Best December Marathons for a BQ (2028 Window)

Published November 9, 2026 · Estimates, updated each registration cycle

Short answer: for most runners the best December Boston qualifier is CIM in Sacramento, with Kiawah Island and Rocket City as excellent flat alternatives a week later. Tucson is fast if your legs can handle a long descent, Dallas is a fair course with unpredictable weather, and Honolulu counts but is a poor choice for a time. Every one of these December 2026 races falls inside the Boston 2028 qualifying window, which opened on September 19, 2026, so a result this month is used for registration in September 2027.

Why December is such a good month to qualify

December gives you cool mornings across most of the southern half of the country, a full autumn of training behind you and plenty of time left in the window. If the race goes wrong, the spring season is still open for a second attempt before registration. A strong December result also takes the pressure off the rest of the year: you can apply with it and use spring only to improve your buffer. Our guide to running a second marathon in the same window explains how to plan that.

CIM: the default choice

The California International Marathon in early December runs point to point from Folsom to downtown Sacramento. It has a gentle net drop spread over rolling early miles, far below the 1,500 foot line where the B.A.A. downhill adjustment starts, plus deep pace groups and a field full of runners chasing the same goal. The rollers in the first half catch out runners who bank time. Read the full CIM course review.

Kiawah Island and Rocket City: flat and quiet

Kiawah Island in South Carolina on December 12, 2026 is about as flat as a certified marathon gets, with a small field and coastal air. The risk is wind off the water and long stretches with few spectators. Rocket City in Huntsville, Alabama on December 13, 2026 has gentle rollers, a cool early start and a reputation as a runner focused qualifier. Both suit runners who pace well alone. See is Kiawah Island a good BQ course and is Rocket City a good BQ course.

Tucson, Dallas and Honolulu: read the small print

Tucson, also on December 13, 2026, starts high in the desert and now reports a net drop of 1,493 feet, just seven feet under the B.A.A. threshold, so times currently count without the five minute adjustment. It is fast, but a descent of that size punishes untrained quads; our Tucson review covers the details. Dallas, on the weekend of December 11 to 13, has a rolling back half around White Rock Lake and the least predictable weather of the group. Honolulu on December 13 is a valid qualifier, but heat, humidity and the Diamond Head climbs make it one of the slowest big races in the country.

The number to aim at

The 2027 Boston race cut at 5:17 under the standard, and the 2028 cutoff is not known yet. So the target below is a planning number, not a forecast. A 47 year old man has a standard of 3:15:00. With a planning buffer of 6:00, he would aim for about 3:09:00. Targets for every age group are in what time you need for Boston 2028.

How to choose

Pick CIM if you want the proven option with the most company. Pick Kiawah Island or Rocket City if you want flat roads and a calmer race morning. Pick Tucson only if you have trained real downhill running. Whichever race you choose, put your age, gender and goal time into the cutoff predictor to see how that buffer would have done against every real Boston cutoff since 2014.