World’s Fastest Marathons – August 2025 Rankings

August is a transitional month on the sub-3 calendar. While heat and humidity still affect many northern hemisphere races, the southern half of the globe is deep into its marathon season — with events in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Southeast Asia offering fast, flat courses in midwinter conditions. This contrast is reflected in the rankings, where a small number of high-quality races dominate the top spots, often combining elite-level winning times with strong amateur depth.

As always, these rankings apply Sub-3’s standard methodology: 45% of the total score comes from the percentage of sub-3 finishers, 45% from the absolute number of sub-3 runners, and 10% from the fastest winning time. All figures are drawn from verified 2025 results and evaluated using a consistent spreadsheet-based model with no extrapolations or assumptions.

🥇 Sydney Marathon
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia – 11 August 2025
In its first outing as an official World Marathon Major, the Sydney Marathon delivered on both scale and quality. More than 1,300 runners broke three hours — the highest sub-3 count of any August race — and the winning time of 2:06:06 was the fastest of the month. Held on a reworked city course with early start times and global broadcast coverage, the 2025 edition marked a significant step up in both elite and amateur depth.
→ View full profile: Sydney Marathon

🥈 Santa Rosa Marathon
Santa Rosa, California, United States – 25 August 2025
Santa Rosa produced the highest sub-3 percentage of the month, with 95 runners going under three hours from a field of just over 1,300. The flat, scenic course through California wine country and a winning time of 2:26:26 placed it second overall in August’s global rankings. It remains one of the most sub-3-friendly events on the West Coast.
→ View full profile: Santa Rosa Marathon

🥉 Sunshine Coast Marathon
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia – 18 August 2025
A strong showing from competitive amateurs helped push Sunshine Coast into the global top three. With 127 sub-3 runners and a winning time of 2:14:05, the race built on its reputation for cool winter conditions and a flat, coastal route. It continues to attract both local elites and serious club runners from across Australia.
→ View full profile: Sunshine Coast Marathon

4️⃣ Helsinki Marathon
Helsinki, Finland – 24 August 2025
Helsinki offered a solid blend of scale and performance, with 70 runners breaking three hours and a winning time of 2:29:40. While the field wasn’t as large as in previous years, the sub-3 depth remained strong. The cool late-summer conditions and scenic coastal route helped secure its place among August’s top performers.
→ View full profile: Helsinki Marathon

5️⃣ Reykjavik Marathon
Reykjavik, Iceland – 17 August 2025
Despite a relatively small sub-3 count, Reykjavik held its position in the global rankings thanks to favourable conditions and a well-established local running culture. The winning time of 2:23:55 and a compact field with nearly 40 sub-3s reflect the strength of Icelandic distance running and the appeal of this atmospheric race.
→ View full profile: Reykjavik Marathon

6️⃣ Edmonton Marathon
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – 18 August 2025
Edmonton saw 34 runners finish under three hours and a winning time of 2:29:15, placing it sixth overall for the month. The race benefits from a relatively flat course, supportive local crowd, and consistent early-morning conditions. It continues to punch above its weight on the North American circuit.
→ View full profile: Edmonton Marathon

7️⃣ Songkhla Marathon
Songkhla, Thailand – 18 August 2025
Songkhla recorded 32 sub-3s and a winning time of 2:22:24 in warm, humid conditions. While the sub-3 percentage was modest, the course’s flat profile and growing organisational reputation have helped it attract faster domestic and regional runners.
→ View full profile: Songkhla Marathon

8️⃣ Maratón de la Ciudad de México
Mexico City, Mexico – 25 August 2025
One of the largest marathons of the month, Mexico City produced 199 sub-3s despite high altitude and challenging conditions. While the sub-3 percentage was low, the sheer scale of the field and a winning time of 2:11:15 reflect its importance on the Latin American marathon calendar.
→ View full profile: Maratón de la Ciudad de México

9️⃣ Maybank Marathon
Bali, Indonesia – 25 August 2025
Held on the Indonesian island of Bali, the Maybank Marathon featured 31 sub-3 finishers and a winning time of 2:17:01. While conditions can be tough due to heat and humidity, the race continues to attract a small but serious amateur contingent.
→ View full profile: Maybank Marathon

🔟 Duo Highway Challenge
Malaysia – 11 August 2025
With only eight sub-3 finishers and a winning time of 2:47:46, the Duo Highway Challenge rounds out the August rankings. The low times reflect the event’s relative focus on participation rather than elite or competitive depth.
→ View full profile: Duo Highway Challenge

August 2025 Rankings Table

About These Rankings

These rankings are based on verified results from August 2025 and scored using Sub-3’s 45:45:10 system – 45% for the proportion of sub-3 finishers, 45% for the total number of sub-3s, and 10% for the fastest winning time. Read more about our approach on the Rankings Methodology page.

Missing a Marathon?

We only include open-entry road marathons with 1,000+ finishers that have verifiable public results. Elite-only races or events with no published finisher data are excluded. If you believe a race has been missed, please get in touch.