If the marathon bug has finally nipped at your heels, spurring you to action, it’s time to get serious about finding the right race. The best marathons for beginners is more than a list of races, it’s looking at your options and figuring out exactly which one is going to give you a shot at a spectacular day.

The marathon isn’t just 26.2 miles, it’s the months of training leading up to race day and you want the pay off to be spectacular.

It’s easy to look to the big rac...