marathonbench

Race-day weather history · weather odds · BQ rankings

Pick your race like it matters

You'll train six months for one morning. Marathonbench shows what that morning has actually looked like — every start-line temperature for three decades, the odds it comes up good, and which courses give a Boston bid its best shot.

Chicago Marathon · every start line since 1996

40–60°F 25° 35° 45° 55° 65° 75° 1996: 36°F at the start — Pre-2001 era: later-October scheduling, does not follow the modern Columbus-weekend rule 1997: 39.2°F at the start, day high 64.9°F — Pre-2001 era scheduling 1998: 50°F at the start, day high 69.1°F — Pre-2001 era; happens to coincide with the modern Columbus-weekend slot 1999: 30.2°F at the start, day high 51.1°F — Latest-in-October edition of the window; Khannouchi world record 2:05:42 2000: 53.6°F at the start, day high 69.1°F — Pre-2001 era scheduling 2001: 35.6°F at the start, day high 53.1°F — Start of the consistent Columbus-Day-weekend era 2002: 39.2°F at the start, day high 51.8°F 2003: 48.2°F at the start, day high 69.8°F 2004: 50°F at the start, day high 62.1°F 2005: 52°F at the start, day high 59°F 2006: 39.9°F at the start, day high 50°F — DEVIATION: held two weeks after the usual Columbus-weekend slot 2007: 72°F at the start, day high 88°F — Extreme heat (~88 F): race started 8:00 AM and was halted by ~11:30 AM with the course closed mid-race; one death, hundreds treated, 49 hospitalized 2008: 64°F at the start, day high 86°F 2009: 30.9°F at the start, day high 45°F 2010: 59°F at the start, day high 84°F — Warm race day (~mid-80s F) 2011: 57°F at the start, day high 80.1°F 2012: 39.9°F at the start, day high 51.1°F 2013: 46.9°F at the start, day high 64.9°F 2014: 45°F at the start, day high 64°F 2015: 53.1°F at the start, day high 80.1°F 2016: 50°F at the start, day high 63°F 2017: 55.9°F at the start, day high 80.1°F 2018: 57.9°F at the start, day high 64.9°F, rain 2019: 39°F at the start, day high 55.9°F 2021: 73°F at the start, day high 84°F 2022: 46°F at the start, day high 71.1°F 2023: 46°F at the start, day high 55.9°F — Kelvin Kiptum world record 2:00:35 2024: 61°F at the start, day high 68°F 2025: 52°F at the start, day high 69.1°F

One dot per race morning on a temperature scale; the shaded band is good running weather. See the full Chicago history →

Highest good-weather odds

New York City Marathon New York, NY · November 82% good-weather years median start 52°F Berlin Marathon Berlin, Germany · September 75% good-weather years median start 54°F Marine Corps Marathon Arlington, VA · October 68% good-weather years median start 51°F Los Angeles Marathon Los Angeles, CA · March 68% good-weather years median start 54°F Boston Marathon Boston, MA · April 63% good-weather years median start 50°F Baystate Marathon Lowell, MA · October 63% good-weather years median start 45°F

Full best-weather rankings →

Find your race

Shop by geography with marathons by state — every state's standing calendar in date order — or by window with marathons by month. Chasing Boston? Start with the qualifying time for your age group, then see which courses hand it over most often.

How it works

For every race we pull the weather-station record for each year's actual race date — the hourly reading nearest the start gun, plus the day's high and rainfall. A morning counts as good when the start sits between 40 and 60°F, the dew point holds at or below 60°F, and the day stays dry. Simple bar, ruthlessly applied, spelled out on the methodology page.

All races on the bench

Race Month Good-weather years Median start History
Houston Marathon Jan 40% 46°F 1996–2026
Los Angeles Marathon Mar 68% 54°F 2000–2024
Boston Marathon Apr 63% 50°F 1996–2026
Grandma's Marathon Jun 40% 58°F 1996–2026
Erie Marathon at Presque Isle Sep 41% 59°F 1996–2025
Berlin Marathon Sep 75% 54°F 2005–2025
Chicago Marathon Oct 56% 50°F 1996–2025
Marine Corps Marathon Oct 68% 51°F 1996–2025
Columbus Marathon Oct 41% 42°F 1996–2025
Twin Cities Marathon Oct 54% 48°F 1996–2025
Baystate Marathon Oct 63% 45°F 1996–2025
New York City Marathon Nov 82% 52°F 1996–2025
Philadelphia Marathon Nov 45% 41°F 1996–2025
Honolulu Marathon Dec 0% 71°F 1996–2024
California International Marathon Dec 41% 43°F 1996–2025