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
Marine Corps Marathon
Best for
Newer marathoners
Race B
Boston Marathon
Best for
World Major bucket-list
Race A
Marine Corps Marathon
Washington DC, USA
Race B
Boston Marathon
Boston, USA
Date
Oct 25, 2026
Expected April 2027
Month
Oct
Apr
Location
🇺🇸 Washington DC, USA
🇺🇸 Boston, USA
Terrain
Road
Road
Elevation gain
▲
195 m
247 m
PB potential
▲
Beginner friendly
▲
World Major
No
✓ Yes
Entry type
Lottery
Qualifier
Entry status
Lottery opens Jan
Check official site
Season
Autumn · Americas
Spring · Americas
Race-day temp.
10–17°C
8–16°C
Conditions
Crisp autumn — one of the most reliable race-day climates on the US calendar
Variable — can be ideal or brutal
Humidity
55–70%
50–70%
Wind
10–20 km/h
Variable 10–25 km/h
Qualifies for
—
—
Want to know how these scores are calculated? See methodology →