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About RaceIndexOur methodologyData coverageCyclingTriathlon

Lowest ascent marathons

The lowest ascent marathons, ranked from trusted raw-elevation route profiles across 138 qualifying races.

Ranking current as of

Which race ranks first — and why is it Naturosa Catania Marathon?

Naturosa Catania Marathon leads this ranking on total ascent (12 m).

Compare Naturosa Catania Marathon vs Mississippi River Marathon

#RaceTotal ascentClimb densityDescentNet elevationMax absolute gradeAs of
1Naturosa Catania Marathon - italy12 m0.3 m/km12 m0 m2.0%
2Mississippi River Marathon - mississippi59 m1.4 m/km57 m2 m6.1%
3Zürich Marathon - switzerland66 m1.6 m/km68 m-2 m5.9%
4Jersey City Marathon & Half Marathon - new-jersey68 m1.6 m/km69 m0 m4.9%
5Idaho Falls Marathon - idaho69 m1.6 m/km52 m15 m10.9%
6The Woodlands Marathon - texas86 m2.0 m/km88 m-2 m3.6%
7Padova Marathon - italy96 m2.3 m/km97 m-1 m7.2%
8Bath & Bristol Railway Races Marathon - south-west98 m2.3 m/km97 m1 m6.7%
9Maratona di Pisa Marathon - italy105 m2.5 m/km101 m5 m5.3%
10Novant Health Wilmington Marathon - north-carolina109 m2.6 m/km110 m-0 m6.8%
11NLB Ljubljana Marathon - slovenia112 m2.7 m/km113 m-1 m7.0%
12Vienna City Marathon - austria118 m2.8 m/km108 m11 m6.6%
13Debrecen Maraton Marathon - hungary119 m2.8 m/km119 m0 m2.9%
14Martian Invasion of Races Marathon - michigan124 m2.9 m/km124 m0 m6.6%
15Nagyerdei Terep Maraton (Debrecen) Marathon - hungary125 m2.9 m/km121 m3 m8.0%
16MountainOne Steel Rail Races (Adams) Marathon - massachusetts128 m3.0 m/km128 m-0 m6.8%
17Maratona do Funchal (Funchal Marathon) - portugal134 m3.2 m/km181 m-46 m6.2%
18Run Rome The Marathon - italy135 m3.2 m/km144 m-9 m9.9%
19Wizz Air Milano Marathon - italy145 m3.4 m/km136 m9 m6.2%
20DICK'S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon - pennsylvania154 m3.6 m/km154 m0 m12.0%
21Haspa Marathon Hamburg - germany155 m3.7 m/km155 m0 m5.5%
22Poznań Maraton im. Macieja Frankiewicza Marathon - poland156 m3.7 m/km157 m-1 m3.9%
23SwissCityMarathon – Lucerne Marathon - switzerland162 m3.8 m/km163 m-2 m7.8%
24Stockholm Marathon - sweden166 m3.9 m/km166 m-0 m5.2%
25YMCA Harrisburg Marathon, Half, and Relay Presented by Enders Insurance - pennsylvania176 m4.2 m/km176 m-0 m11.8%
26Sunrise Marathon | Halfmarathon Brno - czechia176 m4.2 m/km176 m-0 m6.4%
27Mercy Health Glass City Marathon - ohio177 m4.2 m/km176 m1 m6.7%
28Belfast City Marathon - northern-ireland177 m4.2 m/km198 m-22 m5.4%
29Paavo Nurmi Marathon - finland179 m4.2 m/km181 m-2 m10.9%
30TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon - iowa180 m4.3 m/km185 m-5 m9.0%
31Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival - california182 m4.3 m/km214 m-32 m8.7%
32Generali Genève Marathon - switzerland183 m4.3 m/km236 m-53 m9.0%
33Termal Bologna Marathon - italy187 m4.4 m/km171 m16 m5.6%
34SPAR Budapest Marathon - hungary188 m4.5 m/km182 m5 m15.5%
35Marathon Vert Rennes - france192 m4.6 m/km191 m1 m7.8%
36Montana Marathon (Billings) - montana193 m4.6 m/km446 m-253 m15.6%
37Trieste Spring Run Marathon - italy205 m4.9 m/km204 m0 m21.0%
38Toulouse Métropole Run Experience Marathon - france209 m5.0 m/km219 m-10 m8.5%
39Mein Freiburg Marathon - germany211 m5.0 m/km210 m1 m6.2%
40Omaha Marathon - nebraska215 m5.1 m/km216 m-1 m11.5%
41Maine Coast Marathon - maine219 m5.2 m/km217 m1 m8.6%
42Endurancelife Suffolk (Dunwich) Marathon - east-of-england219 m5.1 m/km218 m0 m7.7%
43Copenhagen Marathon - denmark220 m5.2 m/km219 m-0 m5.4%
44Chester Marathon - north-west220 m5.2 m/km217 m3 m7.8%
45Windermere Marathon (Spokane) - washington226 m5.4 m/km304 m-78 m13.4%
46Helsinki City Marathon - finland226 m5.4 m/km220 m6 m8.3%
47Energa Gdańsk Maraton Marathon - poland227 m5.4 m/km228 m-1 m7.8%
48Cleveland Marathon - ohio232 m5.5 m/km233 m0 m31.4%
49Allianz Richmond Marathon - virginia236 m5.6 m/km272 m-36 m16.1%
50Midnattssolmaraton (Midnight Sun Marathon), Tromsø - norway242 m5.7 m/km241 m2 m7.5%
51Madison Marathon (Madison, Wisconsin) - wisconsin243 m5.7 m/km236 m6 m12.1%
52Tupelo Marathon - mississippi243 m5.8 m/km242 m1 m7.1%
53Garmin New Forest Marathon - south-east246 m5.8 m/km247 m-1 m5.5%
54Regensburg Marathon - germany247 m5.9 m/km247 m-0 m9.3%
55Trondheim Maraton Marathon - norway253 m6.0 m/km252 m1 m10.7%
56Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon - texas256 m6.1 m/km255 m1 m12.5%
57Estes Park Marathon and Half Marathon - colorado256 m6.1 m/km735 m-479 m15.1%
58The Great Bangor Marathon & Half (Bangor, Maine) - maine269 m6.4 m/km280 m-10 m9.9%
59Amica Newport Marathon & Half Marathon - rhode-island270 m6.4 m/km271 m-0 m8.1%
60Rimi Riga Marathon - latvia273 m6.5 m/km272 m1 m20.5%
61Thames Meander Marathon (London) - london274 m6.5 m/km274 m0 m6.1%
62Southampton Marathon - south-east279 m6.6 m/km265 m14 m9.7%
63TUI Μαραθώνιος Ρόδου (TUI Rhodes Marathon) - greece296 m7.0 m/km294 m3 m10.1%
64Montpellier Run Festival Marathon - france303 m7.2 m/km290 m12 m9.7%
65Sioux Falls Marathon - south-dakota305 m7.2 m/km307 m-2 m13.6%
66DNB Oslo Marathon - norway307 m7.3 m/km308 m-0 m6.7%
67Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes Nice-Cannes - france308 m7.3 m/km310 m-2 m11.8%
68The Asheville Marathon & Half - north-carolina312 m7.4 m/km374 m-61 m8.9%
69Milton Keynes Marathon - south-east318 m7.5 m/km320 m-2 m7.8%
70Marshall University Marathon - west-virginia330 m7.8 m/km332 m-2 m18.7%
71The Original Las Vegas Marathon - nevada331 m7.8 m/km331 m0 m11.9%
72Athens Marathon. The Authentic - greece333 m7.9 m/km274 m59 m7.6%
73Albany COMBOS Marathon & Half Marathon - georgia333 m7.9 m/km337 m-4 m13.0%
74Zurich Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Madrid Marathon - spain335 m7.9 m/km362 m-26 m8.7%
75FirstEnergy Akron Marathon - ohio350 m8.3 m/km355 m-6 m13.8%
76Maine Marathon (Portland) - maine357 m8.5 m/km358 m0 m15.5%
77Bend Marathon and Half - oregon388 m9.2 m/km388 m0 m16.6%
78Reims Champagne Run Marathon - france389 m9.3 m/km551 m-161 m17.4%
79Arctic Marathon (Rovaniemi) - finland392 m9.3 m/km391 m-0 m11.9%
80Maui Oceanfront Marathon - hawaii392 m9.3 m/km413 m-21 m17.4%
81Mississippi Blues Marathon - mississippi401 m9.5 m/km399 m2 m10.2%
82Run the Rainbow for Children's Marathon - mississippi407 m9.7 m/km407 m0 m10.6%
83The New Hampshire Marathon at Newfound Lake - new-hampshire412 m9.8 m/km408 m4 m12.0%
84Two Tunnels Railway Races Marathon - south-west415 m9.8 m/km413 m2 m21.0%
85Richmond Park Marathon (London) - london423 m10.0 m/km417 m6 m15.3%
86Flying Pig Marathon - ohio424 m10.0 m/km427 m-4 m32.4%
876 sjöar (Uppsala) Marathon - sweden426 m10.1 m/km427 m-1 m22.4%
88Connemara International Marathon (Connemarathon) - ireland451 m10.7 m/km443 m8 m19.5%
89Cedar Rapids Marathon - iowa454 m10.8 m/km455 m-1 m15.8%
90Bay of Fundy International Marathon - maine456 m10.8 m/km484 m-27 m12.5%
91Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon - ireland493 m11.7 m/km497 m-4 m13.0%
92The Hawk Hundred (Lawrence) Marathon - kansas495 m11.7 m/km487 m8 m14.3%
93Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay - maine526 m12.5 m/km527 m-1 m18.7%
94Run Woodstock Marathon - michigan547 m13.0 m/km546 m1 m13.5%
95Norfolk Festival of Running (King's Lynn) Marathon - east-of-england558 m13.2 m/km558 m-0 m9.8%
96The Kauai Marathon & Half Marathon - hawaii607 m14.4 m/km612 m-5 m24.0%
97Internationaler Schwarzwald-Marathon Bräunlingen - germany681 m16.1 m/km688 m-7 m27.8%
98Columbia Gorge Marathon - oregon696 m16.5 m/km778 m-82 m25.5%
99Portland Coastal Marathon - south-west715 m16.9 m/km715 m-0 m33.0%
100Lake Tahoe Marathon - nevada737 m17.5 m/km733 m4 m46.1%
1
Naturosa Catania Marathonitaly
Total ascent
12 m
Climb density
0.3 m/km
Descent
12 m
Net elevation
0 m
Max absolute grade
2.0%

As of

2
Mississippi River Marathonmississippi
Total ascent
59 m
Climb density
1.4 m/km
Descent
57 m
Net elevation
2 m
Max absolute grade
6.1%

As of

3
Zürich Marathonswitzerland
Total ascent
66 m
Climb density
1.6 m/km
Descent
68 m
Net elevation
-2 m
Max absolute grade
5.9%

As of

5
Idaho Falls Marathonidaho
Total ascent
69 m
Climb density
1.6 m/km
Descent
52 m
Net elevation
15 m
Max absolute grade
10.9%

As of

6
The Woodlands Marathontexas
Total ascent
86 m
Climb density
2.0 m/km
Descent
88 m
Net elevation
-2 m
Max absolute grade
3.6%

As of

7
Padova Marathonitaly
Total ascent
96 m
Climb density
2.3 m/km
Descent
97 m
Net elevation
-1 m
Max absolute grade
7.2%

As of

9
Maratona di Pisa Marathonitaly
Total ascent
105 m
Climb density
2.5 m/km
Descent
101 m
Net elevation
5 m
Max absolute grade
5.3%

As of

11
NLB Ljubljana Marathonslovenia
Total ascent
112 m
Climb density
2.7 m/km
Descent
113 m
Net elevation
-1 m
Max absolute grade
7.0%

As of

12
Vienna City Marathonaustria
Total ascent
118 m
Climb density
2.8 m/km
Descent
108 m
Net elevation
11 m
Max absolute grade
6.6%

As of

13
Debrecen Maraton Marathonhungary
Total ascent
119 m
Climb density
2.8 m/km
Descent
119 m
Net elevation
0 m
Max absolute grade
2.9%

As of

18
Run Rome The Marathonitaly
Total ascent
135 m
Climb density
3.2 m/km
Descent
144 m
Net elevation
-9 m
Max absolute grade
9.9%

As of

19
Wizz Air Milano Marathonitaly
Total ascent
145 m
Climb density
3.4 m/km
Descent
136 m
Net elevation
9 m
Max absolute grade
6.2%

As of

21
Haspa Marathon Hamburggermany
Total ascent
155 m
Climb density
3.7 m/km
Descent
155 m
Net elevation
0 m
Max absolute grade
5.5%

As of

24
Stockholm Marathonsweden
Total ascent
166 m
Climb density
3.9 m/km
Descent
166 m
Net elevation
-0 m
Max absolute grade
5.2%

As of

28
Belfast City Marathonnorthern-ireland
Total ascent
177 m
Climb density
4.2 m/km
Descent
198 m
Net elevation
-22 m
Max absolute grade
5.4%

As of

29
Paavo Nurmi Marathonfinland
Total ascent
179 m
Climb density
4.2 m/km
Descent
181 m
Net elevation
-2 m
Max absolute grade
10.9%

As of

32
Generali Genève Marathonswitzerland
Total ascent
183 m
Climb density
4.3 m/km
Descent
236 m
Net elevation
-53 m
Max absolute grade
9.0%

As of

33
Termal Bologna Marathonitaly
Total ascent
187 m
Climb density
4.4 m/km
Descent
171 m
Net elevation
16 m
Max absolute grade
5.6%

As of

34
SPAR Budapest Marathonhungary
Total ascent
188 m
Climb density
4.5 m/km
Descent
182 m
Net elevation
5 m
Max absolute grade
15.5%

As of

35
Marathon Vert Rennesfrance
Total ascent
192 m
Climb density
4.6 m/km
Descent
191 m
Net elevation
1 m
Max absolute grade
7.8%

As of

36
Montana Marathon (Billings)montana
Total ascent
193 m
Climb density
4.6 m/km
Descent
446 m
Net elevation
-253 m
Max absolute grade
15.6%

As of

37
Trieste Spring Run Marathonitaly
Total ascent
205 m
Climb density
4.9 m/km
Descent
204 m
Net elevation
0 m
Max absolute grade
21.0%

As of

39
Mein Freiburg Marathongermany
Total ascent
211 m
Climb density
5.0 m/km
Descent
210 m
Net elevation
1 m
Max absolute grade
6.2%

As of

40
Omaha Marathonnebraska
Total ascent
215 m
Climb density
5.1 m/km
Descent
216 m
Net elevation
-1 m
Max absolute grade
11.5%

As of

41
Maine Coast Marathonmaine
Total ascent
219 m
Climb density
5.2 m/km
Descent
217 m
Net elevation
1 m
Max absolute grade
8.6%

As of

43
Copenhagen Marathondenmark
Total ascent
220 m
Climb density
5.2 m/km
Descent
219 m
Net elevation
-0 m
Max absolute grade
5.4%

As of

44
Chester Marathonnorth-west
Total ascent
220 m
Climb density
5.2 m/km
Descent
217 m
Net elevation
3 m
Max absolute grade
7.8%

As of

45
Windermere Marathon (Spokane)washington
Total ascent
226 m
Climb density
5.4 m/km
Descent
304 m
Net elevation
-78 m
Max absolute grade
13.4%

As of

46
Helsinki City Marathonfinland
Total ascent
226 m
Climb density
5.4 m/km
Descent
220 m
Net elevation
6 m
Max absolute grade
8.3%

As of

48
Cleveland Marathonohio
Total ascent
232 m
Climb density
5.5 m/km
Descent
233 m
Net elevation
0 m
Max absolute grade
31.4%

As of

49
Allianz Richmond Marathonvirginia
Total ascent
236 m
Climb density
5.6 m/km
Descent
272 m
Net elevation
-36 m
Max absolute grade
16.1%

As of

52
Tupelo Marathonmississippi
Total ascent
243 m
Climb density
5.8 m/km
Descent
242 m
Net elevation
1 m
Max absolute grade
7.1%

As of

53
Garmin New Forest Marathonsouth-east
Total ascent
246 m
Climb density
5.8 m/km
Descent
247 m
Net elevation
-1 m
Max absolute grade
5.5%

As of

54
Regensburg Marathongermany
Total ascent
247 m
Climb density
5.9 m/km
Descent
247 m
Net elevation
-0 m
Max absolute grade
9.3%

As of

55
Trondheim Maraton Marathonnorway
Total ascent
253 m
Climb density
6.0 m/km
Descent
252 m
Net elevation
1 m
Max absolute grade
10.7%

As of

60
Rimi Riga Marathonlatvia
Total ascent
273 m
Climb density
6.5 m/km
Descent
272 m
Net elevation
1 m
Max absolute grade
20.5%

As of

62
Southampton Marathonsouth-east
Total ascent
279 m
Climb density
6.6 m/km
Descent
265 m
Net elevation
14 m
Max absolute grade
9.7%

As of

65
Sioux Falls Marathonsouth-dakota
Total ascent
305 m
Climb density
7.2 m/km
Descent
307 m
Net elevation
-2 m
Max absolute grade
13.6%

As of

66
DNB Oslo Marathonnorway
Total ascent
307 m
Climb density
7.3 m/km
Descent
308 m
Net elevation
-0 m
Max absolute grade
6.7%

As of

68
The Asheville Marathon & Halfnorth-carolina
Total ascent
312 m
Climb density
7.4 m/km
Descent
374 m
Net elevation
-61 m
Max absolute grade
8.9%

As of

69
Milton Keynes Marathonsouth-east
Total ascent
318 m
Climb density
7.5 m/km
Descent
320 m
Net elevation
-2 m
Max absolute grade
7.8%

As of

70
Marshall University Marathonwest-virginia
Total ascent
330 m
Climb density
7.8 m/km
Descent
332 m
Net elevation
-2 m
Max absolute grade
18.7%

As of

75
FirstEnergy Akron Marathonohio
Total ascent
350 m
Climb density
8.3 m/km
Descent
355 m
Net elevation
-6 m
Max absolute grade
13.8%

As of

76
Maine Marathon (Portland)maine
Total ascent
357 m
Climb density
8.5 m/km
Descent
358 m
Net elevation
0 m
Max absolute grade
15.5%

As of

77
Bend Marathon and Halforegon
Total ascent
388 m
Climb density
9.2 m/km
Descent
388 m
Net elevation
0 m
Max absolute grade
16.6%

As of

78
Reims Champagne Run Marathonfrance
Total ascent
389 m
Climb density
9.3 m/km
Descent
551 m
Net elevation
-161 m
Max absolute grade
17.4%

As of

79
Arctic Marathon (Rovaniemi)finland
Total ascent
392 m
Climb density
9.3 m/km
Descent
391 m
Net elevation
-0 m
Max absolute grade
11.9%

As of

80
Maui Oceanfront Marathonhawaii
Total ascent
392 m
Climb density
9.3 m/km
Descent
413 m
Net elevation
-21 m
Max absolute grade
17.4%

As of

81
Mississippi Blues Marathonmississippi
Total ascent
401 m
Climb density
9.5 m/km
Descent
399 m
Net elevation
2 m
Max absolute grade
10.2%

As of

86
Flying Pig Marathonohio
Total ascent
424 m
Climb density
10.0 m/km
Descent
427 m
Net elevation
-4 m
Max absolute grade
32.4%

As of

87
6 sjöar (Uppsala) Marathonsweden
Total ascent
426 m
Climb density
10.1 m/km
Descent
427 m
Net elevation
-1 m
Max absolute grade
22.4%

As of

89
Cedar Rapids Marathoniowa
Total ascent
454 m
Climb density
10.8 m/km
Descent
455 m
Net elevation
-1 m
Max absolute grade
15.8%

As of

94
Run Woodstock Marathonmichigan
Total ascent
547 m
Climb density
13.0 m/km
Descent
546 m
Net elevation
1 m
Max absolute grade
13.5%

As of

98
Columbia Gorge Marathonoregon
Total ascent
696 m
Climb density
16.5 m/km
Descent
778 m
Net elevation
-82 m
Max absolute grade
25.5%

As of

99
Portland Coastal Marathonsouth-west
Total ascent
715 m
Climb density
16.9 m/km
Descent
715 m
Net elevation
-0 m
Max absolute grade
33.0%

As of

100
Lake Tahoe Marathonnevada
Total ascent
737 m
Climb density
17.5 m/km
Descent
733 m
Net elevation
4 m
Max absolute grade
46.1%

As of

Showing the top 100 of 138 qualifying races; use the distance catalogue for the full searchable list. Scores are out of 100 when present; route, elevation and cost figures are shown in their natural units.

How we ranked these

Races are ranked by Total ascent. Score metrics use methodology scoring-methodology-v1.0. Elevation rankings use only trusted raw-elevation course profiles. A ranking is only published when at least five races qualify, so the table is never padded with thin data.

See exactly how each figure is calculated →

Route maps for this ranking

How we calculated this

Published facts and derived model outputs on this page are tied to stored sources or a published, version-locked methodology. We show the provenance so runners, coaches and organisers can check it. Data on this page is current as of .

Derived numbers use scoring-methodology-v1.0.

Sources used on this page (140)

Read the full methodology →

Common questions

What is the lowest ascent marathons?

Naturosa Catania Marathon ranks first by total ascent, from 138 qualifying races compared under our published methodology.