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10 Fast, Flat Marathons to Help You Set a PB and Qualify for Boston
1 sources · 1 reports
On October 1, 2026, Runner's World published an article listing 10 marathons known for being fast and flat, for runners chasing a personal best (PB) and a Boston Marathon qualifying time (BQ). The races listed in the article include the Houston Marathon, the Rotterdam Marathon, the Mesa Marathon, and others. According to the report, the Houston Marathon course has only 61 feet of elevation change, and in 2025 nearly 15% of finishers earned a BQ; the 2026 men's champion at the Rotterdam Marathon ran 2:03:54, and the women's course record is 2:18:56. The report also notes that most of these races have relatively tight cutoff times, for example 6 hours for Houston and 5.5 hours for Rotterdam. As of the latest report, no other sources have added to or corrected this list or the related data.
Story reports
Runner's World lists 10 fast, flat marathons—including the Houston Marathon, Rotterdam Marathon, and Mesa Marathon—suited to chasing a PR and a Boston qualifier (BQ). Houston has just 61 feet of elevation change, and in 2025 nearly 15 percent of finishers qualified for Boston; Rotterdam's 2026 men's winner ran 2:03:54 and the women's course record is 2:18:56. Most have tight time limits, such as Houston's 6 hours and Rotterdam's 5.5 hours.
Runner's World