picasso and the seafront at Avinguda Litoral, and up Avinguda Diagonal before returning through Eixample to finish on Passeig de Lluís Companys. The marathon was first held in 1978 as Catalunya 78 in Palafrugell, moved to Barcelona in 1980, and took its present name in 2012.
March in Barcelona is mild: highs average about 16°C and lows about 10°C, with rain on around four days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Established | 1978 |
| Men’s course record | 2:04:13 (Tesfaye Deriba, 2025) |
| Women’s course record | 2:10:51 (Fotyen Tesfay, 2026) |
| 2026 field | a record 32,000 runners |
| Next edition | 14 March 2027 |
The case for Barcelona: A fully urban course from the city centre to the seafront and back. In March 2026 Fotyen Tesfay won on her marathon debut in 2:10:51, the second-fastest women’s marathon on the world all-time list according to World Athletics. The time limit is six hours.
April: The Peak Month
April is spring marathon’s main event. Boston, London, Paris, Vienna, Hamburg and Madrid all race in April, with average race-month highs from about 14°C in Boston and Hamburg to about 19°C in Madrid. Boston and London are both Abbott World Marathon Majors (worldmarathonmajors.com).
Boston Marathon — The One That Requires a Qualifying Time
The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, first run in 1897, and entry is by qualifying time: athletes must meet an age- and gender-based standard to apply, and the field is about 30,000 runners. It is a point-to-point road race from Hopkinton to Boylston Street in central Boston, held on Patriots’ Day, the third Monday of April. The route passes the Wellesley Scream Tunnel around the halfway mark, then joins Commonwealth Avenue for the four Newton hills, the last of which is Heartbreak Hill between miles 20 and 21. It finishes at Copley Square, beside the Boston Public Library, and is a net-downhill route overall, even though the hills come late.
April in Boston is cool: average highs are about 14°C and lows about 5°C, with measurable precipitation on roughly 12 days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Finishers | 29,000 (2026) |
| Established | 1897 |
| Men’s course record | 2:01:52 (John Korir, 2026) |
| Women’s course record | 2:17:22 (Sharon Lokedi, 2025) |
| Entry fee | $270 |
| Next edition | 19 April 2027 |
The case for Boston: It’s Boston. If you have the qualifying time, you go. You don’t run Boston because the course is easy — the hills come late, on tired legs — you run it because you earned the right to. The minimum age is 18 on race day. See our BQ guide for qualifying strategies.
London Marathon — A Record Field, Over Two Days in 2027
The London Marathon is a point-to-point course from three start lines in south-east London, at Blackheath and Greenwich Park, to a finish on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. It is normally run on a Sunday in April and holds World Athletics Platinum Label status. The route loops around the Cutty Sark, crosses Tower Bridge near the halfway point, circles through the Docklands and Canary Wharf, then returns west along the Victoria Embankment to Parliament Square and Birdcage Walk. The organisers describe the first miles as net downhill and the middle section as relatively flat.
In 2026 a record 59,830 runners finished, which Guinness World Records lists as the largest number of finishers in a marathon, and Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30, the first legal sub-two-hour marathon. For the first and only time, the 2027 race will be held over two days, on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April, with a record 100,000 places after more than 1.3 million people entered the ballot.
April in London is mild and changeable: average highs are about 15°C and lows about 6°C, with rain of 1 mm or more on roughly nine days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Finishers | 59,830 (2026) |
| Established | 1981 |
| Men’s course record | 1:59:30 (Sabastian Sawe, 2026) |
| Women’s course record | 2:15:41 (Tigst Assefa, 2026) |
| Next edition | Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April 2027 |
The case for London: A course that links Greenwich, Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace, run in front of the largest finisher field recorded for a marathon. Entry is by ballot, so there is no guaranteed place.
Paris Marathon — A 50th Edition in 2027
The Paris Marathon, now the ASICS Marathon de Paris, is run on a Sunday in early April through the streets of the French capital. The 50th edition is set for 4 April 2027, with a new organiser, Cadence Running United, and a new title partner, ASICS. The 2026 marathon started on the Champs-Élysées and finished on avenue Foch; the 2027 course had not been published at the time of writing, and the organisers say it will be revealed a few weeks before the race and kept for several editions.
April in Paris is mild but changeable: average highs are about 17°C and lows about 8°C, with rain of 1 mm or more on around nine days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Finishers | 57,464 (2026, a record) |
| Established | 1976 |
| Men’s course record | 2:04:21 (Elisha Rotich, 2021) |
| Women’s course record | 2:18:34 (Shure Demise, 2026) |
| Entry fee | €169 (single price, 2027 lottery) |
| Next edition | 4 April 2027 |
The case for Paris: One of the largest marathons in the world, run through the centre of a capital. The first Marathon de Paris, in 1976, had 126 finishers; in 2026 there were 57,464 out of about 60,000 starters. Places for 2027 were allocated by a free lottery, and about 166,000 people applied. See our European marathon guide for more Paris details.
Vienna City Marathon — Central European Elegance
The Vienna City Marathon is Austria’s biggest road running event, held on a Sunday in April, with a half marathon, a relay marathon, a 10K and a 5K on the same weekend. The marathon starts on Wagramer Straße at the Reichsbrücke, beside the UNO-City, and finishes on the Ringstraße in front of the Burgtheater. The route goes over the Reichsbrücke to the Praterstern and along the Prater Hauptallee, then through the city along the Danube Canal to the Ringstraße and the State Opera. It continues along the Linke Wienzeile to Schönbrunn Palace, around kilometre 16, and returns by the Mariahilfer Straße and behind the Rathaus. The maximum height difference along the course is 44 metres, and the steepest gradient only 0.4%.
April in Vienna is cool and changeable: average highs are around 17°C and lows around 9°C, with rain on about six days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Finishers | 8,657 (2026) |
| Established | 1984 |
| Men’s course record | 2:05:08 (Samwel Mailu, 2023) |
| Women’s course record | 2:20:06 (Tigist Gezahagn, 2026) |
| Time limit | 6.5 hours |
| Next edition | 18 April 2027 |
The case for Vienna: A World Athletics Elite Label marathon with a gentle profile, past Schönbrunn Palace and along the Ringstraße. Six runners have finished the full marathon at every edition since 1984. The Prater Hauptallee, which the marathon uses twice, also hosted Eliud Kipchoge’s INEOS sub-two-hour attempt in 2019; that event was not part of the Vienna City Marathon.
Hamburg Marathon — Northern Germany’s Blue Line
The Hamburg Marathon, the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, is a spring marathon through the centre of Hamburg, held on a Sunday in late April. It started in 1986 as the hanse-Marathon, and the 2027 race will be the 41st edition. Runners start from two areas near the Messe, Karolinenstraße and Bei den Kirchhöfen, and share a finish on Karolinenstraße. The route is a circuit that runs along the Reeperbahn, past the Fischmarkt and the Landungsbrücken, with the Elbphilharmonie, the Außenalster and the Jungfernstieg on the way. A blue line marks the route, as it has since the first race.
April in Hamburg is cool: average highs are about 14°C and lows about 4°C, with measurable rain on roughly 13 days of the month.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Established | 1986 |
| Men’s course record | 2:03:46 (Amos Kipruto, 2025) |
| Women’s course record | 2:17:05 (Brillian Kipkoech, 2026) |
| Marathon registrations, 2026 | a record 20,000 |
| Time limit | 6 hours |
| Next edition | 25 April 2027 |
The case for Hamburg: A harbour-city circuit with a distinctive blue-line tradition and fast records at the front of the race. If Berlin in September doesn’t work for your schedule, Hamburg in April is a genuine alternative.
Madrid Marathon — Rock ‘n’ Roll in the Capital
The Madrid Marathon, the Zurich Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Madrid, is the Spanish capital’s marathon and half marathon, held on a Sunday in late April and organised by AD Mapoma. The race starts on the Paseo de la Castellana near Plaza Gregorio Marañón and finishes on the Paseo de Recoletos, between Plaza de Cibeles and Plaza de Colón. According to the city’s tourist office, runners pass the Bernabéu Stadium, the Cuatro Torres business area, Puerta del Sol, the Royal Palace, Casa de Campo, Madrid Río and the Prado Museum. The course is undulating, with roughly the last 10 km uphill, and the city’s altitude makes fast marathon times difficult.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Established | 1978 |
| Men’s course record | 2:08:18 (Reuben Kerio, 2019) |
| Women’s course record | 2:24:37 (Siranesh Yirga, 2022) |
| 2026 event | a record 47,000 runners from 113 countries, across three races |
| Next edition | 25 April 2027 |
The case for Madrid: A cultural tour of a European capital at pace, rather than a personal-best course: plan for the uphill finish. Late April in Madrid is mild, with average highs of about 19°C and lows of about 8°C and rain on around seven days of the month.
May: The Late Window
May moves the spring window north. Average May highs run from about 15°C in Edinburgh to about 21°C in Prague, so Northern Europe and Canada are in their running sweet spot while April is still cold in places.
Prague Marathon — Across the Charles Bridge
The Prague Marathon is a road race through the historic centre of the Czech capital, held on a Sunday at the start of May as part of the RunCzech series. It starts on Old Town Square, and RunCzech says it is the only race in the Czech Republic that takes runners across the Charles Bridge. The race holds the World Athletics Elite Label and has been on the running calendar since 1995. In 2026, 9,076 runners finished. Entry fees for 2027 rise with the number of entries, from EUR 70 for the first 1,500 places to EUR 120 from entry 4,001.
Edinburgh Marathon — Royal Mile to Musselburgh
The Edinburgh Marathon is the main race of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival, held over a weekend in late May. It is a point-to-point course that starts at Potterrow in the centre of Edinburgh, passes the Royal Mile, Holyrood Park and the Scottish Parliament, then heads east along the Firth of Forth into East Lothian and finishes at Musselburgh Racecourse. The organisers say Runner’s World voted it the fastest marathon in the UK. Late May in Edinburgh is cool, with highs averaging about 15°C and lows about 7°C.
Copenhagen Marathon — Flat and Festive
The Copenhagen Marathon is held on a Sunday in May and organised by Sparta Atletik & Løb, which staged the first race in 1980. The organisers describe the route as flat and festive: it runs through inner Copenhagen and over bridges to Christianshavn and Amager, with a street party at Dr. Louises Bro, and continues through Nørrebro, Vesterbro, Frederiksberg and Østerbro. In 2026, 21,708 runners reached the finish. Entries are allocated by a free lottery, after the 2026 entries sold out in 23 hours; the race page lists the fee as 995 DKK.
Ottawa Marathon — Across the River to Gatineau
The Ottawa Marathon, the Tamarack Ottawa International Marathon, is the main race of Ottawa Race Weekend, held on a Sunday at the end of May. The marathon starts and finishes at Ottawa City Hall and crosses the river between Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec. The organisers describe the routes as flat and fast. It is a World Athletics Elite Label road race with a certified course and a Boston Marathon qualifying event, and entries are capped at 6,000. Late May in Ottawa is mild: average highs are about 20°C.
How to Choose Your Spring Marathon
By Goal
- Personal best: Barcelona (March), Hamburg or Vienna (April), Copenhagen or Ottawa (May). Vienna’s maximum height difference is 44 metres, the Copenhagen and Ottawa organisers describe their courses as flat, and Barcelona and Hamburg both have men’s course records close to 2:04 (2:04:13 and 2:03:46).
- Bucket list: Boston, London, or Tokyo. These are the three Abbott World Marathon Majors in the spring window.
- Cultural immersion: Rome (March), Paris (April), Vienna (April). Races where the city is as much the point as the running.
- BQ attempt: The Ottawa Marathon is a certified Boston-qualifying event, and its organisers describe the course as flat and fast. Whichever race you choose, check its course certification and the current qualifying standards. See our Boston qualifying guide.
By Budget and Entry Route
Fees below are the ones recorded on each race page; they change every year, so confirm on the official site before you budget.
- Boston: the Boston Marathon lists $270, with a qualifying time required.
- Paris: the Paris Marathon used a single price of €169 for its 2027 lottery.
- Nagoya: the Nagoya Women’s Marathon lists ¥18,000–¥25,000, with the general lottery at ¥19,000.
- Prague: the Prague Marathon lists EUR 70–120 for 2027, rising as entries fill.
- Copenhagen: the Copenhagen Marathon lists 995 DKK.
- Ottawa: the Ottawa Marathon lists CAD 202.50 plus HST.
- Ballot or lottery: London, Tokyo, Paris, Nagoya and Copenhagen. A ballot place is never guaranteed, so keep a second race in mind.
By Experience Level
- First marathon: Ottawa or Copenhagen. The organisers describe both courses as flat, and both are loops that start and finish in the city centre. See our first marathon guide.
- Experienced racer: Boston for the Newton hills, Paris for the scale, Barcelona for the speed.
- Veteran bucket-lister: Tokyo as a World Major, Nagoya for the women-only field, Athens in November if you want the mirror-season option.
Spring Marathon Training Tips
Training for a spring marathon means your peak weeks fall in January and February — the darkest, coldest months in the Northern Hemisphere. Here’s how to make it work:
- Embrace the cold — Cold-weather running is physiologically easier than hot-weather running. Your body doesn’t have to divert blood to cooling. Layer up, protect your extremities, and appreciate that your easy pace naturally improves in cool air.
- Plan for darkness — If your weekday runs happen in the dark, invest in a good headlamp and reflective gear. Many runners find treadmill tempo runs more practical in January, saving outdoor runs for weekends.
- Build on autumn fitness — If you raced a fall marathon, you have an aerobic base. Take 3–4 weeks of easy recovery, then rebuild for spring. The base-to-peak cycle is shorter the second time around.
- Watch the weather transition — Spring race day can be far warmer than your February long runs. Practice running in warmer conditions during your final training weeks — even a midday run on a mild day helps calibrate effort.
- Plan your taper — For an April marathon, taper begins in mid-March. Use our 16-week training plan as a framework, and check our race day checklist for final preparations.
Multi-Race Spring Trip Ideas
Check the dates before you plan a double, because several spring races share a weekend. For the next editions, the organisers have confirmed the following dates:
- Same weekend, pick one: Barcelona, Rome and Nagoya are all set for 14 March 2027, and London, Hamburg and Madrid for the weekend of 25 April 2027.
- The Asian Swing: Tokyo on 7 March and Seoul on 21 March 2027 are two weeks apart — two of Asia’s great cities back to back, though that is a big ask for recovery.
- The April Majors: Paris on 4 April and London on 24–25 April are three weeks apart and a Eurostar ride from each other. Consider running one and spectating the other.
Be realistic about recovery — a second marathon within 2–3 weeks of the first is a significant ask. Plan the first as your goal race and the second as a destination run at easy pace.
The Bottom Line
Spring marathons concentrate some of the world’s best-known races into a three-month window. March opens with Tokyo, Seoul, Nagoya, Rome, and Barcelona. April peaks with Boston, London, Paris, Vienna, Hamburg, and Madrid. May extends the season northward with Prague, Edinburgh, Copenhagen and Ottawa.
Whether you’re chasing a qualifying time, checking off a World Major, or combining a race with a European city break, spring delivers. The winter training is the price of admission — dark mornings, cold miles, and the occasional treadmill session. But when race morning arrives and you’re standing on the start line in cool spring air, those January long runs were worth every frozen mile.
For fall alternatives, see our best fall marathons guide. For year-round destination inspiration, explore the most scenic marathons in the world.