Marathon season never really stops. As soon as the autumn classics are done, the spring calendar opens, and the ballots for next year's big races are already closing. If you want to line up at a major marathon in the next twelve months, now is the time to pick your race, lock in your entry and plan your training block. Here are the dates that matter from November 2026 to autumn 2027, race by race, with what makes each one worth the trip.
Dates below are the official or announced dates at the time of writing. Always double-check on the organiser's website before you book flights, and note that a few of the 2027 dates are provisional.
Autumn 2026: the last big ones of the year
New York City Marathon — Sunday 1 November 2026
Five boroughs, two million spectators, and the Queensboro Bridge silence followed by the roar of First Avenue. New York isn't a fast course — the bridges and the Central Park hills see to that — but it's the race most runners name when you ask them about their bucket list. Entry is by lottery (drawn in late winter), time qualification or charity place.
Valencia Marathon — Sunday 6 December 2026
Flat, fast, warm but not hot, and finishing on the famous blue carpet over the water at the City of Arts and Sciences. Valencia has become the race where Europeans go to chase a personal best, and the course has produced several of the fastest times ever run. Places sell out months ahead, so if you're not already in, this one is a target for 2027.
Early 2027: fast and flat
Seville Marathon — Sunday 21 February 2027
The quiet PB course of Europe: pancake flat, mild February weather and a loop through the old town, the river and the Plaza de España. Smaller than the majors, cheaper to enter, and loved by runners who want a fast time without the lottery stress.
Tokyo Marathon — Sunday 7 March 2027
The first World Marathon Major of the year and the hardest to get into: a tiny international ballot and strict qualifying standards. The reward is a flat, immaculate course through Shinjuku, Asakusa and Ginza, and crowds that cheer every single runner with the same energy.
Barcelona Marathon and Rome Marathon — Sunday 14 March 2027
Two very different city marathons on the same day. Barcelona is fast, wide and sunny, with the Sagrada Família and the seafront on the route. Rome is slower — cobbles and a few climbs — but it starts and finishes at the Colosseum and runs past the Vatican. Pick Barcelona for a time, Rome for the memories.
Spring 2027: the classics
Paris Marathon — Sunday 4 April 2027
Champs-Élysées at the start, the Bois de Vincennes, the Seine embankments and the Bois de Boulogne at the end. Paris is big, scenic and gently rolling. Registration opens in the autumn and the cheapest entry tiers go quickly.
Boston Marathon — Monday 19 April 2027
The oldest annual marathon in the world and the only major where almost everyone had to qualify to be there. Point-to-point from Hopkinton to Boylston Street, with the Newton hills and Heartbreak Hill waiting at mile 20. Registration for the 2027 race closed back in September 2026, so for most runners 2027 is the year to chase the qualifying time, and 2028 the year to run it.
London Marathon — Sunday 25 April 2027
The biggest marathon in the world by finishers, and arguably the best atmosphere: Greenwich, Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and the finish on The Mall. The public ballot opens in the days after the 2026 race and closes within a week, so if you missed it, charity places and good-for-age entries are the routes in.
Cape Town Marathon — Sunday 23 May 2027
The newest member of the Majors family and currently one of the easier ones to enter. Ocean views, Table Mountain in the background and a course that's flatter than you'd expect. A good excuse for a late-spring trip.
Autumn 2027: PB season
Sydney Marathon — Sunday 29 August 2027
Harbour Bridge, the Opera House finish and a course that has been reworked for speed. Sydney's ballot is less oversubscribed than the US and European majors — worth a look if you want a Major star without years of waiting.
Berlin Marathon — Sunday 26 September 2027
The fastest major marathon on the planet. Flat, wide roads, cool September mornings and the finish through the Brandenburg Gate. The ballot usually opens in October and closes in November, so this is one to enter almost a year ahead.
Chicago Marathon — Sunday 10 October 2027
Flat, loud and loop-shaped through 29 neighbourhoods. Chicago is where a lot of runners get their first sub-3 or sub-4, helped by the course and by October weather that's usually kind. Ballot in late autumn the year before, plus time qualifiers and charities.
New York City Marathon — Sunday 7 November 2027
And back to where we started. If you enter the lottery in early 2027, you'll know by spring whether November is yours.
Which shoe for which race?
The course matters as much as the date when you choose your race-day pair.
- Flat and fast (Valencia, Seville, Berlin, Chicago, Barcelona, Tokyo): this is super-shoe territory. The Nike Alphafly 3, the adidas Adios Pro 4 and the Hoka Cielo X1 2.0 are built for exactly these courses — maximum return from a carbon plate on long, straight roads. Our full range is in the Carbon Racers collection.
- Rolling and technical (New York, Boston, Rome, Paris): a lighter, more stable racer like the Nike Vaporfly 4 handles bridges, cobbles and downhills better than the tallest plated shoes, and it's easier on the legs when the course changes rhythm every few kilometres.
- The training block before it: most of your marathon miles happen in a daily trainer, not a racer. The Nike Vomero 18 and the On Cloudmonster 3 cover the long runs; see the Daily Trainers collection for the rest.
Three practical rules
- Enter early. Most of these races fill up or close their ballot six to twelve months ahead. Put the ballot dates in your calendar now.
- Train in the shoe you'll race in. Do at least two or three long runs and one race-pace session in your marathon pair before race day — never a brand-new pair on the start line.
- Plan the trip around the race, not the other way round. Arrive two days before, eat what you know, and save the sightseeing for the day after. Your legs will thank you.
Whichever start line you choose, every pair at Tempo Kicks ships brand new in its original box, with free worldwide tracked shipping and 30-day returns — so your race shoes arrive with plenty of time to break them in.