Here’s my list based on History, Prestige, Participation, and Elite Runners:
1-6 in no particular order the World Major Marathons (Boston, Chicago, NYC, Berlin, London, and Tokyo).
(7) Paris(8) Rotterdam(9) Seoul(10) Amsterdam
In the hunt:
FrankfurtRomeDubai (new but huge pay out)Honolulu LA (would have been a lock in the 1980’s)
**sorry Fukuoka and Lake Biwa Mainichi, you’re in the same league as the Olympics and WC.
No Cowtown in Fort Worth?
Those are fine criteria for an elite runner or if you are going to spectate.
If I want to rank marathons, I’d consider: fan support, course, scenery, post-race food and race swag (or lack of, if that’s your thing).
Boston is my favorite. Marine Corp was probably my next fav. London is way up there too. A lot of fun and to go back out and cheer on the back of the pack in their costumes was priceless. Berlin then Chicago then NY. NY was just a clusterfk as it is massively overcrowded.
I don’t know about Honolulu being a world-class marathon, for either the elites or regular participants. The course is not easy as far as road marathons go, so nobody will ever set a WR there, and AGers likely won’t be setting their next PR there (unless like me you live here and it’s the only marathon you’ve got). If you’re running sub-4:00, half your race is run in the dark so points off for scenery there. Slower runners get more things to look at as the sun rises, but it’s still urban Honolulu for the most part, not exactly the most scenic bit of Hawaii. Also, being run so early in the morning, hardly any spectators are out.
It’s still a great marathon, well-organized, and well-supported. Gives you a bit of insight into Japanese running culture as well without having to travel all the way out there since two-thirds of the runners come from Japan. Just not world-class in my mind. Maybe being younger I just don’t have a good sense of the history of the race though (even if it is the reason we run 26.2 at the end of a full IM).
Of all of those the only one I have run is Boston, so that is my perspective. Althought it probably would not be on the top 10, maybe 20, the Twin Cities Marathon is a great race. The course is fantastic and crowd support is unbelievable…
Of all of those the only one I have run is Boston, so that is my perspective. Althought it probably would not be on the top 10, maybe 20, the Twin Cities Marathon is a great race. The course is fantastic and crowd support is unbelievable…
I second this. TCM is a top 5-10 US race anyway
+3 for twin cities. Its my hometown race so im there every year as a runner or spectator and both are great experiences
TC was better than Chicago – better schwag, indoor restrooms, pre-race warm area, etc. and this is even with my running club having a hotel ballroom with private bathrooms for Chicago.
I liked:
Newport(RI) for scenery – water, water, and more water along with $$$$$$$$ houses.
Mystery Mountain(GA) for difficulty – 20%+ grade over a single mile.
Huntington(WV) had the best schwag – free pre-race dinner, fleece jacket, indoor restrooms, pre-race warm area, easy parking, football stadium finish with football provided, etc…
Now if you include ultras my list will change a bit.
Marine Corps deserves to be ‘in the hunt’. 23K finishers (LA has 19K, Honolulu 22K the others have maybe 11K), plus the best.support.ever.
And Athens? Has 9K finishers, and the ‘history’ category locked up.
Shame you didn’t include ‘amazing venues’ as part of the criteria…three more would have popped right to the top:
I’d sure rather do any of those three than Rotterdam (live in Holland know the course), for instance.
Worldwide I agree with the 3 American ones. Don’t know enough about the international ones.
How about top 10 or 20 in the U.S.?
Just for competitiveness (Not necessarily scenery or challenge or even history):
CIM in Sacto might be the best one in California (fastest & most competitive)?
Winter ones: Isn’t Houston pretty big time? Phoenix Rock n Roll?
Portland is pretty huge. Vancouver BC too (but no pros right?)
If you go by cool experience, its too hard to judge. There are 100s and they are all very different.
You almost need two lists, best marathons to run for the “experience” versus best marathons to run when looking to run a good time.
For these big city marathons, the experience is great, but all of the logistical challenges involved can interfere with the goal of running a fast time. There are some great smaller marathons in the US on good courses that draw a fast field that are much more suited to running a PR than a race that has you up 4 hours before the gun just to do what is required to get to the start.
The IAAF has the jump in listing the World Top marathon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAAF_Road_Race_Label_Events
.
There’s 10 races I never want to do. Expensive, crowded, paved.
Give me something like the swissalpine marathon in Davos.
For scenery and a great race experience the Vermont Burlington marathon- out of the others I have only run NYC- it is a spectacle but it is supposed to be, also my hometown
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The problem with the worlds greatest marathons is that they really aren’t user friendly for most mortals. I am coming up on my fifth Boston marathon which has to be in that list, but is really a pain in the ass for folks like me. The hotel rates get jacked up big time for that weekend, I have to show up at the finish line at 6am to get on a bus to take me to the start at 11am and I am not allowed to have a drop bag at the start, so any thing I wear at 6am is either dropped on the road or worn to the finish line. I think the best marathons are the little ones with 500 to 2000 runners. You can often drive right up close to the start and leave warm up clothes in your car just before the gun goes off and they will be close by when you finish. Also when you start you can get to your desired pace right away and not have to wait 10K or 10 miles for the crowd to thin out so you don’t waste energy zigzagging in between runners who should not be in front of you from the start So I am voting for little obscure marathons like Rehoboth Beach De. in December and Bob Potts in York Pa. in May. YMMV, Tim
I think you need to pitch one of your top 10 and add in the Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship in Japan. Frank Shorter won this 4 times! Bill Rodgers won it once. Course record from 2009 is 2:05:18. Since 2006, it has been won by an African (Kenya, Ethiopia, and Morocco). This race dates to 1947 and has an international pedigree that few others can match.
The IAAF has the jump in listing the World Top marathon
http://en.wikipedia.org/...ad_Race_Label_Events
All 10 on my list are “Gold Label” events.
Marine Corps deserves to be ‘in the hunt’. 23K finishers (LA has 19K, Honolulu 22K the others have maybe 11K), plus the best.support.ever.
And Athens? Has 9K finishers, and the ‘history’ category locked up.
Shame you didn’t include ‘amazing venues’ as part of the criteria…three more would have popped right to the top:
I’d sure rather do any of those three than Rotterdam (live in Holland know the course), for instance.
My criteria (as flawed as it may be) was History, Prestige, Participation, and Elite Runners. Marine Corp does not attract elite runners (sub 2:10), either does Big Sur. Most of the races I choose started in the 70’s/80’s and hit all the marks on my methodology. And just to be clear, I’m not saying these are “My” top marathons that I want to race. I think most of my top 10 have two things in common, (1) at least 20,000 runners and (2) feature a subset of the top east African runners competing in the marathon.
well as we’re talking world top marathons and there’s 80% USA so far…
i’d add Hamburg marathon! incredible vibe!!! so many people out there cheering the whole way, entire families making BBQ’s and delivering bananas to runners. you just CANT stop as there’ll come along an old grandma running with you. germans know how to support races i guess…!