Chicago vs NYC Marathon: Faster, Easier, or Better?

Chicago is pan-flat and runs ~10–15 min faster; NYC is one of the world's largest marathons but hilly and hard to enter. Which to run — and can you do both?

Quick Comparison

Feature 2026 Chicago Marathon - Oct 11 2026 NYC Marathon - Nov 1
Country/RegionUSAUSA
MonthOctoberNovember
Avg Temperature8-16°C5-12°C
Course TypeFlatHilly
Elevation~20m~250m total
Field Size54,00059,000
EntryLottery + TimeLottery + Time + Charity
World MajorYesYes
BQ CourseYesNo
Crowd SupportExcellentLegendary

Detailed Comparison

Speed vs spectacle: what each course is built for

Chicago and New York are America's two biggest marathons, but they exist for opposite reasons. Chicago is pan-flat — barely 20 meters of elevation change across a downtown loop through 29 neighborhoods — and it is where Kelvin Kiptum ran 2:00:35 in 2023. It is the premier Boston-qualifying and personal-best course in North America, and most runners finish roughly 10 to 15 minutes faster here than on a harder course. New York is the opposite: a saddle-shaped tour of all five boroughs that opens on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, grinds up the Queensboro Bridge around mile 15 where rhythm goes to die, roars up First Avenue, and finishes on the rolling paths of Central Park with roughly 250 meters of total climbing.

That difference flips the mental game. On Chicago's flat streets the danger is your own confidence — as one experienced Chicago finisher put it, flat courses tempt you to start arrogant, and "the marathon owes you nothing." New York rarely lets you settle: the bridges break your rhythm, but the wall of two million spectators on First Avenue and the Central Park finish are the payoff. Chicago is a course you race; New York is a course you experience.

Getting in: two lotteries, two completely different odds

For most runners the binding constraint is not fitness — it is the entry drawing. Chicago is the friendlier door: its headline acceptance rate hovers around a third, and even when the drawing rejects you, guaranteed entry is available through a time qualifier, the legacy (multi-year finisher) program, official charities, or an international tour operator. With roughly 160,000 applicants for about 54,000 spots, Chicago is widely considered the easiest U.S. Major to secure if your goal is simply to collect the Star.

New York is the hard one. Its general drawing has slipped under 2 percent and keeps getting worse as applications climb past 200,000 for the same field. The realistic non-elite routes are the NYRR 9+1 program (run nine qualifying NYRR races plus one volunteer shift in a calendar year to guarantee the next year's entry), a time qualifier, or a charity bib that typically asks you to raise several thousand dollars. If you do not live near New York, 9+1 is impractical — which usually leaves the lottery or charity. Check whether you already clear a qualifying standard with our Race Time Predictor.

Running both in one fall: the three-week double

This is the detail most comparisons miss. Chicago is in mid-October and New York is on the first Sunday of November — only about three weeks apart. Stacking them in one year is not the relaxed multi-month double that a pair like Boston-and-NYC allows; it is a genuine back-to-back that forces you to pick one to race and treat the other as a hard training run. Runners who have done it describe taking three full days completely off after Chicago — no running, no cross-training — then dropping race-pace work entirely and adding rest days just to reach the second start line recovered. If a personal best matters, race Chicago and jog New York for the experience; do not expect two peak performances three weeks apart.

Weather and race-day logistics

Chicago in mid-October typically offers 8 to 16°C, but Lake Michigan makes it unpredictable: cold crosswinds in some years, dangerous heat in others — the 2007 edition was famously halted mid-race when temperatures spiked. New York in early November is cooler and more consistent at 5 to 12°C, with the catch being wind on the exposed bridges and a brutal pre-race wait. New York runners bus to Staten Island before dawn and sit in an open athletes' village for two or more hours, so throwaway warm layers are mandatory; Chicago's downtown start, by contrast, is a short walk from most hotels and far less stressful. Plan clothing for either with our What to Wear tool.

Who should pick which

If you are chasing a personal best or a Boston qualifier, choose Chicago — its flat profile, deep pace groups, and easier entry make it the most efficient path to a fast time and a Six Star medal. If you want the single most electric day in the sport — the largest marathon ever staged, two million spectators, five boroughs — choose New York and accept that the clock is secondary. First-time Major runners who can stomach the lottery odds get more from New York; goal-time runners and anyone who values a calm race morning get more from Chicago. Six Star collectors should run both, but in different years unless they are happy to race one and tour the other. Estimate how each course will treat your goal time with our Pace Calculator.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Chicago or New York City Marathon harder?

New York is the harder course. It packs roughly 250 meters of climbing over five bridges into a saddle-shaped route, while Chicago is pan-flat with barely 20 meters of change. Runners typically finish about 10 to 15 minutes faster in Chicago for the same fitness — one 2025 finisher ran his PB in Chicago, then called New York "a much more challenging course." Adjust your goal time per course with our Race Time Predictor.

Which is faster for a PR or Boston qualifier — Chicago or NYC?

Chicago, decisively. Its flat downtown loop, deep pace groups, and cool October weather make it one of the fastest marathons in the world — it produced Kelvin Kiptum's 2:00:35 in 2023 and is North America's premier Boston-qualifying course. New York's bridges and rolling Central Park finish cost most runners 10 to 15 minutes. Check your target against the standard with our Boston Qualifying Calculator.

Is it easier to get into the Chicago or the NYC Marathon?

Chicago, by a wide margin. Its drawing accepts roughly a third of applicants, and guaranteed entry is also available via a time qualifier, the legacy program, charity, or a tour operator. New York's general drawing has fallen below 2 percent with more than 200,000 applicants; the realistic routes there are the 9+1 program, a time qualifier, or a charity bib. For Six Star collectors, Chicago is widely the easiest U.S. Major to lock in.

Can you run the Chicago and New York City Marathons in the same year?

Yes, but they are only about three weeks apart — Chicago in mid-October, New York on the first Sunday of November — so it is a true back-to-back, not a relaxed double. The realistic plan is to race one and treat the other as a hard long run: take about three days fully off after Chicago, drop race-pace work, and add rest days so you reach the New York start recovered. Do not expect two peak performances three weeks apart.

What is the NYC Marathon 9+1 program, and is it worth it?

The NYRR 9+1 program guarantees the following year's New York entry if you complete nine qualifying NYRR races plus one volunteer shift within a calendar year. It is the most reliable non-lottery route, but every qualifying race is in the New York area — so it only makes sense if you live near the city or travel there often. Out-of-towners usually rely on the lottery, a time qualifier, or a charity bib.

Which has better crowd support and atmosphere — Chicago or New York?

Both are world-class, in different ways. New York draws more than two million spectators across five boroughs, with the First Avenue roar and Central Park finish among the most electric moments in the sport. Chicago's 1.7 million fans concentrate along a compact downtown route ending in Grant Park. New York wins on sheer scale and diversity; Chicago wins on accessibility and an easier race day for spectators and family.

How does the weather compare between Chicago and New York?

Chicago in mid-October averages 8 to 16°C but is volatile — Lake Michigan can deliver cold crosswinds or dangerous heat, and the 2007 race was halted mid-event when temperatures spiked. New York in early November is cooler and steadier at 5 to 12°C, with the main challenges being bridge wind and a two-hour-plus wait in the Staten Island start village. Plan your kit with our What to Wear tool.

If I can only run one US Major, should I pick Chicago or NYC?

Pick Chicago if your priority is a fast time, a Boston qualifier, or simply getting in without a multi-year wait. Pick New York if you want the biggest, most atmospheric marathon on earth and are willing to gamble on the lottery or commit to a charity bib. Goal-time runners lean Chicago; bucket-list and first-Major runners lean New York.

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