Two of the fastest marathon courses on earth, two very different races. Here's every stat, side by side, to help you pick.
Indicative — based on GPX data. Both courses normalised to start at 0m.
✓ marks the better number on that stat.
There's a real cultural link here — Boston's Irish-American heritage runs deep, and both marathons share a taste for hills. Boston's 265m of gain and Dublin's 216m are broadly comparable, though Boston's net downhill (135m net drop) makes its 2:01:52 course record considerably faster than Dublin's 2:06:52.
Boston needs a qualifying time; Dublin is ballot-entry and open to a much wider range of finishers. If the qualifying standard and Majors status matter, Boston wins outright; if you want a hilly, characterful marathon with genuine Irish hospitality and an easier path to the start line, Dublin delivers plenty on its own terms.