Marathons in January 2026: Dates & Courses

17 marathons in our catalog are typically held in January. Compare 2026 course profiles, start times, and route guides for each race below. See best time of year to run a marathon for how January compares across the calendar.

Carlsbad, California, United States🇺🇸

Carlsbad Marathon

The Carlsbad Marathon draws approximately 1,800 finishers each January on a scenic coastal road in Carlsbad, United States. Ocean scenery and winter timing make it a popular California destination marathon. The route passes lagoon edges, Pacific viewpoints, and inland neighborhoods before returning to the coast. Lagoon edges, Pacific viewpoints, and inland neighborhoods climb before returning to the coast on this popular California destination marathon each January.

Next race: Sunday, 3 January 2027

Doha, Doha Municipality, Qatar🇶🇦

Doha Marathon by Ooredoo

The Doha Marathon by Ooredoo draws approximately 2,500 finishers each January on an urban road in Doha, Qatar. Winter timing is essential here because it turns Gulf heat into manageable marathon weather. The route passes the Corniche, skyline districts, and long smooth boulevards beside Doha Bay. The course is very flat throughout.

Next race: Sunday, 3 January 2027

Funchal, Madeira, Portugal🇵🇹

Funchal Marathon

The Funchal Marathon draws approximately 1,500 finishers each January on a coastal city road in Funchal, Portugal. The island setting makes it one of Portugal's most distinctive road marathons. The course passes harbor roads, cliff-backed boulevards, and Atlantic island scenery on Madeira. Harbor roads and cliff-backed boulevards climb across Atlantic island scenery on Madeira, giving Portugal one of its most distinctive road marathons.

Next race: Sunday, 3 January 2027

Haikou, Hainan, China🇨🇳

Haikou Marathon

The Haikou Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 12k finishers each January on a scenic coastal road in Haikou, China. It is one of China's most tropical full marathons and attracts winter travelers looking for warmth. The route passes palm-lined seaside roads, Haidian Island stretches, and open views over the Qiongzhou Strait. The course is very flat throughout.

Next race: Sunday, 3 January 2027

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States🇺🇸

Louisiana Marathon

The Louisiana Marathon draws approximately 2,000 finishers each January on an urban road in Baton Rouge, United States. Its festival-style finish and winter date make it one of the Gulf South's anchor marathons. The route passes the State Capitol, LSU-area roads, and river-city neighborhoods lined with live oaks. The State Capitol, LSU-area roads, and river-city neighborhoods lined with live oaks anchor January's festival-style finish as one of the Gulf South's anchor marathons.

Next race: Sunday, 3 January 2027

Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States🇺🇸

Walt Disney World Marathon

The Walt Disney World Marathon is runDisney's flagship event, sending roughly 18,000 runners through all four Walt Disney World theme parks in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Participants start in the pre-dawn dark outside EPCOT and run through Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney's Hollywood Studios with character meet-and-greets, park audio, and themed aid stations along the way. The January race weekend is a destination event for runners who want a marathon wrapped in Disney spectacle.

Next race: Sunday, 3 January 2027

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India🇮🇳

Wipro Chennai Marathon

The Wipro Chennai Marathon draws approximately 3,500 finishers each January on an urban road in Chennai, India. It is one of India's better-known winter marathons outside Mumbai. The route passes Marina-adjacent sections, broad city boulevards, and neighborhoods near the Bay of Bengal. Marina-adjacent sections, broad city boulevards, and Bay of Bengal neighborhoods make January's race one of India's better-known winter marathons on a largely flat course.

Next race: Sunday, 3 January 2027

Xiamen, Fujian, China🇨🇳

Xiamen International Marathon

The Xiamen International Marathon is one of China's premier road races, drawing approximately 23k finishers along a coastal loop that highlights the city's subtropical waterfront and modern skyline. Runners cross the Xiamen Bridge with views toward Gulangyu Island and follow the ring road past convention centres and beach promenades. The January race date and mild Fujian winter weather make it a popular destination for domestic and international runners chasing fast times on a largely flat course.

Next race: Sunday, 3 January 2027

Busan, Busan, South Korea🇰🇷

Busan Marathon

The Busan Marathon draws approximately 15k finishers each January through South Korea's second-largest city and premier port. The course passes Haeundae Beach, Gwangalli Bridge, and the Busan Cinema Centre on a coastal loop along the East Sea. January's crisp Korean winter and sea-breeze scenery make it the country's largest winter marathon.

Next race: Sunday, 10 January 2027

Phoenix, Arizona, United States🇺🇸

Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon

The Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon draws approximately 3,500 finishers each January through the Phoenix-Scottsdale metropolitan area. The course passes Camelback Mountain views, Scottsdale's resort corridors, and Tempe Town Lake on flat desert-city roads with live music stages. January's perfect Arizona desert weather makes it one of the Rock 'n' Roll series' most popular winter events.

Next race: Saturday, 16 January 2027

Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China🇨🇳

Hong Kong Marathon

The Hong Kong Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 15k finishers on an urban road in Hong Kong, China. The course starts and finishes in Tsim Sha Tsui. The route crosses Victoria Harbour via the Western Harbour Crossing or similar tunnel/bridge connections and passes Nathan Road, Hong Kong Island, and the waterfront. Mostly flat with climbs on harbour crossings.

Next race: Sunday, 17 January 2027

Houston, Texas, United States🇺🇸

Houston Marathon

The Houston Marathon draws approximately 8,500 finishers on an urban road in Houston, United States. The course starts and finishes at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The route passes Hermann Park, Rice University, and the Galleria area. Very flat — one of the fastest winter marathons in the US.

Next race: Sunday, 17 January 2027

Ibusuki, Kagoshima, Japan🇯🇵

Ibusuki Marathon

The Ibusuki Marathon in southern Kyushu attracts about 14,000 runners each January to a course along Kagoshima Bay with views of Sakurajima volcano. Ibusuki is famous for its natural hot-sand baths, and the marathon showcases the subtropical Satsuma Peninsula coastline. Warm winter temperatures and volcanic backdrop make it one of Japan's most distinctive regional marathons.

Next race: Sunday, 17 January 2027

Marrakech, Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco🇲🇦

Marathon International Marrakech

The Marathon International Marrakech draws about 3,000 runners each January through Morocco's imperial Red City. The course passes the Koutoubia Mosque, the medina walls, and the palm-lined avenues of the modern Gueliz district with views of the Atlas Mountains on clear days. January mild weather and exotic North African atmosphere make it a popular winter destination marathon.

Next race: Sunday, 17 January 2027

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India🇮🇳

Mumbai Marathon

The Mumbai Marathon is India's largest and richest road race, drawing approximately 11k finishers each January through the country's financial capital. The course passes the Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Bandra-Worli Sea Link, and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus on a flat coastal loop. January's dry-season Mumbai morning and the sea-link crossing make it South Asia's premier marathon.

Next race: Sunday, 17 January 2027

Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates🇦🇪

Dubai Marathon

The Dubai Marathon is one of the world's fastest elite marathons, with a tiny elite field chasing world-class times on a dead-flat desert-city course each January. Though finisher numbers are limited compared with mass-participation races, the event draws global attention for its prize money and record-eligible route along Dubai's modern highway corridors.

Next race: Sunday, 24 January 2027

Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan🇯🇵

Nanohana Marathon

The Nanohana Marathon in Yokohama draws about 15,000 finishers each January on a course named for the rapeseed blossoms that line parts of the route in early spring. The race shares the Yokohama bayfront with views across Tokyo Bay and passes Kannai and the harbour district. It is one of several large January marathons in the greater Tokyo area.

Next race: Sunday, 24 January 2027