If the marathon bug has finally nipped at your heels, spurring you to action, it’s time to get serious about finding the right race. The best marathons for beginners is more than a list of races, it’s looking at your options and figuring out exactly which one is going to give you a shot at a spectacular day.
The marathon isn’t just 26.2 miles, it’s the months of training leading up to race day and you want the pay off to be spectacular.
It’s easy to look to the big races or simply sign up for a race near home, once the idea of a first marathon has finally taken over your brain.
After 19 years of racing and helping others, I wish someone had given me a little more insight about picking a first marathon. While my first ended up being one of the best marathons for beginners, that was luck!
5 Best Marathons for Beginners in the US
There are so many incredible marathons to choose from, but for this list, we narrowed it down to just five of our favorites for first-timers.
You won’t find any World Marathon Majors here; those are lottery-based and increasingly difficult to qualify for each year. Instead, we wanted to highlight races that are just as special and often a little easier to sign up for.
These picks are in no particular order, but each one stands out for its unique location, community, and time of year.
We made sure to include a good mix across the US and throughout different seasons, so whether you’re planning your first marathon in the spring, summer, fall, or winter, there’s something here to inspire you.
1. Bayshore Marathon
Date: May 25, 2025
Location: Traverse City, Michigan
Profile: Flat (329 feet of gain)
Type: Out-and-back
Boston Qualifier?: Yes
If you’re looking for flat, fast, and scenic, look no further than the Bayshore Marathon. This is a great race for both beginner and experiened marathoners.
The out-and-back course is mostly along the waterfront of Grand Traverse Bay, which provides beautiful scenery. The route is also shaded a majority of the time, which is great since the race is Memorial Day weekend and you just never know if it’s going to be hot or cool. The temps range from 45-69 on average.
There are some good spectator spots and they do provide shuttles to help ease traffic around the area. Runners can also count on pace groups if they’re looking to secure a specific finishing time.
The Saturday race does have a strict 6-hour time limit so that’s something to keep in mind. It’s also one of the top races for those chasing a BQ. There is also a 10k and half marathon at Bayshore and all events do sell out so make sure to register early.
Big, big fan of this town for a runcation and the course. I saw a lot of cheering and it’s on the easier side of courses for spring races. However, warmer temps are definitely possible. We had a pretty toasty day.
Read all our tips for the Bayshore Marathon >>
2. Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
Date: November 8, 2025
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Profile: Mostly Flat
Type: Loop
The Indy Monumental Marathon course is flat and fast, with a few minor hills, most notably between miles 15 and 18. The Monumental Marathon is an excellent course for first-timers due to its relatively flat terrain and typical race-day temperatures and humidity levels.
It’s one of the top 15 largest marathons in the United States, this event is held annually in the heart of Indianapolis with about 16,000 runners across all races. Running through the streets of downtown is one of the most beautiful parts of this race. At this time of year, the beautiful fall colors also make the neighborhoods a sight to see.
The Monumental Marathon does not require runners to participate in any kind of lottery in order to sign up for the race, making it an especially attractive option for individuals who are interested in running a larger race but do not want to deal with the uncertainty of an online lottery.
The State Capitol in Indianapolis serves as both the starting and ending point for this annual race. One advantage of a downtown start is that participants can warm up in the convention center before the race begins. This is especially helpful since race mornings in the Midwest can become quite chilly.
The support from spectators is fantastic at this race, and the volunteers who come out to cheer on the runners are incredibly enthusiastic about assisting you in maintaining your momentum.
Indianapolis is the place to go if you want to run a flat and fast midwest marathon.
3. Missoula Marathon
Date: June 29, 2025
Location:Missoula, Montana
Profile: Flat (362 feet gain)
Type: Point-to-point
Last, but most certainly not least, is the Missoula Marathon. A great option for those seeking smaller races done well.
Another flat and fast point-to-point course, this one does have a pretty significant hill at the halfway mark. However, as they say, what goes up must come down!’
This is a great option for folks looking for both a scenic and urban course. It starts in the countryside and finishes in historic downtown Missoula. The race has 1,500 participants in the marathon, while they have 3,000 slots in the half and 1,500 for the 5k.
Despite being a late June race, the area is usually pretty cool with low humidity making it an ideal race if you’re striving for a good performance. The race has a generous 7:30 time limit too making it another walker friendly course.
If you’re looking to tackle your first marathon, Missoula is a great option.
4. Wineglass Marathon
Date: October 5, 2025
Location: Corning, NY
Profile: Downhill
Type: Point to Point
The Wineglass Marathon is a point-to-point race that runs from Bath, New York to downtown Corning, New York. Don’t worry about getting to the starting line, the race will provide buses that morning!
Join 2,000 runners on a relatively flat and fast course with a net elevation loss of approximately 200 feet. The race goes through a few small towns and along some beautiful country roads.
Since there will be multiple races over the course of the weekend, every member of your family will be able to take part in at least one of them. Who knows, Bart Yasso may even read your name out as you cross over the finish line!
Take advantage of this course’s low elevation and quick pace while competing alongside 2,000 other runners. The entire weekend will see almost 6,500 runners!
This race is one of the most beautiful marathons in New York, so it’s a great reason to take a fall trip with your family.
5. Philadelphia Marathon
Date: November 24, 2025
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Profile: Mostly Flat
Type: Mostly Loop
The course of the Philadelphia Marathon is beautiful and will keep you interested and involved the entire time. The 26 miles of this autumn marathon take runners through bustling downtown areas, past dozens of historic sites, along Kelly drive and into the town of Manayunk before hitting the turnaround back to the Philadelphia Art Musuem.
This fall marathon will not disappoint as it is consistently one of the top 10 most popular marathons in the United States. In 2024, the entire race weekend sold out, so if you’re on the fence for this year we suggest registering early.
The entire city is buzzing with excitement throughout race weekend. You can take part in the marathon, a combo of events for a challenge or for family and friends there’s an 8k and half marathon distance on Saturday.
Join 17,000 runners and run through the iconic streets of Philadelphia celebrating the biggest 26.2 mile party!
If you’re looking for a race as your first marathon, the Philadelphia Marathon (half and even 8k) will welcome you with open arms and memories that you’ll cherish forever.
You can read our full Philadelphia Marathon Course and Tips >>
Tips for Picking Your First Marathon
Okay, so we went through a list of some of the best marathons for beginngers. But, I want to give you a way to evaluate the first marathon you pick to decide what will help you create the most memorable {in a good way!} experience possible for both training and race day.
Which marathon is the best for first timers? All depends on you!! Just because Honolulu is great for some folks, it’s not for others, like my athlete Jodi, who trained through sub-freezing temps to arrive and feel overheated!
The Best Location
Should you race near home or select a destination race?
- Local races mean sleeping in your own bed, no travel stress, and eating your regular foods.
- Local races also mean knowing the course and exactly how far you have left (for better or worse) due to common sites on the course.
- Destination races mean seeing new sights and immersing yourself in the race atmosphere of something new, which can help keep you distracted
- Destination races mean more logistical planning, which can add to overall stress.
Personally, I really love to travel for marathon races. While there is more to plan, it adds to the overall excitement and especially for your first marathon where the focus should NOT BE on your time, but instead on finishing strong the destination can help.
The Best Crowd Support
What kind of support will improve your experience? This is hugely personal!
- Including your closest friends and family in this experience can make it that much sweeter. You won’t believe the energy boost you get from seeing them on the course.
- Have you selected a race that will make a great vacation for them or allow them to easily spectate?
- Will seeing lots of great marathon signs give you a distraction and remind you to laugh?
- Do you prefer simply being left to your own devices? Then a smaller marathon where you can just focus on the run might be best.
- Large cities will often have the biggest crowds and the most companies like Lululemon setting up big cheer stations.
- Smaller local races or trail races will offer you less crowded courses and fewer spectators.
The Best First Marathon Course
Now let’s get down to the big one. Which course will give you the best results? First, make sure you know exactly how course descriptions are written!
- Will you have similar training terrain? For instance, training for a race that happens in the mountains is much harder when you live at sea level (Said from experience).
- Course elevation charts will help you determine the amount of hill training needed.
- Race reviews will help you find courses that are more scenic, challenging, or unique.
- During training, do you like running loops, out and back, or point to point? Choose a race with your preferred running style.
- Don’t think that just because it’s downhill running, it’s easier. Those steep races can be some of the hardest.
- What’s the surface like? All road, crushed gravel, some park trails?
The Best Timing for a First Marathon
You’ve decided it’s time to transition from the half to the full, but how much time do you need to make it happen? Or shoot maybe you’re just going all in for that first race. How to know when you are ready to run a marathon?
- If your current long run is a 5K, select a race at least 24 weeks in the future.
- If your current long run is a 10K, select a race at least 20 weeks in the future.
- If your current long run is a 13.1, select a race at least 16 weeks in the future.
- Evaluate other major life events; it’s not ideal to be planning a wedding or studying for major exams during training.
There are a lot more tips to go with training for your first marathon, but hopefully these will help you find the marathon course that’s going to best for first timers.
Don’t stop here! More first marathon tips
- Get a customized training plan with a coach
- Downloadable Couch to Marathon Training Plan
- Tips for Run/Walking your first marathon
- Beginner marathon training tips
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The post Registering for Your First Marathon? Start With These Tips appeared first on RunToTheFinish.
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