Signing up to run a marathon is a big commitment, both financially and in terms of the time you’ll be spending training for the event. That means you want the race to be special, and there’s a fair bit of pressure around picking your event.
There are easy picks we’re pretty sure every runner will enjoy, like London, New York and the other World Majors. However, the dominance of this big six… sorry eight (for now), means that a lot of other incredible events go under the radar.
Between us we’ve run well over a hundred marathons around the world and since we launched The Run Testers YouTube channel in 2019 we’ve been documenting our experiences at them with videos. We’re based in the UK so have tested almost all the big events here in particular, but we’ve also travelled to many great races in Europe, the US, and beyond.
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Below you’ll find our insights into what makes each event special and who it might suit best; whether you’re looking for huge crowds of supporters, reliable conditions or the flattest, fastest course possible. These are the best marathons we’ve run… so far.
The World’s Best Marathons
London Marathon
Time of Year: April
We’ve run London more than any other event because it is our local marathon, and are pretty confident that we know as much about the race as any publication out there. Nick is set to tackle his 10th London Marathon in 2027, and we’ve run it in all conditions and at a wide range of speeds.
It’s undoubtedly one of the best marathons in the world for atmosphere, with incredible crowds lining the entire course, and there are throngs of runners at every pace. That can be a plus if you love running in a crowd, but also a negative because the pressure of being surrounded by that many people can be overwhelming.
The course is certainly fast, as shown by Sabastian Sawe and his sub-2 in 2026, but you have to be careful not to go wild on the downhills in the first half and save some energy for the slower sections in the second half of the race. The weather is usually good too, though trending towards being too hot in recent years. The main drawback is how hard it is to get into London, but with the organisers trialling a two-day event in 2027 that could become easier in time.
If you get in, it’s a bucket-list race for sure, and the feeling you get running over Tower Bridge with thousands of people screaming their support is truly unforgettable.
Read our full guide to the London Marathon
Boston Marathon
Time Of Year: April
Tom and Kieran have both run the Boston Marathon, which requires you to get a certain time to qualify for entry, making it the only World Major with such a requirement. The marathon takes place on Patriot’s Day, the third Monday of April, and usually just before the London Marathon.
Boston has a point-to-point course with a downhill profile in the first half before the infamous Newton Hills in the second, including Heartbreak Hill. If the wind is blowing in the right direction it can be a very fast course since you mainly run in one direction, but saving your legs for the late hills is vital.
Read our full guide to the Boston Marathon
Berlin Marathon
Time Of Year: September
All four members of the team have tackled the Berlin Marathon and it has been a happy hunting ground for PBs for us thanks to its notoriously flat and fast course. It used to be where elite athletes went to chase world records, and if you can get a place it’s certainly a good spot to try and run a fast, evenly-paced marathon.
As with all the World Majors, Berlin can be tricky to get into but it’s not quite as difficult as London on this front. The September date usually allows for good conditions, but like London there have been some hot races in recent years, and one aspect to consider with Berlin is that you’ll be doing your peak training at the height of summer if you’re in Europe, the US or the UK.
Chicago Marathon
Time Of Year: October
Three members of the Run Tester team have run the Chicago Marathon, which has the flattest and fastest course of the three World Majors based in the US and has been the site of several world records and our man Tom’s first sub-3 marathon.
The Chicago Marathon has a big field but as with all the Majors, it’s not the easiest race to get into and you have to enter a ballot long before race day to try and secure your spot. It is more accessible than the heavily-oversubscribed London and New York though, and the race starts and finishes in Grant Park, which makes on-the-day logistics easier than Boston, London and New York.
Cape Town Marathon
Time Of Year: May
The newest addition to the World Major club, Cape Town Marathon takes place in May each year and will be an especially popular event for the next few years as people attempt to complete their Majors set. Kieran was in South Africa for the event this year, where he tested out the world-record-breaking Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 racing shoe.
Race day starts very early at the Cape Town Marathon to try and avoid hot conditions, and those chasing a PBs might be undone by the rolling nature of the course, which can knock you out of your rhythm and sap your energy without you even realising.
The field isn’t a huge as other Majors either, which can be a benefit, though Cape Town is sure to get more popular in the coming years. The scenery is stunning in spots, with a long stretch along the ocean and views of Table Mountain, but look out for the ‘Loop of Death’: a 6km out and back section near the end of the race that can be a mental challenge.
Valencia Marathon
Time Of Year: December
While it’s not in line to be added to the World Majors list any time soon, the Valencia Marathon has almost become an unofficial major such is its popularity. It offers reliably good conditions in December and an incredibly fast course and field, so those chasing PBs and even world records have flocked to it in recent years.
We’ve run Valencia many times and while it is now getting harder to get into, and more crowded on the course, it’s still a terrific marathon that you can usually get a spot in each year if you persist with the waiting list.
The underrated bonus of Valencia is that you finish training and do your marathon just before the Christmas party season, so can get fully into the festive spirit while recovering from the race.
Frankfurt Marathon
Time Of Year: October
The Frankfurt Marathon has a growing reputation in Europe thanks to its flat course and excellent logistics — it’s one of the cheapest and easiest marathon weekends away we’ve done, though that was partly because we stayed in the rough part of town in the optimistically-named Hotel Bliss (which we wouldn’t recommend).
There is some risk to running a marathon in Germany in late October, which is that the weather can be uncooperative, but even on a wet and windy day in 2026 we were able to log fast times thanks to the fast course.
The field is big enough to find groups to run in easily without being as overwhelmingly large as the Majors, but in the first and last few kilometres things can be crowded as you wind around the city centre, which does also reduce the GPS accuracy of those sections.
Loch Ness Marathon
Time Of Year: September
The Loch Ness Marathon might just be the most scenic road marathon we’ve done, with the point-to-point route taking you through the Highlands along the length of the famous Loch and into the centre of Inverness to finish. It’s absolutely stunning, with views of the Loch throughout so you can keep an eye out for Nessie while running.
It’s also a fast marathon, thanks to the fact it has a net downhill profile (to the point where it doesn’t count for world records, but we think PBs are OK). The first half is very fast in particular thanks to the downhills, with the second half then being quite tough thanks to a couple of big climbs in the late stage of the race, most notably around mile 20.
Since it’s September in Scotland, there is the chance of a wet, cold day and the start line can be chilly in particular because you begin up in the hills. Once you get going the conditions are usually fine though, and Inverness is a fun city for your post-race celebrations.
The field isn’t massive so you have to book early to secure a place, but if you’re tired of running around city centres for 42km we can highly recommend the Loch Ness Marathon as a great alternative for your next event.
Seville Marathon
Time Of Year: February
The Seville Marathon is the first really excellent marathon of the year, in our opinion. It takes place in late February and offers a fast, flat course through the beautiful Spanish city, and reliably good conditions for runners.
While the field is far from small, with 15,000-20,000 runners, it all feels quite manageable and low-key compared to one of the Majors, and heading to Seville in February makes for a great weekend away if you’re escaping a colder climate like the UK.
Nick ran his PB in Seville last year and it’s definitely a race we plan to return to in the future. The only drawback with the timing is that you hit your peak weeks of marathon training in the coldest, darkest months of the year if you’re in the northern hemisphere.
Manchester Marathon
Time Of Year: April
Manchester is the second-biggest marathon in the UK behind London, and with a similar race date it tends to be the main alternative to London for runners seeking a big spring marathon.
Although the profile of the route looks very flat, we’ve found that the hills on the Manchester Marathon course are definitely noticeable when doing the race, and can knock you off your stride when fatigued in the second half of the event. It’s still a fast course with PB potential, but don’t come in expecting a pancake flat course.
The support around the course is excellent and recent changes to route have moved the finish into the city center, which makes for an atmospheric end to the race.
Hamburg Marathon
Time Of Year: April
Another solid option for spring marathoners, the Hamburg Marathon has a flat, single-loop course with wide roads that makes it very PB-friendly if you’re chasing a time. It’s also surprisingly scenic for a city centre event, with long stretches around the Alster Lakes.
There a good crowds and a big field of runners without it being as overwhelming as a Major, and the race organisation impressed us when we tackled the event this year, especially the post-race recovery facilities.
Dublin Marathon
Time Of Year: October
The Dublin Marathon is a big city marathon with a local feel, with fantastic crowd support and one of the best post-race party atmospheres you’re likely to come across anywhere.
There are some downsides to the event if chasing a PB though. The route is undulating with some challenging uphills, including ‘Irish Heartbreak Hill’ at around the 35km mark, and the late October date means that there’s always the chance of wet and windy conditions.
However, it can still certainly be a quick course and if you’re a runner who favours rolling hills to flat roads it’s a great option. Either way, you know you’re always going to have a good time in the Irish capital.