World’s Fastest Marathons – October 2025 Rankings
October sits at the heart of the autumn marathon season – a month where cool northern-hemisphere conditions, deep elite fields, and peak amateur fitness combine to deliver some of the fastest performances of the year. With major city races and specialist fast courses across Europe and North America, October consistently produces both high sub-3 totals and strong sub-3 percentages.
In 2025, established big-city fixtures once again featured near the top, supported by a long tail of competitive regional races. Notably, Abingdon delivered an exceptional sub-3 percentage, boosted in part by the age-group international masters match between England and Wales, which brought an unusually deep field of committed club runners to its traditionally fast, club-driven course.
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.
🥇 Chicago Marathon
Chicago, United States – 12 October 2025
Chicago tops the October rankings thanks to a formidable combination of scale, depth and speed. With its famously flat lakefront course and cool mid-October conditions, the race consistently attracts one of the strongest global fields of sub-3 amateurs outside the spring majors. In 2025 it again delivered outstanding depth across club runners and elites alike.
→ View full profile: Chicago Marathon
🥈 Frankfurt Marathon
Frankfurt, Germany – 26 October 2025
Frankfurt reinforced its reputation as one of Europe’s fastest autumn marathons, combining a strong sub-3 percentage with serious depth through the field. The flat city route and reliably cool late-October weather helped drive fast times from both elite and amateur runners.
→ View full profile: Frankfurt Marathon
🥉 Abingdon Marathon
Abingdon, United Kingdom – 19 October 2025
Abingdon produced one of the highest sub-3 percentages of the month, boosted by the England v Wales age-group international masters match which brought a dense field of competitive club athletes. A fast, low-key British course renowned for serious racing over scenery, it again proved one of the most efficient places to run under three hours.
→ View full profile: Abingdon Marathon
4️⃣ Amsterdam Marathon
Amsterdam, Netherlands – 19 October 2025
Amsterdam continued its strong record with a large sub-3 cohort and an elite-level winning time. Its flat route through the Dutch capital and typically cool racing conditions helped it secure a top-five position in October’s rankings.
→ View full profile: Amsterdam Marathon
5️⃣ Marathon Vert Rennes
Rennes, France – 25 October 2025
Rennes delivered an impressive performance for a mid-sized European race, combining respectable depth with a competitive sub-3 percentage. Its cool late-October slot and fast course profile helped ensure strong amateur results.
→ View full profile: Marathon Vert Rennes
6️⃣ Baystate Marathon
Lowell, United States – 19 October 2025
Baystate lived up to its reputation as a “serious runners’ marathon”, offering a fast course and strong club-runner presence. With a compact, performance-driven field, it remains one of the most reliable US qualifiers for ambitious sub-3 athletes.
→ View full profile: Baystate Marathon
7️⃣ Dublin Marathon
Dublin, Ireland – 26 October 2025
Dublin once again attracted a deep and competitive field, combining a strong sub-3 tally with a large total entry. Mild autumn weather and enthusiastic local support helped it secure a place among October’s best-performing marathons.
→ View full profile: Dublin Marathon
8️⃣ Eindhoven Marathon
Eindhoven, Netherlands – 12 October 2025
Eindhoven continued its reputation as one of the Netherlands’ most efficient fast courses. A focused field and favourable weather supported strong depth, securing its position within the global Top-10 for October.
→ View full profile: Eindhoven Marathon
9️⃣ Melbourne Marathon Festival
Melbourne, Australia – 12 October 2025
Melbourne led the southern-hemisphere autumn races in October, producing a solid sub-3 return from a sizeable field. Its flat course, professional organisation and early-spring conditions helped deliver fast amateur performances.
→ View full profile: Melbourne Marathon Festival
🔟 Nairobi Marathon
Nairobi, Kenya – 26 October 2025
Nairobi rounded out the Top-10. While altitude presents a natural challenge, the event benefits from a competitive regional field and elite pedigree, producing strong performances relative to conditions and field size.
→ View full profile: Nairobi Marathon
October 2025 Rankings Table
| # | Marathon | Country | % Sub-3s | # Sub-3s | Total Runners | Winning Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago Marathon | United States | 5-10% | 4000+ | 50k+ | 02:02:23 |
| 2 | Frankfurt Marathon | Germany | 10-15% | 1000-1999 | 10-20k | 02:06:16 |
| 3 | Abingdon Marathon | United Kingdom | 15%+ | 100-499 | 1-3k | 02:29:24 |
| 4 | Amsterdam Marathon | Netherlands | 5-10% | 1000-1999 | 20-30k | 02:03:29 |
| 5 | Marathon Vert Rennes | France | 10-15% | 500-999 | 3-10k | 02:11:38 |
| 6 | Baystate Marathon | United States | 10-15% | 100-499 | 1-3k | 02:27:17 |
| 7 | Dublin Marathon | Ireland | 5-10% | 1000-1999 | 10-20k | 02:08:51 |
| 8 | Eindhoven Marathon | Netherlands | 5-10% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:06:33 |
| 9 | Melbourne Marathon Festival | Australia | 5-10% | 500-999 | 10-20k | 02:15:01 |
| 10 | Nairobi Marathon | Kenya | 5-10% | 100-499 | 1-3k | 02:11:01 |
| 11 | Uppsala Marathon | Sweden | 5-10% | 100-499 | 1-3k | 02:20:30 |
| 12 | Chester Marathon | United Kingdom | 5-10% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:17:16 |
| 13 | Antwerp Marathon | Belgium | 5-10% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:21:16 |
| 14 | Ljubljana Marathon | Slovenia | 5-10% | 100-499 | 1-3k | 02:06:52 |
| 15 | Bucharest Marathon | Romania | 5-10% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:11:58 |
| 16 | Kosice Peace Marathon | Slovakia | 5-10% | 100-499 | 1-3k | 02:06:47 |
| 17 | Viña Marathon | Chile | 5-10% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:16:41 |
| 18 | Swiss City Marathon | Switzerland | 5-10% | 100-499 | 1-3k | 02:18:41 |
| 19 | St. George Marathon | United States | 5-10% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:13:56 |
| 20 | Kyiv Unbroken Marathon | Ukraine | 5-10% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:21:13 |
| 21 | Cologne Marathon | Germany | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:06:53 |
| 22 | Bruges Marathon | Belgium | 5-10% | 100-499 | 1-3k | 02:26:37 |
| 23 | Marathon Petit Train du Nord | Canada | 5-10% | 100-499 | 1-3k | 02:15:18 |
| 24 | Yorkshire Marathon | United Kingdom | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:18:15 |
| 25 | Hartford Marathon | USA | 5-10% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:19:04 |
| 26 | Dresden Marathon | Germany | 5-10% | 100-499 | 1-3k | 02:24:08 |
| 27 | Royal Victoria Marathon | Canada | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:24:28 |
| 28 | Graz Marathon | Austria | 2-5% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:10:59 |
| 29 | Run In Lyon Marathon | France | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:23:24 |
| 30 | Poznan Marathon | Poland | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:14:01 |
| 31 | München Marathon | Germany | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:18:28 |
| 32 | Toronto Waterfront Marathon | Canada | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:08:04 |
| 33 | Venice Marathon | Italy | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:08:58 |
| 34 | Guthrie Wineglass Marathon | United States | 2-5% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:25:23 |
| 35 | Des Moines Marathon | United States | 2-5% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:20:56 |
| 36 | Lausanne Marathon | Switzerland | 2-5% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:24:10 |
| 37 | Columbus Marathon | United States | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:21:16 |
| 38 | 3-Länder Marathon | Germany, Austria, Switzerland | 2-5% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:12:30 |
| 39 | Quebec City Marathon | Canada | 2-5% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:24:51 |
| 40 | Grand Rapids Marathon | United States | 2-5% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:30:13 |
| 41 | Lisbon Marathon | Portugal | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:23:46 |
| 42 | Neapolis Marathon | Italy | 2-5% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:14:51 |
| 43 | Budapest Marathon | Hungary | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:22:17 |
| 44 | Marine Corps Marathon | United States | 1-2% | 100-499 | 30-40k | 02:18:51 |
| 45 | Maine Marathon | United States | 2-5% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:25:52 |
| 46 | Twin Cities Marathon | United States | 2-5% | 100-499 | 3-10k | 02:15:39 |
| 47 | Bremen Marathon | Germany | 2-5% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:33:53 |
| 48 | Perth Marathon | Australia | 2-5% | 50-99 | 3-10k | 02:24:21 |
| 49 | Jakarta Running Festival Marathon | Indonesia | 2-5% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:19:05 |
| 50 | Euro Marathon Metz | France | 2-5% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:29:26 |
| 51 | Portland Marathon | United States | 2-5% | 50-99 | 3-10k | 02:26:52 |
| 52 | Palma Marathon | Spain | 2-5% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:31:47 |
| 53 | Marathon des Grands Crus | France | 2-5% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:30:18 |
| 54 | Long Beach Marathon | United States | 2-5% | 50-99 | 3-10k | 02:26:31 |
| 55 | Detroit Free Press Marathon | United States | 1-2% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:16:10 |
| 56 | Taipei Marathon | Taiwan | 1-2% | 50-99 | 1-3k | 02:18:10 |
| 57 | Silesia Marathon | Poland | 1-2% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:12:30 |
| 58 | Baltimore Marathon | United States | 2-5% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:27:15 |
| 59 | Atlantic City Marathon | United States | 1-2% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:26:56 |
| 60 | Kansas City Marathon | United States | 1-2% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:34:55 |
| 61 | Marathon De Salon De Provence | France | 1-2% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:27:18 |
| 62 | Hanoi International Marathon | Vietnam | 1-2% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:29:34 |
| 63 | Eryri Marathon | United Kingdom | 1-2% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:33:56 |
| 64 | Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon | United States | 1-2% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:37:56 |
| 65 | VP Bank International Marathon | Vietnam | <1% | 10-49 | 1-3k | 02:37:44 |
About These Rankings
These rankings are based on verified results from September 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.