The smallest marathons in the US

Under 300 finishers

Very small fields. Expect a low-key start, minimal crowd support, and to run much of the race by yourself.

300 to 1,000 finishers

Small but not lonely. Usually enough runners around you to share the work, with none of the logistics of a major.

Common questions

What counts as a small marathon?

There is no official definition, so we use finisher counts. On this page a field under 300 finishers is very small, and 300 to 1,000 is small. For comparison, the largest US marathons finish tens of thousands of runners, so a 250-person race is a fundamentally different day out.

Are small marathons easier or harder than big ones?

Neither, but they are different. You get simpler logistics, short bag lines and no corral waits. You also get thinner crowd support, fewer aid stations, long stretches running alone, and no pack to pull you along, which makes pacing discipline and self-sufficiency matter far more than they do in a big-city race.

Should I run a small marathon as my first marathon?

It can be an excellent first marathon if you are comfortable running alone for long stretches, because the atmosphere is relaxed and nothing about the day is overwhelming. If you are counting on crowd energy to carry you through the last 10K, a larger race will serve you better.

How should training differ for a small marathon?

Practice running alone at goal pace. In a large race you can tuck into a pace group and let it do the work, and in a small one you may not see another runner for miles. Do some long runs solo without music, and rehearse your own fueling rather than relying on aid stations being frequent.

Finisher counts are the most recent year published for each race and cover the marathon only, not the half, relay or other distances run the same weekend. Field sizes move year to year.