World’s Fastest Marathons – September 2025 Rankings
Fastest marathons in September 2025, ranked by verified sub-3 finisher data. See which races delivered and view every profiled event.
September is one of the most competitive months on the sub-3 calendar. With autumn racing season underway in Europe and North America, the schedule is packed with major city marathons alongside a wide mix of regional events. Depth of field and fast times return after the quieter summer period, and the month often produces some of the year’s defining performances.
In 2025, the Berlin Marathon again leads the way — though unseasonable heat made this year’s race a slightly tighter contest for the #1 spot than usual. Elsewhere, strong fields in North and South America, Eastern Europe and the Baltics underline September’s breadth, with several races delivering both depth and speed.
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.
🥇 Berlin Marathon
Berlin, Germany – 21 September 2025
Berlin once again tops the September rankings, though unseasonable heat made it a closer contest for #1 than in previous years. Over 2,300 runners broke three hours from a field of more than 48,000, by far the largest sub-3 total of the month. A world-class winning time of 2:02:16 confirmed its position at the head of the rankings despite the conditions.
→ View full profile: Berlin Marathon
🥈 Erie Marathon
Erie, United States – 7 September 2025
Erie achieved the highest sub-3 percentage of the month, with 139 finishers under three hours from a compact field of just over 1,100. Its flat lakeside course and cool early-autumn conditions continue to make it one of the most reliable options for serious amateurs targeting fast times.
→ View full profile: Erie Marathon
🥉 Marathon de Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina – 21 September 2025
Buenos Aires combined scale and speed, producing 579 sub-3 performances from almost 13,000 finishers. Its early start and fast winning time of 2:09:24 helped offset warmer conditions, making it South America’s standout race of the month.
→ View full profile: Marathon de Buenos Aires
4️⃣ Warsaw Marathon
Warsaw, Poland – 28 September 2025
Warsaw delivered depth with 460 sub-3s from a field of nearly 10,000. Its flat city course and favourable late-September climate made it one of Europe’s strongest performers outside Berlin.
→ View full profile: Warsaw Marathon
5️⃣ Tallinna Maraton
Tallinn, Estonia – 14 September 2025
Tallinn produced 121 sub-3s from just over 2,200 entrants, giving it a solid percentage alongside a sharp elite winning time of 2:11:21. Cool Baltic conditions helped it secure a place in the top five.
→ View full profile: Tallinna Maraton
6️⃣ Moscow Marathon
Moscow, Russia – 21 September 2025
Moscow’s large field of more than 15,000 included nearly 500 sub-3 runners, placing it high on depth alone. A winning time of 2:09:31 reinforced its credentials as one of the month’s most competitive big-city races.
→ View full profile: Moscow Marathon
7️⃣ H.C. Andersen Marathon
Odense, Denmark – 28 September 2025
Odense produced 119 sub-3s from a modest field of just over 2,200. Its flat, northern European course and stable conditions pushed it into the global top ten.
→ View full profile: H.C. Andersen Marathon
8️⃣ Oslo Marathon
Oslo, Norway – 20 September 2025
Oslo welcomed over 4,000 runners, with 169 breaking three hours. Its cool Scandinavian climate in late September supported a strong amateur presence despite a relatively modest field size.
→ View full profile: Oslo Marathon
9️⃣ Marathon Touraine Loire Valley
Loire Valley, France – 28 September 2025
The Loire Valley race delivered 81 sub-3s from around 1,800 finishers, a percentage that kept it within the month’s top ten. Its flat regional course provided a reliable platform for fast amateur times.
→ View full profile: Marathon Touraine Loire Valley
🔟 Münster Marathon
Münster, Germany – 21 September 2025
Münster closed out the Top 10 with 107 sub-3 performances from just over 3,000 finishers. A winning time of 2:09:20 confirmed its competitiveness among mid-sized German races.
→ View full profile: Münster Marathon
September 2025 Rankings Table
| # | Marathon | Country | % Sub-3s | # Sub-3s | Total Runners | Winning Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berlin Marathon | Germany | 2–5% | 2000+ | 40k+ | 02:02:16 |
| 2 | Erie Marathon | United States | 10–15% | 100–499 | 1k–3k | 02:23:29 |
| 3 | Marathon de Buenos Aires | Argentina | 2–5% | 500–999 | 10k–20k | 02:09:24 |
| 4 | Warsaw Marathon | Poland | 2–5% | 100–499 | 10k–20k | 02:11:21 |
| 5 | Tallinna Maraton | Estonia | 5–10% | 100–499 | 1k–3k | 02:11:21 |
| 6 | Moscow Marathon | Russia | 2–5% | 100–499 | 10k–20k | 02:09:31 |
| 7 | H.C. Andersen Marathon | Denmark | 5–10% | 100–499 | 1k–3k | 02:21:35 |
| 8 | Oslo Marathon | Norway | 2–5% | 100–499 | 3k–10k | 02:24:30 |
| 9 | Marathon Touraine Loire Valley | France | 2–5% | 50–99 | 1k–3k | 02:23:00 |
| 10 | Münster Marathon | Germany | 2–5% | 100–499 | 3k–10k | 02:09:20 |
| 11 | Einstein Marathon | Germany | 2–5% | 10–49 | 1k–3k | 02:29:54 |
| 12 | Medellin Marathon | Colombia | 2–5% | 100–499 | 3k–10k | 02:16:20 |
| 13 | Helsingborg Marathon | Sweden | 2–5% | 50–99 | 1k–3k | 02:26:32 |
| 14 | Vilniaus Maratonas | Lithuania | 2–5% | 50–99 | 1k–3k | 02:28:32 |
| 15 | Vaal River City Marathon | South Africa | 2–5% | 50–99 | 1k–3k | 02:20:41 |
| 16 | Almaty Marathon | Kazakhstan | 2–5% | 10–49 | 1k–3k | 02:19:36 |
| 17 | Marathon Beneva de Montreal | Canada | 2–5% | 100–499 | 3k–10k | 02:18:12 |
| 18 | Big Cottonwood Marathon | United States | 2–5% | 10–49 | 1k–3k | 02:28:36 |
| 19 | Loch Ness Marathon | United Kingdom | 2–5% | 50–99 | 3k–10k | 02:15:46 |
| 20 | Baden-Marathon Karlsruhe | Germany | 2–5% | 10–49 | 1k–3k | 02:25:29 |
| 21 | Boulderthon Marathon | United States | 1–2% | 10–49 | 1k–3k | 02:21:00 |
| 22 | Marathon du Médoc | France | <0.5% | 10–49 | 3k–10k | 02:27:11 |
Note on Russian Marathons
Sub-3 condemns the ongoing war in Ukraine, initiated by the Russian state. However, we do not hold individual athletes or race organisers responsible for the actions of governments. These rankings are based solely on verified performance data and include all qualifying marathons regardless of political context.
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.