The best marathons for first-timers.

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Flat · ↑ 30 m

The world's most magical marathon — through all four Walt Disney World theme parks at sunrise, past Cinderella Castle and EPCOT's World Showcase, with costumed character photo stops every mile.

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Flat · ↑ 15 m

Statistically the world's fastest marathon course — virtually no elevation, sea-level altitude, perfect spring climate. Come to Rotterdam to run your best.

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Hilly · ↑ 320 m

America's most beloved community marathon — through Cincinnati's hilly neighbourhoods with the most enthusiastic spectators in American running, pigs at every mile marker, and a 7-hour finish window.

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Flat · ↑ 10 m

One of the flattest marathons in the world — a welcoming, beautifully organised race through the Danish capital's canals, parks, and harbour in ideal May conditions.

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Flat · ↑ 25 m

Australia's fastest marathon — a virtually flat beachside course along the Gold Coast Broadwater and Surfers Paradise in Australia's coolest winter conditions.

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Rolling · ↑ 115 m

Canada's most scenic coastal marathon — a loop around Victoria's breathtaking Oceanside Drive, past the Butchart Gardens approach, and through the city's English heritage streets.

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Rolling · ↑ 130 m

Europe's most celebrated beginner marathon — 22,500 runners looping through Georgian Dublin with a finish on one of the world's friendliest race days.

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Rolling · ↑ 248 m

The world's largest marathon — five boroughs, two million spectators, and a finish in Central Park that changes everyone who crosses it.

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Flat · ↑ 95 m

Asia's largest marathon by field size — a flat route through India's financial capital with extraordinary crowd energy and the city's boundless human spectacle.

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Rolling · ↑ 105 m

Oman's capital marathon along the Arabian Sea coast — past the white-domed Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, through Muttrah's ancient gold souk waterfront, and along Muscat's pristine Corniche.

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Flat · ↑ 45 m

One of America's flattest and fastest January marathons — a near-sea-level loop through downtown Houston and Memorial Park with world-class PB credentials.

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Flat · ↑ 45 m

The most joyful marathon in America — live bands at every mile through the French Quarter, Garden District, and lakefront of New Orleans during the Carnival season.

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Flat · ↑ 55 m

A flat beachside marathon along Tel Aviv's Mediterranean coast — through the UNESCO Bauhaus White City, along the Gordon Beach promenade, and through Jaffa's ancient port.

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Flat · ↑ 80 m

Japan's most emotionally significant marathon — past the Peace Memorial Park and A-Bomb Dome, along Hiroshima's seven river delta islands, in one of the world's most meaningful cities.

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Rolling · ↑ 155 m

A stunning Mediterranean marathon past Gaudí's masterpieces, along Las Ramblas, and along the beach promenade — in spring sunshine on Europe's most architecturally rich city.

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Flat · ↑ 95 m

Sichuan's World Athletics Label marathon — past the Tianfu Greenway, through Chengdu's teahouse-lined alleys, along the Jinjiang River, and into the ancient Jinli Street of China's most liveable city.

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Rolling · ↑ 170 m

Start at the Arc de Triomphe, run past the Eiffel Tower, through the Bois de Boulogne — Paris delivers scenery that makes the kilometres disappear.

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Rolling · ↑ 130 m

Slovakia's compact capital marathon — along the Danube, past the medieval castle, through the Old Town, and across the UFO bridge in one of Central Europe's most underrated cities.

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Flat · ↑ 60 m

Poland's most historic city hosts a flat spring marathon past Wawel Castle, the medieval Cloth Hall, the Kazimierz Jewish Quarter, and along the Vistula River.

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Flat · ↑ 84 m

The world's most celebrated mass participation marathon — past the Tower of London, along the Thames, and through the roar of one million spectators.

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Flat · ↑ 95 m

A flat, fast course through one of Europe's most beautiful cities — impeccable organisation, cool spring conditions, and a crowd that treats every runner like an elite.

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Flat · ↑ 70 m

Germany's third-largest marathon — a flat, fast loop past Hamburg's magnificent Alster lakes, through the Speicherstadt warehouse district, and along the Elbe harbour.

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Flat · ↑ 85 m

A fast, scenic loop through one of Europe's most beautiful medieval cities — cobblestones, baroque spires, and the Charles Bridge all on the race route.

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Rolling · ↑ 130 m

Switzerland's most prestigious marathon — along the shores of Lake Geneva past the Jet d'Eau, through the Old Town, and into the vineyards of Lavaux with the Alps reflected in the lake.

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Rolling · ↑ 175 m

Northern Ireland's beloved May Day Bank Holiday marathon — through Belfast's transformed waterfront, past the Titanic Belfast museum, through the Botanic Gardens, and along the Lagan towpath.

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Flat · ↑ 35 m

The Baltic's fastest and largest marathon — essentially flat along Riga's Art Nouveau boulevards, through Jūrmala's beach resort, and across the Daugava River bridges.

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Flat · ↑ 95 m

Canada's national capital hosts a flat, fast spring marathon through the Gatineau Park, along the Ottawa River, and past Parliament Hill in peak tulip season.

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Flat · ↑ 75 m

A midsummer marathon through one of Europe's most beautiful capital cities — islands, bridges, cobblestones, and the endless Nordic light of June.

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Flat · ↑ 60 m

Uruguay's capital hosts a flat, fast marathon along the Rambla coastal promenade — 22km of waterfront running along the Río de la Plata in Southern Hemisphere winter.

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Rolling · ↑ 130 m

Sweden's second city marathon — through Gothenburg's canal district, past the Liseberg amusement park, along the Göta Älv riverfront, and through the archipelago's coastal approach.

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Rolling · ↑ 140 m

Iceland's flagship marathon in the land of fire, ice, and near-endless summer daylight — a unique, spectacular setting unlike any other race on the circuit.

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Rolling · ↑ 120 m

Lithuania's capital hosts a scenic autumn marathon through Europe's largest surviving Baroque Old Town — cobbled streets, Gothic churches, and the Neris River parkways.

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Flat · ↑ 55 m

Poland's most atmospheric city marathon — through the Venice of Poland across its network of 100 bridges, past the Gothic cathedral on Tumski Island, and along the Oder river promenades.

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Rolling · ↑ 195 m

The seventh Abbott World Marathon Major — cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge, run past the Opera House, and finish in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Southern Hemisphere spring.

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Flat · ↑ 61 m

The world's fastest marathon course — dead flat, perfectly organised, and the site of more world records than any other race.

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Flat · ↑ 50 m

Poland's premier marathon — a flat, fast loop through Warsaw's rebuilt historic centre and modern riverbank parks with excellent PB conditions.

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Rolling · ↑ 230 m

Portland's beloved urban marathon — a loop through the City of Roses' vibrant neighbourhoods, across the Willamette River bridges, and through Forest Park in peak October colour.

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Flat · ↑ 80 m

Consistently rated America's most beautiful urban marathon — a point-to-point through Minneapolis and St. Paul's famous chain of lakes and riverside parkways.

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Flat · ↑ 55 m

A flat, fast loop past one of Europe's most magnificent cathedrals — Cologne's marathon uses the Rhine bridges, the Rheinuferpromenade, and the historic Altstadt for exceptional PB conditions.

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Flat · ↑ 35 m

South America's flattest and fastest marathon — a stunning loop through Buenos Aires' European-style boulevards, Palermo parks, and the Puerto Madero waterfront.

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Flat · ↑ 30 m

The flattest World Major — a loop through 29 of Chicago's neighbourhoods with the most inclusive crowd energy in American marathon running.

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Flat · ↑ 100 m

Bavaria's premier marathon — through Munich's English Garden, around the Olympic Stadium, past the Nymphenburg Palace canal, and along the Isar river, finishing in the heart of the city.

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Flat · ↑ 12 m

One of Europe's fastest marathon courses — a dead-flat loop through Philips' hometown with aggressive pacers, elite competition, and near-zero elevation gain.

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Rolling · ↑ 125 m

Australia's premier road marathon — a spectacular loop around Melbourne's iconic bayside parks, the MCG, and St Kilda foreshore in Southern Hemisphere spring.

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Flat · ↑ 45 m

One of Europe's flattest and fastest marathons — looping through Amsterdam's iconic canals and Vondelpark for world-class PB conditions.

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Rolling · ↑ 155 m

New Zealand's largest marathon — crossing the iconic Auckland Harbour Bridge, along the Waitemata waterfront, past Mission Bay, and back through Parnell's heritage streets.

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Rolling · ↑ 195 m

The People's Marathon — 30,000 runners past America's greatest monuments with military precision and unforgettable crowd support through DC's historic streets.

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Rolling · ↑ 155 m

Virginia's capital marathon — a challenging but rewarding loop through Richmond's historic districts, over the James River, and through Church Hill's leafy streets.

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Flat · ↑ 75 m

The world's most spectacular night marathon — down the Las Vegas Strip under the neon lights with an 8 PM start time and 300,000 spectators lining the Boulevard.

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Flat · ↑ 95 m

Greece's second marathon — a coastal loop around Thessaloniki's Byzantine waterfront, past the White Tower, through the Ano Poli Byzantine quarter, with Mount Olympus visible on the horizon.

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Rolling · ↑ 205 m

America's birthplace hosts one of its most historic marathons — through Fairmount Park, past the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, and along the Schuylkill River.

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Flat · ↑ 40 m

China's fastest marathon — a dead-flat World Athletics Label course through Suzhou's classical garden network, along the ancient Grand Canal, and through the UNESCO-listed water-town of Tongli.

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Rolling · ↑ 215 m

Seattle's beloved Thanksgiving weekend marathon — across the I-90 floating bridge over Lake Washington, through the Arboretum, and into a Seattle Center finish beneath the Space Needle.

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Rolling · ↑ 110 m

California's fastest marathon — a net-downhill point-to-point from Folsom to Sacramento, the most popular Boston qualifier on the US west coast.

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Flat · ↑ 55 m

The world's most extraordinary marathon setting — at dawn past the iconic Angkor Wat temple reflection, through Angkor Thom's jungle-clad towers, along stone causeways of the Khmer Empire's ancient capital.

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Flat · ↑ 35 m

The UAE capital's IAAF Gold Label marathon — a virtually flat course along the Abu Dhabi Corniche, past Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, through Yas Island's F1 circuit, and along the Arabian Gulf waterfront.

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Flat · ↑ 75 m

Europe's warmest December marathon — a flat coastal loop through Málaga's old town, along the Paseo Marítimo, and around the harbour in Costa del Sol sunshine.

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Flat · ↑ 36 m

December's perfect PB race — flat, fast, and held in ideal cool Mediterranean conditions that produce faster times than almost any course on earth.

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Rolling · ↑ 220 m

The world's most unique marathon setting — starting pre-dawn with a fireworks display on Ala Moana Boulevard, past Diamond Head, and along Oahu's breathtaking coastline.

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Rolling · ↑ 135 m

Finland's biggest marathon — down Mannerheimintie, along the Baltic seafront and through the city's parks to a finish inside the Olympic Stadium on a cool May Saturday.

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