RaceRaves announces the 2025 Best Marathons in the U.S.

The runners have spoken! And RaceRaves, the nation’s premier race finder and reviews community, has announced the much-anticipated results of its 2025 campaign to crown the best marathon in every U.S. state.

The company’s authoritative new guide, which features a profile of every winning event by state plus a shout-out to each runner-up, will help novice and veteran marathoners alike discover great events and build their all-star marathon wish list. This year’s lineup includes seven new winners and 27 new runners-up relative to the previous (2023) results.

Winners were determined through an online poll conducted on RaceRaves.com from August 27–Sept 21 (one entry per person with a valid email). Three or more candidates per state plus a write-in option were provided based on finisher ratings and reviews on RaceRaves. Votes were cast from all 50 states and 12 countries.

(Due to their exclusive status and popularity as Abbott World Marathon Majors, the Boston Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and TCS New York City Marathon were excluded from the voting in their respective states.)

Among the 2025 highlights:

•  The Ogden Marathon (Utah) earned bragging rights as the top overall vote-getter
• 25% of participants voted for more than one state, underscoring the RaceRaves community’s affinity for traveling and racing
• Virginia was the most competitive state with the most evenly distributed vote totals
• The Hatfield-McCoy Marathon was the only event recognized in two states, as the top marathon in West Virginia (where the race finishes) and the runner-up in Kentucky (where it starts)
• Two event management companies, Brooksee (Arizona, Nevada) and FRESHJUNKIE Racing (Louisiana, Mississippi), celebrated wins in two states

Common themes across the winning events include outstanding organization and race-day support, energetic community engagement, and memorable courses that showcase the spirit and scenery of their local regions.

“Congratulations to all our winners on this well-deserved award,” said RaceRaves co-founder Mike Sohaskey. “We’re thrilled by the enthusiastic response from runners nationwide and proud to amplify their voices for the benefit of the running community. This initiative reinforces our commitment to promoting top-tier events and helping runners discover the best races across the U.S.”

The full guide, including the winning marathons and runners-up by state, is available on the company’s blog at RaceRaves.com. The blog also features Runner’s Choice: Best Half Marathons in the U.S. (2024) as well as one of the sport’s most comprehensive articles on the Best Boston Marathon Qualifying Races.