World’s Fastest Marathons – December 2025 Rankings

December closes the marathon year with a distinct profile. As winter conditions limit racing opportunities across much of Europe and North America, the calendar narrows to a smaller number of events that attract highly committed, performance-focused fields. Overall participation is lower than in peak autumn months, but the concentration of sub-3 runners is often high, particularly at races designed around speed, pacing efficiency, and favourable climate.

In 2025, December’s rankings were led by races that combined controlled conditions with clear sub-3 intent. Valencia emerged as the top-ranked marathon, scoring strongly across all three components of Sub-3’s methodology. It delivered the highest number of sub-3 finishers, recorded the fastest winning time of the month, and maintained a strong sub-3 percentage, giving it a decisive overall advantage.

California International Marathon ran Valencia closest, recording the highest sub-3 percentage in December. However, it narrowly missed the top spot due to Valencia’s substantially higher number of sub-3 finishers and marginally faster winning time — illustrating the balance built into the 45:45:10 scoring model.

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.

🥇 Maratón Valencia
Valencia, Spain – December 2025

Valencia ranked first in December by delivering the most complete performance across all three scoring components. It produced the highest number of sub-3 finishers, recorded the fastest winning time of the month, and maintained a strong sub-3 percentage from a large, performance-driven field. Its flat, purpose-built course and stable winter climate created ideal conditions for disciplined pacing and deep amateur competition.
→ View full profile: Maratón Valencia

🥈 California International Marathon
United States – December 2025

CIM recorded the highest sub-3 percentage of any December marathon, reflecting the exceptionally focused nature of its field. Its point-to-point profile and cool conditions continue to attract runners targeting precise time goals. While its total number of sub-3 finishers was lower than Valencia’s, its density placed it firmly second overall.
→ View full profile: California International Marathon

🥉 Maratona di Pisa
Italy – December 2025

Pisa secured third place through a notably high sub-3 percentage from a compact, disciplined field. Its flat route and early-December timing rewarded controlled pacing and efficient race execution, allowing it to score strongly despite lower overall participation.
→ View full profile: Maratona di Pisa

4️⃣ Generali Maraton Málaga
Spain – December 2025

Málaga placed fourth by combining a competitive winning time with solid sub-3 depth. Its coastal location and mild winter conditions provided a reliable environment for late-season racing, supporting consistent performances across both elite and amateur fields.
→ View full profile: Generali Maraton Málaga

5️⃣ Reggio Emilia Marathon
Italy – December 2025

Reggio Emilia earned its ranking through a respectable sub-3 percentage relative to field size. With a fast, city-based course and cool December temperatures, it attracted a focused group of Italian club runners targeting year-end performances.
→ View full profile: Reggio Emilia Marathon

6️⃣ Macao International Marathon
China – December 2025

Macao featured in the Top 10 by delivering efficient sub-3 results relative to participation levels. A competitive winning time and concentrated performance at the front of the field allowed it to score well despite a smaller overall entry.
→ View full profile: Macao International Marathon

7️⃣ Abu Dhabi Marathon
United Arab Emirates – December 2025

Abu Dhabi placed seventh, supported by favourable winter temperatures and a developing competitive field. While absolute numbers remain modest, its sub-3 output relative to conditions was sufficient to secure a Top-10 position.
→ View full profile: Abu Dhabi Marathon

8️⃣ Rocket City Marathon
United States – December 2025

Rocket City ranked eighth after producing a strong sub-3 percentage from a compact, performance-focused field. Known for its runner-centred setup and efficient course, it continues to appeal to disciplined club athletes closing their season.
→ View full profile: Rocket City Marathon

9️⃣ Dallas Marathon
United States – December 2025

Dallas combined reasonable sub-3 depth with a competitive winning time. Its larger field size helped support absolute sub-3 numbers, though a lower percentage prevented it from challenging higher positions in the rankings.
→ View full profile: Dallas Marathon

🔟 St Jude Marathon
United States – December 2025

St Jude rounded out the December Top 10 with a credible sub-3 return from a smaller field. Its inclusion reflects the narrower December calendar, where focused regional races can feature prominently when performance density is sufficient.
→ View full profile: St Jude Marathon

December 2025 Rankings Table

About These Rankings

These rankings are based on verified results from December 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.