Choosing between Lanzhou 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 | Lanzhou Marathon | Osaka Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 23 May 2027 at 7:30 am | Sunday, 28 February 2027 at 9:15 am |
| Elevation | Mostly flat with gentle undulations - approx. 1,521m above sea level. ↑ 100 m · ↓ 95 m · net +5 m | Mostly flat with gentle undulations - approx. 4m above sea level. ↑ 21 m · ↓ 21 m · net 0 m |
| Typical weather | Warm and dry summer | Cool and humid winter |
| Typical participants | Approximately 40k finishers | Approximately 32k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Easy | Competitive |
The Lanzhou Marathon is one of China's largest road races, drawing approximately 40k finishers along the Yellow River through Gansu's highland capital. Runners follow the riverside promenade past the Zhongshan Bridge, White Pagoda Mountain, and the iron bridge that symbolises Lanzhou's Silk Road heritage. The June race date and roughly 1,500 m elevation make it a distinctive western-China marathon where thin air and Yellow River views define the experience.
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.
Swap either race to compare another pair, or return to the compare hub.
