Hilliest marathon courses
Ranked by total ascent over the official 42.195 km. Total climbing is a blunter instrument than it looks: a course that gains 300 m in one wall hurts differently from one that gains 300 m in fifty small rises, and grade-adjusted pace treats those very differently. Each course page carries the full profile and the hardest split, which is usually the number that actually decides your race.
The ranking
| # | Course | Location | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney Marathon | Sydney, NSW | 2,000 ft (610 m) of climbing |
| 2 | Tokyo Marathon | Tokyo | 1,740 ft (530 m) of climbing |
| 3 | Mexico City Marathon | Mexico City | 1,360 ft (410 m) of climbing |
| 4 | Athens Marathon | Athens | 1,260 ft (380 m) of climbing |
| 5 | Osaka Marathon | Osaka | 1,250 ft (380 m) of climbing |
| 6 | Rome Marathon | Rome | 1,240 ft (380 m) of climbing |
| 7 | Austin Marathon | Austin, TX | 1,070 ft (330 m) of climbing |
| 8 | Charlotte Marathon | Charlotte, NC | 1,010 ft (310 m) of climbing |
| 9 | Detroit Free Press Marathon | Detroit, MI | 970 ft (300 m) of climbing |
| 10 | Vancouver Marathon | Vancouver, BC | 950 ft (290 m) of climbing |
| 11 | Paris Marathon | Paris | 940 ft (290 m) of climbing |
| 12 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, CA | 940 ft (290 m) of climbing |
| 13 | Barcelona Marathon | Barcelona | 920 ft (280 m) of climbing |
| 14 | Valencia Marathon | Valencia | 780 ft (240 m) of climbing |
| 15 | London Marathon | London | 770 ft (240 m) of climbing |
| 16 | Boston Marathon | Boston, MA | 770 ft (240 m) of climbing |
| 17 | Marine Corps Marathon | Arlington, VA | 770 ft (230 m) of climbing |
| 18 | New York City Marathon | New York, NY | 770 ft (230 m) of climbing |
| 19 | Dublin Marathon | Dublin | 760 ft (230 m) of climbing |
| 20 | Berlin Marathon | Berlin | 750 ft (230 m) of climbing |
Frequently asked questions
Hilliest marathon courses: which is number one?
Sydney Marathon — 2,000 ft (610 m) of climbing. The full ranking covers 20 courses and is computed from each course's own elevation profile rather than from race organiser claims.
How are these rankings calculated?
From the elevation profile of each course, built from GPX traces and digital elevation models, clipped to the official 42.195 km. Elevation figures carry roughly ±5–10 m of DEM noise, so small differences between flat courses are measurement error rather than a meaningful gap.
Other course rankings
- The Flattest Marathon Courses — Courses ranked by total elevation gain, least first.
- Net-Downhill Marathon Courses — Courses ranked by net elevation change, biggest drop first.
- Marathons With the Hardest Finish — Courses whose toughest stretch lands after 30 km, ranked by how hard it bites.
- World Marathon Majors: Course Profiles Compared — Every Major course, ranked flattest to hilliest.
- The Biggest Marathons by Field Size — Courses ranked by the number of runners on the start line.