Top 8 Fall Marathons in the United States (Outside of the Marathon Majors)
We’re closing out the spring marathon season and you may be wondering, what’s next? We’ve compiled a list of our top 8 fall marathons in the United States outside of the marathon majors. This list was compiled from personal experience as well as coaching over the years and some of the most popular fall marathons our athletes choose over and over.
California International Marathon Finish Line
1. Wineglass Marathon - October 1, 2023
Wineglass Marathon is a small, slightly downhill (411 ft of gain; 610 ft of loss) marathon that is attractive for both new and experienced marathoners looking to run a fast time. The temperatures are often very mild and perfect racing conditions with an average low of 43° and high of 64°. You’ll want to stay in Corning (the finish) or Bath (the start) and will need to jump on a bus because there is no parking near the start line. The rural fall views and scenery on this course are unmatched. This race does sell out and you’ll want to book accommodations early since it is more of a rural race.
Where: Corning, NY
Course Profile/Type: Slight downhill; point-to-point
Size: 1,371 finishers in 2022
Boston Qualifier? Yes
2. Twin Cities Marathon - October 1, 2023
Twin Cities Marathon is a great option for a bigger city race with ideal racing temperatures (average low is 40° and average high is 62°). Fast times can be run on this course, but you do want to train on hills because they’ve got a long steady one from mile 22-24. The race ends at the State Capitol and there’s a variety of distances for the weekend outside of the marathon.
Where: St. Paul, MN
Course Profile/Type: Rolling Hills; point-to-point
Size: 6,501 finishers in 2022
Boston Qualifier? Yes
Our athlete, Elise, at the end of the Twin Cities Marathon in front of the capitol building.
3. St. George Marathon - October 7, 2023
St. George Marathon is a net downhill race with over 3,000 feet of loss that can produce fast times. The starting temps are very low at the start (averaging 37°), but this race can get warm towards the end (average high is 70°). The race does have a cap on participants, so be sure to register early, before it sells out. One thing to consider about St. George is that it starts at 5,000 feet, so if altitude has a big effect on you, maybe give this one a pass.
Where: St. George, UT
Course Profile/Type: Downhill; point-to-point
Size: 3,481 finishers in 2022
Boston Qualifier? Yes
4. Indianapolis Monumental Marathon - October 28, 2023
Indianapolis Monumental Marathon is a flat and fast Midwest marathon that attracts many athletes looking to qualify for Boston or snag a PR. Spectator support is huge at this race and they offer athletes a big boost as they come into downtown and the finish line. Some athletes have noted that the course is congested for the first several miles as it does start with the half marathon participants, who break off at mile 7.
Where: Indianapolis, IN
Course Profile/Type: Mostly flat; loop
Size: 4,610 finishers in 2022
Boston Qualifier? Yes
5. Marine Corps Marathon - October 29, 2023
Marine Corps Marathon is known as “The People’s Marathon” as one of the largest marathons in the US that doesn’t offer prize money. It’s a mostly flat and allows runners a unique experience to run through the nation’s capital. It also contains the iconic wear blue Mile that honors the service and sacrifice of the American Military. Crowd support is incredible for this race and the weekend offers several distance options, including a 50K and a kid’s run so the whole family can get involved.
Where: Washington, DC
Course Profile/Type: Mostly flat; loop
Size: 11,185 finishers in 2022
Boston Qualifier? Yes
6. Richmond Marathon - November 11, 2023
Richmond Marathon course winds through historic Richmond, VA with portions of it running along the James River which provides a mix of urban and wooded views. The course offers variety with rolling hills and an opportunity for a fast, downhill finish. Race day temperatures range from the high 30s to low 50s, although the last 2 years have been pretty warm. Richmond touts itself as the “friendliest marathon” with a great post race party along the canal. It also features a half marathon and 8k options.
Where: Richmond, VA
Course Profile/Type: Rolling hills; loop
Size: 3,385 finishers in 2022
Boston Qualifier? Yes
7. Philadelphia Marathon - November 19, 2023
Philadelphia Marathon provides chilly race day temps (average low is 34° and average high is 51°) and a mostly flat course through the historic city. This race is extremely well organized and you can achieve fast times here even though the course has some hills. The event is weekend long with a half marathon, 8K, and kid’s run on Saturday before the main event marathon on Sunday.
Where: Philadelphia, PA
Course Profile/Type: Mostly flat; loop
Size: 8,420 finishers in 2022
Boston Qualifier? Yes
8. California International Marathon - December 2, 2023
California International Marathon (aka CIM) is known as “The Fastest Course in the West” and has been dubbed the BQ factory for producing fast times on the net downhill course. Don’t let the elevation map fool you though because there are rolling hills and hill training is essential for tackling this course. Weather is often reliably perfect this time of year, but if you come from drier climates, be prepared for some humidity. This race does sell out early. You can check out Coach J’s CIM race recaps from 2015 and 2019 for more details.
Where: Sacramento, CA
Course Profile/Type: Downhill; point-to-point
Size: 8,016 finishers in 2022
Boston Qualifier? Yes
Coach J, Coach Katherine, and our athlete Natalie at the finish of CIM in 2019
There are loads of options for fall marathons if you missed any of the big lottery races, like Chicago or NYC. You can’t go wrong with any of the races on this list!
All statistics from findmymarathon.com
