Choosing between New York City Marathon and Soweto 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 | New York City Marathon | Soweto Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 1 November 2026 at 9:10 am | Sunday, 1 November 2026 at 6:00 am |
| Elevation | Rolling with bridges - approx. 10m above sea level. ↑ 294 m · ↓ 292 m · net +2 m | Rolling with gentle hills - approx. 1,767m above sea level. ↑ 150 m · ↓ 140 m · net +10 m |
| Typical weather | Cool to mild autumn | Mild spring |
| Typical participants | Approximately 56k finishers | Approximately 35k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Very competitive | Moderate |
The TCS New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world, taking runners through all five boroughs — Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. The course crosses five bridges and finishes in Central Park, delivering an unmatched big-city marathon experience.
The Soweto Marathon is one of Africa's largest marathons, drawing about 35,000 finishers each November through Johannesburg's historic Soweto township. The course passes the Hector Pieterson Memorial, Vilakazi Street (home of Mandela and Tutu), and FNB Stadium. November summer weather and powerful historical symbolism make it South Africa's most significant mass-participation marathon.
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