Which courses have faster, steadier results?
A course average is shaped by who enters. Earlier performances give the comparison more context.
What the data shows
Compare 21 courses with enough results to show a meaningful range.
Below zero means faster than the earlier benchmark. The 10th–90th percentile range describes outcome variation. Course, field selection, fitness changes and conditions remain mixed together.
Courses with enough coverage · all ages · all recorded categories · all earlier-time bands. Each group shows its own sample size.
Explore the comparison
Outcome and spread by course
Finish-time change (%) · below zero is faster
View exact values and sample sizes
| Group | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile | 10th percentile: Observations | Median: Observations | 90th percentile: Observations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | -13.2% | -1.5% | 10.5% | 1,097 | 1,097 | 1,097 |
| Copenhagen | -10.9% | -0.9% | 12% | 25,276 | 25,276 | 25,276 |
| Warsaw | -9.7% | -0.7% | 11.8% | 5,003 | 5,003 | 5,003 |
| Oslo | -10% | -0.6% | 10.4% | 3,067 | 3,067 | 3,067 |
| Eindhoven | -9.1% | -0.5% | 9.3% | 3,807 | 3,807 | 3,807 |
| Valencia | -8.3% | -0.5% | 10.1% | 10,663 | 10,663 | 10,663 |
| Gold Coast | -10.5% | -0.2% | 13.7% | 5,534 | 5,534 | 5,534 |
| Chicago | -1.1% | 0% | 2.5% | 65,824 | 65,824 | 65,824 |
| Hamburg | -8.6% | 0% | 10.6% | 20,986 | 20,986 | 20,986 |
| Amsterdam | -8.9% | 0.2% | 11.5% | 12,022 | 12,022 | 12,022 |
| Berlin | -9.3% | 0.2% | 12.1% | 116,362 | 116,362 | 116,362 |
| Rotterdam | -7.8% | 0.2% | 10.9% | 26,789 | 26,789 | 26,789 |
| Sydney | -11.3% | 0.2% | 14.7% | 1,891 | 1,891 | 1,891 |
| London | -11.4% | 0.5% | 17.5% | 33,731 | 33,731 | 33,731 |
| Prague | -8.8% | 0.6% | 13.1% | 4,663 | 4,663 | 4,663 |
| New York | -10% | 0.7% | 14.2% | 129,364 | 129,364 | 129,364 |
| Boston | -8.3% | 1% | 14% | 31,337 | 31,337 | 31,337 |
| Auckland | -10.1% | 1.1% | 11.9% | 540 | 540 | 540 |
| Washington | -9.6% | 1.6% | 15.8% | 48,981 | 48,981 | 48,981 |
| Madrid | -6.5% | 2.3% | 13.7% | 5,739 | 5,739 | 5,739 |
| Helsinki | -6% | 2.8% | 14.4% | 1,556 | 1,556 | 1,556 |
How to read this
The dot is the typical change from an earlier best. Left of zero means faster. The line spans the middle 80% of observed results.
Keep in mind
Different fields, fitness changes and race days remain mixed together. This is not a ranking of course difficulty.
How we calculated this
For the same displayed age, gender and prior-time cohort across courses, show the 10th, 50th and 90th percentiles of finish-time change relative to the recent recorded best. Require at least 100 observations and three editions per course. Use identical cohort criteria across the displayed courses. These different runners and editions do not isolate a course effect or provide equivalent-time predictions.
Runner comparison groups contain at least 100 eligible observations. Broader comparisons are labeled; a finish can belong to a runner with several races. Elevation describes the supplied course profile.
We check the raw timings and apply reviewed source-quality rules before forming these groups. Editions with known invalid split grids, incomplete ingestion, unresolved source checks or a selected field are excluded. Missing age or recorded gender alone does not remove an otherwise eligible finish from the overall comparison.
Input data: Marathon results, weather and course data. Read the full methods in source units or browse the marathons, years and data fields.