Is February a good month for a Marathon?
February sits in the middle of the year for the Marathon, carrying 37 against 71 in April and 14 in August. Enough to choose from, and easier to get into than the races at the peak of the season.
Race calendar · February 2027
Marathons in February 2027
37 marathons across the US in February 2027, sorted by date. Which weekends are busiest, what the fields actually run, entry fees, and where each one starts.
February marathons in the United States are a geography problem as much as a training problem. Most of the country is still deep in winter, so the calendar tilts hard toward Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, and coastal California, where race-day conditions are far more predictable. If you live in the Northeast or Midwest, you are almost certainly traveling.
For runners chasing a spring goal race, a February 26.2 sits at an awkward spot in the training year: late enough to race seriously, early enough that peak fitness from a full winter build is not guaranteed. That tension cuts both ways - a February finish gives you spring to recover and reset, but it leaves little room if training goes sideways in January.
The calendar is compact, and the races that exist tend to be smaller and more local in character than the big fall marathons. Expect a different atmosphere: less crowd support, more self-reliance on course, and weather that can range from perfect running conditions in the South to genuinely cold and windy almost anywhere else.
What the field actually runs
February Marathons, By the Numbers
4:30:14Median finish time
3:10:36Median winning time
45Median field size
20February marathons with published results
How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Nov 12, 2026.
When in February
The February Race Weekends
Marathons are not spread evenly across February. Here is how the calendar actually falls, weekend by weekend, which is the part worth knowing before you book a trip or plan a taper around one.
By the numbers
The Biggest Field
The largest field of any February Marathon, from the most recent published results.
February Marathons by State
Marathons by City in February
The Next Marathons in February
37 total Fri, Feb 5, 2027YMCA Critz Tybee Run Tybee Island, GAFrom $170Details Sat, Feb 6, 2027Groundhog Day Marathon Walker, MIFrom $104Details Sat, Feb 6, 2027Surfside Beach Marathon Freeport, TXFrom $85Details Sat, Feb 6, 2027Railway Marathon & Half Marathon Fultondale, ALFrom $105Details Sat, Feb 6, 2027Golden Gate Trail Run Sausalito, CAFrom $80Details Sat, Feb 6, 2027Pirate 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Beaumont, TX (06) Beaumont, TXFrom $95Register Sun, Feb 7, 2027DONNA Marathon Weekend Jacksonville Beach, FLFrom $115Details Sun, Feb 7, 2027Tallahassee Marathon and Half Marathon Tallahassee, FLFrom $115Details Sun, Feb 7, 2027Warm Up Columbus Dublin, OHFrom $80Details Sun, Feb 7, 2027St. Petersburg Distance Classic Saint Petersburg, FLFrom $20Details Sun, Feb 7, 2027Health First Florida Marathon Weekend Melbourne, FLFrom $140Details Sat, Feb 13, 2027Urgent Care of Berwick Love Chocolate Savannah, GAFrom $95Details
Common Questions About Running a February Marathon
What is the weather actually like for a February marathon, and how should I race it?
It depends entirely on where you race. Southern Florida and coastal Texas can deliver warm, humid mornings that slow you down and demand early conservative pacing. The Southeast and Southwest are milder but not immune to cold fronts. Start conservative regardless of region - February weather shifts fast, and a warm second half of a race is harder to manage than a cold first half.
What should I wear for a February marathon?
Layer for the start and plan to warm up quickly. A throwaway long sleeve or light jacket over a singlet handles cold starts in most southern venues. For the Midwest or Pacific Northwest, gloves and a hat are worth carrying to mile three. Avoid overdressing: even a cool morning at a 26.2 will have you overheating by mile ten if you start in too much.
Is a February marathon a good target if I want to qualify for Boston?
Potentially, yes - flat, fast courses do exist in February, and the weather in Florida, Texas, and California can cooperate for a strong time. The risk is that February gives you limited runway to recover from a bad race before spring qualifying windows close. If conditions turn warm and humid on race day, chasing a specific time becomes a gamble.
How far in advance should I start training for a February marathon?
A standard marathon build runs roughly sixteen to twenty weeks, which puts your training start in late September or October. That means your long runs fall through November and December - manageable in the South, genuinely hard in colder climates. If you are in a cold-weather city, account for treadmill weeks and adjust your target pace expectations accordingly.
When in February are most marathons held?
The busiest weekend is February 20 and February 21, with 12 of them, 9 of those on Saturday, February 20. Another 3 fall on a weekday, which is worth knowing if you are traveling for one.
What is a good Marathon time?
Across the 20 of these February marathons with published results from past editions, the median finisher ran 4:30:14, and the median winning time was 3:10:36. So anything under 4:30:14 puts you in the faster half of a typical field. That is the middle of these RunSignup fields, walkers and charity entrants included, not a national average.
How big is a typical February Marathon field?
The median one finished 45 runners, across the 20 of these February marathons with published results from past editions. Most are far smaller than the big-city events people picture, which means less crowding at the start and a friendlier field, with a last recorded finisher at 6:34:34.
Which states have the most February marathons?
Florida has 12, California has 5, Texas has 5, North Carolina has 4, Georgia has 2. If you are willing to travel, those are the states where a February weekend gives you the most to choose from.
Are there trail marathons in February?
Yes, one race around the United States gets you off the pavement: 1 is a trail race.