White River Marathon

White River Marathon is run in Cotter, Arkansas, on November 21, 2026, on a flat course alongside the White River. The marathon (26.2 miles) and the half marathon (13.1 miles) both start at 7:00 a.m., and the 5K follows at 7:30 a.m. The marathon is a Boston qualifier, the field is capped at 750 entries, and the event keeps a family-friendly feel with a pasta dinner. Runners can also contribute to a used-shoe collection.

A flat marathon with a small cap is close to ideal for a Boston attempt, because the terrain gives you nothing to blame and the field is small enough that you will spend long stretches running your own pace. Train accordingly: in a 16-week build, include several long runs at goal marathon pace rather than only easy mileage, and rehearse your fuelling on each one. If you are not chasing a qualifier, the half on the same flat course is a reasonable place to try for a personal best instead.