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World’s Fastest Marathons – May 2025 Rankings

Explore the top sub-3 marathons in May 2025. See which races ranked highest for speed, depth and verified finisher data.

World’s Fastest Marathons – May 2025 Rankings

May sits on the edge of the traditional spring marathon season. While fewer major races take place compared to April, several fast, well-regarded events still draw deep amateur fields and strong elite performances. From Copenhagen to Durban, the month offered a wide geographical spread, with cool conditions and flat courses continuing to deliver competitive results.

These rankings apply the same rigorous Sub-3 methodology: 45% of the score comes from the percentage of sub-3 finishers, 45% from the total number of sub-3 performances, and 10% from the fastest winning time. All results are drawn from verified 2025 race data, using a consistent, spreadsheet-based scoring model with no extrapolations or assumptions.

🥇 Copenhagen Marathon
Copenhagen, Denmark – 11 May 2025
With over 1,400 sub-3 finishers from a field of 18,500, the Copenhagen Marathon delivered the strongest combination of depth and volume in May. A fast, flat course and cool early-summer weather made it a clear choice for serious amateur runners. Its winning time of 2:08:25 and consistently strong amateur showing secured its place at the top of this month’s global rankings.
→ View full profile: Copenhagen Marathon

🥈 Bayshore Marathon
Traverse City, Michigan, United States – 24 May 2025
The Bayshore Marathon continued its tradition of strong age-group performances, delivering one of the highest sub-3 percentages of the month. From a field of just over 1,600, more than 150 runners broke three hours on this out-and-back course along Lake Michigan. A relatively small race, but one built for speed.
→ View full profile: Bayshore Marathon

🥉 Durban International Marathon
Durban, South Africa – 4 May 2025
Durban offered a fast coastal course with a strong balance of elite and amateur performances. Just over 2,000 runners finished the 2025 edition, with nearly 140 breaking three hours and a winning time of 2:10:41. The race continues to attract competitive domestic fields and remains one of South Africa’s fastest marathons.
→ View full profile: Durban International Marathon

4️⃣ Prague Marathon
Prague, Czech Republic – 4 May 2025
With a winning time of 2:05:14 — the fastest in this month’s rankings — the Prague Marathon stood out for elite performance. Among the 7,600 finishers, 370 ran sub-3, securing a top-five ranking overall. Prague’s course blends urban scenery with steady pacing opportunities, making it a well-established event on the European circuit.
→ View full profile: Prague Marathon

5️⃣ Riga Marathon
Riga, Latvia – 18 May 2025
The Riga Marathon drew over 2,000 finishers and produced more than 130 sub-3 performances. A flat, compact route and cool Baltic air helped runners post strong times across the board. Riga’s consistent amateur depth has earned it repeat appearances in the Sub-3 rankings.
→ View full profile: Riga Marathon

6️⃣ Lima42k
Lima, Peru – 25 May 2025
Lima’s flagship road race delivered a strong showing in 2025, with nearly 3,000 finishers and 178 breaking the sub-3 barrier. The flat course and moderate temperatures helped it post a competitive overall score, placing it just outside the global top five for May.
→ View full profile: Lima42k

7️⃣ Lincoln Marathon
Lincoln, Nebraska, United States – 4 May 2025
With just over 1,000 runners and 74 sub-3 performances, the Lincoln Marathon stood out for its high percentage of fast finishers. The compact field and straightforward course make it a popular choice for club runners and time-focused amateurs seeking a lower-profile spring race.
→ View full profile: Lincoln Marathon

8️⃣ Ottawa Marathon
Ottawa, Canada – 24 May 2025
Ottawa delivered strong all-round metrics in 2025, with over 3,200 finishers and 182 sub-3 runners. A fast winning time of 2:08:22 and favourable late-spring conditions contributed to a solid global ranking. The event remains a mainstay of Canada’s road racing calendar.
→ View full profile: Ottawa Marathon

9️⃣ Stockholm Marathon
Stockholm, Sweden – 31 May 2025
The Stockholm Marathon closed out the month with over 18,000 finishers and a deep field of sub-3 runners. Despite a lower percentage due to field size, it remains one of northern Europe’s largest and best-organised marathons, offering a mix of crowd support and historic scenery.
→ View full profile: Stockholm Marathon

🔟 Saumur Marathon de la Loire
Saumur, France – 11 May 2025
This scenic riverside race in western France recorded over 4,000 finishers and more than 230 sub-3 performances. Its flat course and early May timing make it a strong mid-sized option for those looking to combine speed with a smaller race atmosphere.
→ View full profile: Saumur Marathon de la Loire

May 2025 Rankings Table

#MarathonCountry% Sub-3s# Sub-3sTotal RunnersWinning Time
1Copenhagen MarathonDenmark5–10%1000–199910k–20k02:08:25
2Bayshore MarathonUnited States5–10%100–4991k–3k02:20:10
3Durban International MarathonSouth Africa5–10%100–4991k–3k02:10:41
4Prague MarathonCzech Republic2–5%100–4993k–10k02:05:14
5Riga MarathonLatvia5–10%100–4991k–3k02:13:20
6Lima42kPeru5–10%100–4991k–3k02:11:48
7Lincoln MarathonUnited States5–10%50–991k–3k02:21:58
8Ottawa MarathonCanada5–10%100–4993k–10k02:08:22
9Stockholm MarathonSweden2–5%500–99910k–20k02:11:34
10Saumur Marathon de la LoireFrance5–10%100–4993k–10k02:15:39
11Vermont City MarathonUnited States5–10%50–991k–3k02:17:04
12Generali Geneve MarathonSwitzerland2–5%100–4993k–10k02:11:37
13Salzburg MarathonAustria5–10%50–991k–3k02:17:19
14Belfast City MarathonUnited Kingdom2–5%100–4993k–10k02:13:37
15Milton Keynes MarathonUnited Kingdom5–10%100–4991k–3k02:34:12
16Vancouver MarathonCanada2–5%100–4993k–10k02:14:32
17Noosa MarathonAustralia5–10%50–991k–3k02:28:18
18Great Limerick RunIreland5–10%50–991k–3k02:25:54
19Toronto MarathonCanada2–5%100–4993k–10k02:23:58
20Buffalo MarathonUnited States5–10%50–991k–3k02:32:12
21Maraton de MontevideoUruguay2–5%10–491k–3k02:07:04
22Cleveland MarathonUnited States2–5%50–991k–3k02:18:58
23Leiden MarathonNetherlands2–5%50–991k–3k02:12:50
24La Route de LouvreFrance2–5%50–991k–3k02:08:53
25Pittsburgh MarathonUnited States2–5%100–4993k–10k02:14:28
26Helsinki City MarathonFinland2–5%50–991k–3k02:25:17
27Flying Pig MarathonUnited States2–5%100–4993k–10k02:22:41
28OC MarathonUnited States2–5%50–993k–10k02:23:41
29Edinburgh MarathonUnited Kingdom2–5%100–49910k–20k02:22:16
30Fargo MarathonUnited States2–5%10–491k–3k02:26:20
31Calgary MarathonCanada2–5%50–991k–3k02:28:42
32Utrecht MarathonNetherlands2–5%50–991k–3k02:29:11
33Marathon de la MerFrance1–2%10–491k–3k02:28:37
34Wally Hayward MarathonSouth Africa1–2%10–491k–3k02:23:31
35Marathon RoyanFrance2–5%10–491k–3k02:38:17
36Rob Burrow Leeds MarathonUnited Kingdom1–2%50–993k–10k02:28:14
37Rock 'n' Roll San DiegoUnited States0.5–1%50–993k–10k02:29:41
38Night Marathon LuxembourgLuxembourg1–2%10–491k–3k02:29:04

About These Rankings

These rankings are based on verified results from May 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.