World Marathon Calendar 2026
Global marathon calendar for sub-3 runners – dates, grading, and key details for major road races with 1,000+ finishers
The Sub-3 World Marathon Calendar lists major road marathons worldwide that meet our inclusion criteria: each race must have had at least 1,000 finishers in 2025 and at least one runner under three hours. Elite-only events are excluded — these are all open-entry races where sub-3 performance is possible for the general field.
Alongside the date and location of each race, we’ve included an indicative sub-3 percentage grading based on 2025 results:
- Limited (0–3%)
- Good (3–6%)
- Strong (6–10%)
- Exceptional (10%+)
These gradings are a quick guide for runners aiming to break three hours — not a ranking, and not a verdict on the quality of the marathon itself. Many outstanding races simply don’t prioritise a high proportion of sub-3 finishers, or focus on a different style of event entirely. Likewise, there are countless excellent smaller marathons below our 1,000-finisher threshold which, for a range of reasons, aren’t included here.
The calendar is designed for sub-3 aspirants who want to maximise their chances of achieving the mark at a well-established marathon with a strong field of runners. It’s updated monthly to reflect new dates and any changes announced by organisers.
If a marathon is missing, or you spot a detail that needs updating, please let us know — we aim to keep this as accurate and useful as possible for the sub-3 community.
January
| Marathon | Country | 2026 Date | % Sub-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khon Kaen International Marathon | Thailand | 10/01 | Good (3-6%) |
| Cebu Marathon | Philippines | 11/01 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Walt Disney World Marathon | United States | 11/01 | Limited (0-3%) |
| HCMC Marathon | Vietnam | 11/01 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Taipei Charity Marathon | Taiwan | 11/01 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Houston Marathon | United States | 11/01 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Mumbai Marathon | India | 18/01 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Carlsbad Marathon | United States | 18/01 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Hong Kong Marathon | Hong Kong | 18/01 | Good (3-6%) |
| Louisiana Marathon | United States | 18/01 | Good (3-6%) |
| Miami Marathon | United States | 25/01 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Marathon International Marrakech | Morocco | 25/01 | Strong (6-10%) |
February
| Marathon | Country | 2026 Date | % Sub-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surf City Marathon | United States | 01/02 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Dubai Marathon | United Arab Emirates | 01/02 | Good (3-6%) |
| Hillcrest Marathon | South Africa | 08/02 | Good (3-6%) |
| Mesa Marathon | United States | 14/02 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Austin Marathon | United States | 15/02 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Kyoto Marathon | Japan | 15/02 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Maratón de Sevilla | Spain | 15/02 | Exceptional (10%+) |
| Cape Gate Vaal Marathon | South Africa | 22/02 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Pretoria Marathon | South Africa | 22/02 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Osaka Marathon | Japan | 22/02 | Good (3-6%) |
| Malta Marathon | Malta | 22/02 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Ventura Marathon | United States | 22/02 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Tel Aviv Marathon | Israel | 27/02 | Good (3-6%) |
| Wilmington NC Marathon | United States | 28/02 | Good (3-6%) |
March
| Marathon | Country | 2026 Date | % Sub-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowtown Marathon | United States | 01/03 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Little Rock Marathon | United States | 01/03 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Maraton Lala | Mexico | 01/03 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Napa Valley Marathon | United States | 01/03 | Good (3-6%) |
| Tokyo Marathon | Japan | 01/03 | Good (3-6%) |
| Bologna Marathon | Italy | 01/03 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Myrtle Beach Marathon | United States | 07/03 | Good (3-6%) |
| Elands Marathon | South Africa | 08/03 | Good (3-6%) |
| Shizuoka Marathon | Japan | 08/03 | Good (3-6%) |
| Los Angeles Marathon | United States | 08/03 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Dolphin Coast Marathon | South Africa | 15/03 | Good (3-6%) |
| Marató Barcelona | Spain | 15/03 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Run Rome The Marathon | Italy | 22/03 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Shamrock Marathon | United States | 22/03 | Good (3-6%) |
| Mt Charleston | United States | 28/03 | Exceptional (10%+) |
| Gent Marathon | Belgium | 29/03 | Good (3-6%) |
April
| Marathon | Country | 2026 Date | % Sub-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton Marathon | United Kingdom | 12/04 | Limited (0-3%) |
| BNAC Marathon | South Africa | 12/04 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Maratona Internacional De São Paulo | Brazil | 12/04 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Baloise Namur Marathon | Belgium | 12/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Marathon de Paris | France | 12/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Canberra Marathon | Australia | 12/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Mein Freiburg Marathon | Germany | 12/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Rotterdam Marathon | Netherlands | 12/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Marathon Poitiers-Futuroscope | France | 12/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Bratislava Marathon | Slovakia | 12/04 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Maraton de Zaragoza | Spain | 12/04 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Enschede Marathon | Netherlands | 12/04 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Lodz Marathon | Poland | 12/04 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Milano Marathon | Italy | 12/04 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Zurich Marathon | Switzerland | 12/04 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Linz Donau Marathon | Austria | 12/04 | Exceptional (10%+) |
| Hannover Marathon | Germany | 12/04 | Exceptional (10%+) |
| Ibiza Marathon | Spain | 18/04 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Rhode Races Newport Marathon | United States | 18/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Maraton Gdansk | Poland | 18/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Rimini Marathon | Italy | 19/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Cracovia Marathon | Poland | 19/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Manchester Marathon | United Kingdom | 19/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Belgrade Maraton | Serbia | 19/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Leipzig Marathon | Germany | 19/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Vienna City Marathon | Austria | 19/04 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Mountains 2 Beach | United States | 19/04 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Newport Marathon | United Kingdom | 19/04 | Exceptional (10%+) |
| Boston Marathon | United States | 20/04 | Exceptional (10%+) |
| Salt Lake City Marathon | United States | 25/04 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon | United States | 25/04 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Big Sur International Marathon | United States | 26/04 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Oklahoma City Marathon | United States | 26/04 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Shakespeare Marathon | United Kingdom | 26/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Oberelbe Marathon | Germany | 26/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Rock 'n' Roll Madrid Marathon | Spain | 26/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Marathon de Nantes | France | 26/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| London Marathon | United Kingdom | 26/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Padova Marathon | Italy | 26/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Dusseldorf Marathon | Germany | 26/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Hamburg Marathon | Germany | 26/04 | Good (3-6%) |
| Marathon du Lac d'Annecy | France | 26/04 | Strong (6-10%) |
| International Marathon Alexander the Great | Greece | 26/04 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Eugene Marathon | United States | 26/04 | Exceptional (10%+) |
| Ballarat Marathon | Australia | 26/04 | Exceptional (10%+) |
May
| Marathon | Country | 2026 Date | % Sub-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton Marathon | United Kingdom | 03/05 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Flying Pig Marathon | United States | 03/05 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Pittsburgh Marathon | United States | 03/05 | Limited (0-3%) |
| OC Marathon | United States | 03/05 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Vancouver Marathon | Canada | 03/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Maraton de Montevideo | Uruguay | 03/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Belfast City Marathon | United Kingdom | 03/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Toronto Marathon | Canada | 03/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Prague Marathon | Czech Republic | 03/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Great Limerick Run | Ireland | 03/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Durban International Marathon | South Africa | 03/05 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Lincoln Marathon | United States | 03/05 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Milton Keynes Marathon | United Kingdom | 04/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| La Route de Louvre | France | 10/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Leiden Marathon | Netherlands | 10/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Generali Geneve Marathon | Switzerland | 10/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Saumur Marathon de la Loire | France | 10/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Copenhagen Marathon | Denmark | 10/05 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Night Marathon Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 16/05 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Helsinki City Marathon | Finland | 16/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Cleveland Marathon | United States | 17/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Salzburg Marathon | Austria | 17/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Riga Marathon | Latvia | 17/05 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Marathon Royan | France | 23/05 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Buffalo Marathon | United States | 23/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Edinburgh Marathon | United Kingdom | 24/05 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Calgary Marathon | Canada | 24/05 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Noosa Marathon | Australia | 24/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Ottawa Marathon | Canada | 24/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Vermont City Marathon | United States | 24/05 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Lima42k | Peru | 24/05 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Fargo Marathon | United States | 30/05 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Stockholm Marathon | Sweden | 30/05 | Good (3-6%) |
| Rock 'n' Roll San Diego | United States | 31/05 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Cork City Marathon | Ireland | 31/05 | Good (3-6%) |
June
| Marathon | Country | 2026 Date | % Sub-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Valley Marathon | United States | 06/06 | Good (3-6%) |
| Brisbane Marathon | Australia | 07/06 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon | United Kingdom | 10/06 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Marathon de la Liberté | France | 14/06 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Midnight Sun Marathon | Norway | 20/06 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Grandma’s Marathon | United States | 20/06 | Strong (6-10%) |
| Maratona Do Rio | Brazil | 21/06 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Manitoba Marathon | Canada | 21/06 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Missoula Marathon | United States | 28/06 | Good (3-6%) |
July
| Marathon | Country | 2026 Date | % Sub-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Nights Marathon | Russia | 05/07 | Good (3-6%) |
| Gold Coast Marathon | Australia | 05/07 | Strong (6-10%) |
| SCORE Marathon | Malaysia | 12/07 | Limited (0-3%) |
| Amazing Thailand Pattaya Marathon | Thailand | 19/07 | Limited (0-3%) |
| San Francisco Marathon | United States | 26/07 | Limited (0-3%) |
| SP City Marathon | Brazil | 26/07 | Limited (0-3%) |