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The 6 best in-person marathons scheduled to run this fall

A list of races that elites are scheduled to run IRL

A small fall racing calendar is shaping up across the world. With the Olympic window open for race walkers and marathoners, elite runners are searching for sanctioned races to get their times down. Here’s a list of the in-person events that you can look forward to this fall and winter. 

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RELATED: In-person race set for September 26 in Peterborough, Ont.

Japanese races

Japan is where two world class races are scheduled to run this winter, with limited field sizes. The Fukuoka International Marathon will run on December 6, according to Japan Running News, with a field of only 90 runners. This will include an elite field of 10 runners and the following 80 fastest applicants. In order to apply, runners need to have a personal best of 2:25:00 or under. 

Also in Japan, the Nagoya Women’s-Only Marathon has announced that they will run this March with field sizes of 11,000, plus elite and invited athletes. The mass participation race is only open to Japanese runners living in the country. In addition to the marathon, the half will run as well, with a field size of 9,000. There will no longer be a 10K. 

Cam Levins breaks the tape at Canadian Marathon Championships, STWM 2018. Photo: Todd Fraser, Canada Running Series

Canadians have a history with both of these races – Rachel Cliff set the Canadian marathon record in Nagoya in 2019 (it was broken again by Malindi Elmore this year in Houston). In men’s running, Jerome Drayton set his long-standing Canadian marathon record at Fukuoka, which was finally broken by Cam Levins in 2018. 

Valencia Marathon

The Valencia Marathon, another notoriously fast course, is set to run this December. Both the full and half will run, with a maximum of 300 elites to be entered.

RELATED: World Athletics amends Olympic qualification timeline for road athletes

World majors and world championships

The London Marathon is running an extremely competitive elite race in under two weeks’ time, which includes world record holder (and 1:59 marathonerEliud Kipchoge. He’s joined by the second-fastest marathoner of all time, Kenenisa Bekele and 2:02 marathoner Mosinet Geremew. Seven men in the field have run under 2:05, all of them in the past two years. The Canadians in the field will be Tristan Woodfine and Cam Levins, both hoping to secure Olympic spots. 

5K workout
Photo: Marathon Photos

On October 17, the running world will see its first world championship since last summer. The World Half-Marathon Championships will run in Poland in less than a month, and Canada is set to name their team this week. The American and Japanese team have both pulled out of the championship.

RELATED: Cam Levins runs 1:02:12 solo half-marathon

Canadian races

In Canada, the Fast is Fun Marathon, which has been sanctioned by Athletics Ontario, is set to take place in Waterloo on October 4. The list of Canadian elites includes 2019 world championship competitor Melanie Myrand, 1:03 half-marathoner Phil Parrot-Migas and 2:19 marathoner Chris Balestrini

RELATED: Athletics Canada announces marathon relay challenge

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