Net-downhill marathon courses
These courses finish below where they start. A net drop helps less than most runners expect and costs more than they plan for: the energetic saving from running downhill is much smaller than the penalty for running uphill at the same grade, which is exactly what the Minetti gradient-cost curve says, and sustained descent loads the quadriceps eccentrically in a way that shows up as cramping in the last 10 km rather than as free speed in the first 10. Boston is the canonical example — a substantial net drop and still a course most runners find harder than a flat one.
The ranking
| # | Course | Location | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mesa Marathon | Mesa, AZ | 860 ft (260 m) net drop |
| 2 | Boston Marathon | Boston, MA | 450 ft (140 m) net drop |
| 3 | California Marathon | Sacramento, CA | 340 ft (100 m) net drop |
| 4 | Sydney Marathon | Sydney, NSW | 260 ft (80 m) net drop |
| 5 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, CA | 230 ft (70 m) net drop |
| 6 | Vancouver Marathon | Vancouver, BC | 190 ft (60 m) net drop |
| 7 | Mexico City Marathon | Mexico City | 150 ft (50 m) net drop |
| 8 | Tokyo Marathon | Tokyo | 120 ft (40 m) net drop |
| 9 | Grandma's Marathon | Duluth, MN | 110 ft (30 m) net drop |
| 10 | Barcelona Marathon | Barcelona | 80 ft (20 m) net drop |
| 11 | London Marathon | London | 80 ft (20 m) net drop |
| 12 | Toronto Marathon | Toronto, ON | 40 ft (10 m) net drop |
| 13 | Osaka Marathon | Osaka | 40 ft (10 m) net drop |
Frequently asked questions
Net-downhill marathon courses: which is number one?
Mesa Marathon — 860 ft (260 m) net drop. The full ranking covers 13 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.
- The Hilliest Marathon Courses — Courses ranked by total elevation gain, most 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.