is the okc memorial marathon a good bq course?
By PaceKit Team · Updated April 2026
The OKC Memorial Marathon is USATF sanctioned and a certified Boston qualifier. The pace group offerings are deep (3:25 through 5:30, provided by Red Coyote Running & Fitness), and the organization has earned Runner's World "12 Must-Run" status. People BQ here.
But the course variables work against pure speed. The rolling hills add approximately 750 feet of cumulative elevation change. The wind is unpredictable and can be significant. The temperature range (54°F to 74°F) skews warmer than ideal, and the humidity of late-April Oklahoma adds a physiological tax that dry-air BQ courses don't have. The long, slow incline at miles 21 to 24 arrives at the point where BQ margins are typically won or lost.
The BQ rate data is limited in our current dataset, but the combination of hills, heat potential, wind, and a large, diverse field (25,000+ across all distances) suggests rates below the elite BQ courses like Glass City or Carmel.
Who can BQ here: Trained, experienced runners with cushion past their BQ standard who've also trained on hills and in warm conditions. Runners who use the deep pace group offerings to stay disciplined through the first half and absorb the elevation in the second.
Who should look elsewhere for a BQ: Runners on the margin who need every possible advantage. If flat, cool, and calm are your requirements, Glass City, Carmel, or Eugene are better BQ investments.
The real reason to run OKC: It's not the BQ. It's the 168 seconds of silence. It's the banners. It's the museum admission with your bib. It's the neighborhoods full of people who line the streets because this race means something to their city. If you BQ here, you'll have one of the most meaningful qualifying times of your life. The BQ is a bonus. The experience is the reason.