Free tool
Compare marathons
Side-by-side comparison of elevation, PB potential, beginner friendliness, terrain, weather, and entry details. Pick two races and see how they stack up.
Race A
vs
Race B
Race A
Detroit Free Press International Marathon
Best for
Flat-course PBsQualifying pathway
Race B
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Best for
Elite PB chasingNewer marathonersWorld Major bucket-list
Race A
Detroit Free Press International Marathon
Detroit, USA
Race B
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Chicago, USA
Date
Oct 18, 2026
Expected October 2027
Month
Oct
Oct
Location
🇺🇸 Detroit, USA
🇺🇸 Chicago, USA
Terrain
Road
Road
Elevation gain
85 m
▲
30 m
PB potential
▲
Beginner friendly
▲
World Major
No
✓ Yes
Entry type
Open
Lottery
Entry status
Open
Check official site
Season
Autumn · Americas
Autumn · Americas
Race-day temp.
7–16°C
10–18°C
Conditions
Great Lakes October — cool and variable, possible rain
Clear to partly cloudy, cool mornings
Humidity
55–70%
50–65%
Wind
10–20 km/h Lake Erie breeze
10–20 km/h variable
Qualifies for
Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
Want to know how these scores are calculated? See methodology →