Choosing between Chicago Marathon and Osaka Marathon? This page puts the essentials side by side — next race date, elevation, typical weather, field size, and entry difficulty — with a short overview of each course below.
The headline differences between both races. Follow each marathon link for the full route map, elevation chart, and entry details.
| Detail | Chicago Marathon | Osaka Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 11 October 2026 at 7:30 am | Sunday, 28 February 2027 at 9:15 am |
| Elevation | Very flat - approx. 179m above sea level. ↑ 74 m · ↓ 73 m · net +1 m | Mostly flat with gentle undulations - approx. 4m above sea level. ↑ 21 m · ↓ 21 m · net 0 m |
| Typical weather | Cool to mild autumn | Cool and humid winter |
| Typical participants | Approximately 52k finishers | Approximately 32k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Very competitive | Competitive |
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon winds through 29 diverse neighbourhoods of the Windy City. Known for its flat, fast course and enthusiastic Midwest crowds, Chicago has hosted landmark performances including Kelvin Kiptum's previous men's world record (2:00:35, 2023) and Ruth Chepngetich's all-time women's record (2:09:56, 2024). It remains a favourite for runners chasing Boston qualifying times.
The Osaka Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 32k finishers on an urban road in Osaka, Japan. The course starts and finishes at Osaka Castle Park. The route passes Osaka Castle, Nakanoshima, Umeda, and Namba through central Osaka. Mostly flat with gentle undulations on bridge approaches over the city's rivers.
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