Field notes · the blog

Honest writing on running the right race.

Data, opinion, and the occasional vendetta against the phrase “fast course.” Written by people who actually run these races. One new post a week, no sponsors, no SEO filler.

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27 posts

Race Comparison · 8 min read

CIM vs. Eugene Marathon: Which West Coast BQ Race Is Right for You?

Both races post elite BQ rates and have loyal followings. They are not interchangeable. One gives you gravity and a December deadline; the other gives you a spring comeback and a finish line most runners only dream about.

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Race Selection · 9 min read

The Best Marathons in Arizona for Every Goal

Arizona offers one of the most strategically diverse marathon menus in the country. The tricky part is knowing which race matches your actual goal, not just your travel dates.

By Matt CuddySep 8, 2026

Race Comparison · 9 min read

Twin Cities vs. Chicago Marathon: Which Fall Race Is Right for Your BQ or PR?

Chicago is flatter and posts a higher BQ rate on paper. But its October heat risk and 52,000-person logistics can erase that edge fast. Here's how to decide which race actually fits your goal.

By Matt CuddySep 1, 2026

Race Selection · 9 min read

The Best Fall Marathons in the Southeast for a Boston Qualifier

The Southeast has faster, cooler fall races than most runners realize. Here's how to pick the right one for your BQ goal, and avoid the ones that look good on paper but aren't.

By Matt CuddyAug 27, 2026

Race Comparison · 8 min read

CIM vs. Wineglass Marathon: Which Is the Better Boston Qualifier for You?

Both races are legitimately fast. Both sell out. But one rewards quad strength and a December timeline, the other rewards flat-course patience and an October commitment. Pick the wrong one and you leave time on the table.

By Matt CuddyAug 25, 2026

Race Selection · 9 min read

The Best Fall Marathons in the Northeast for a Boston Qualifier

Seven races, one goal. We ranked the Northeast's strongest fall BQ options by BQ rate, course profile, and weather reliability, then told you which one actually fits your race.

By Matt CuddyAug 20, 2026

Race Comparison · 8 min read

Indianapolis Monumental vs. Columbus Marathon: Which Flat Midwest Fall Race Is Right for You?

Both races are flat, Midwestern, and fall. One has a 19% BQ rate. The other has 7%. They are not the same race.

By Matt CuddyAug 18, 2026

Race Selection · 9 min read

The World Marathon Majors in 2027: Every Date, Ballot, and Deadline

The series just grew to eight races. Here's every 2027 date, how you actually get in (ballot, qualifier, or charity), and the registration windows, including two that are open right now.

By Matt CuddyAug 14, 2026

Race Selection · 8 min read

The Best Flat Fall Marathons for a Boston Qualifier (Beyond the Obvious Picks)

You already know about Wineglass and Indy Monumental. Here's what comes next: four genuinely overlooked flat fall races with BQ rates between 19% and 45%, and a clear framework for choosing between them.

By Matt CuddyAug 13, 2026

Race Selection · 8 min read

The Best Marathons in Texas for Every Goal (Ranked by Course, Temp, and BQ Rate)

Texas packs its entire serious marathon calendar into a 14-week window. Pick the wrong race inside that window and you fight the heat, the hills, or a field that doesn't match your goal.

By Matt CuddyAug 11, 2026

Race Selection · 9 min read

The Best Spring Marathons for a BQ or PR, Sequenced by Month and Weather Risk

Course flatness gets all the attention. Weather reliability decides your race. Here's how to match your training calendar to the safest weather window, March through June, ranked on both axes.

By Matt CuddyAug 7, 2026

Race Selection · 8 min read

The Best Marathons in Colorado for Every Goal

Colorado races promise dramatic scenery and fast descents. They also start at altitude that will quietly shred your finish-time expectations if you pick the wrong one. Here's how to choose.

By Matt CuddyAug 4, 2026

Race Selection · 7 min read

Does Any Marathon Count for Boston Qualifying? The Course Rules, Explained

There is no BAA-approved race list. There are rules. Understanding them takes about five minutes, and it changes how you pick your target race.

By Matt CuddyJul 30, 2026

Race Selection · 7 min read

The Best Marathons in Florida for Every Goal (Ranked by Course, Temp, and BQ Rate)

Florida races get sold as uniformly flat and fast. They are not. A 77°F Miami start and a 61°F Jacksonville start are different races entirely, and the BQ rates prove it. Here is how to match the right Florida marathon to what you actually want.

By Matt CuddyJul 28, 2026

Race Selection · 9 min read

The Flattest Marathons in the US (Ranked by Course, With Honest Caveats)

Not every runner chasing a flat course is chasing Boston. Here's how to find the genuinely flattest US road marathons, ranked by the number that actually matters, with one honest catch per race.

By Matt CuddyJul 23, 2026

Race Selection · 8 min read

The Best Marathons in Michigan for Every Goal

Michigan has a surprisingly deep marathon catalog, but a fast course for one runner is the wrong race for another. Here's how to match your goal to the right Michigan start line.

By Matt CuddyJul 21, 2026

Race Selection · 9 min read

The Best Marathons in California for Every Goal

California has more marathon archetypes in one state than almost anywhere else. It also has more ways to pick the wrong one. Here is an honest match between your goal and the race that actually fits it.

By Matt CuddyJul 20, 2026

Race Comparison · 8 min read

Wineglass vs. Indianapolis Monumental: Which Fall BQ Race Is Right for You?

Both are legitimately fast, legitimately well-organized, and open right now. The difference is in what kind of runner each one actually rewards.

By Matt CuddyJul 16, 2026

Race Comparison · 7 min read

Philadelphia vs Richmond Marathon: Which Should You Run for a Fall BQ?

Both races are open-registration, mid-Atlantic, and sitting at an 8% BQ rate. The difference is in the details, and the details are what decide your qualifier.

By Matt CuddyJul 14, 2026

Race Selection · 8 min read

The Best Small-Field Fall Marathons for a Boston Qualifier (Ranked by BQ Rate)

The famous races get the press. These smaller fall marathons have higher BQ rates, open registration, and no lottery, and most runners have never heard of them.

By Matt CuddyJul 9, 2026

Race Selection · 9 min read

The Fastest Spring Marathons for a PR (Ranked by Course, Weather, and BQ Rate)

Spring has fast races. You just have to know which ones to ignore. Here's how the real PR candidates stack up, filtered by course, temperature, and actual BQ rates.

By Matt CuddyJul 8, 2026

Race Comparison · 7 min read

CIM vs Indianapolis Monumental: Which Is the Better BQ Race?

Two of the fastest fall marathons in America. One is a net-downhill point-to-point that rewards quad strength; the other is a pancake-flat loop that rewards pacing discipline. Here's how to choose.

By Matt CuddyJun 11, 2026

Race Comparison · 7 min read

Chicago vs Berlin for a Marathon PR: Which Major Is Faster?

Both are flat, both are fast, both are a lottery to get into. If your only goal is a personal best, here's how the Chicago and Berlin marathons actually stack up.

By Matt CuddyJun 11, 2026

Race Selection · 8 min read

The Flattest Marathons for a Boston Qualifier (2026)

Flat helps. But the flattest course isn't automatically your best shot at a Boston qualifier. Here's how flatness, net downhill, field quality, and weather really combine, with the races that get all four right.

By Matt CuddyJun 11, 2026

Race Selection · 8 min read

The Fastest Fall Marathons for a PR (2026)

Fall is the deepest PR season of the year: cool air, flat courses, and fields full of people chasing the same thing. Here are the fastest fall marathons in 2026, sequenced from September to December.

By Matt CuddyJun 11, 2026

Race Selection · 7 min read

The Best Cool-Weather Marathons for a PR (2026)

You can train for the course. You can't train the thermometer. Here are the marathons with the most reliably cool race-day weather, the variable that quietly decides more personal bests than elevation ever does.

By Matt CuddyJun 11, 2026

Marathon Data · 9 min read

I Scored 200 Marathons for BQ-Friendliness. Here's the Method.

Most BQ-friendly lists are vibes. We built a repeatable way to score every marathon in our catalog on the things that actually move a qualifying time, then ran all 200 through it. Here's exactly how it works and what it turned up.

By Matt CuddyJun 11, 2026