© Berlin Marathon
World Marathon Majors: How do New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin, Sydney, London, and Tokyo turn the marathon into an extraordinary experience?
New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin, Sydney, London, and Tokyo: These seven cities don’t just organize marathons—they elevate them to the status of global festivals. Each race becomes a stage where runners take the spotlight, amidst the pursuit of records, memorable selfies, and raw emotions. Welcome to the exclusive circle of the World Marathon Majors.
The 7 World Marathon Majors!
- New York Marathon (November 3, 2024) Participants: 55,646 finishers, setting a new world record for a marathon
- Berlin Marathon (September 29, 2024) Participants: 54,280 finishers
- London Marathon (April 21, 2024) Participants: 54,218 finishers
- Chicago Marathon (October 13, 2024) Participants: 52,150 finishers, breaking the event’s previous record
- Tokyo Marathon (March 3, 2024) Participants: Approximately 38,000 finishers
- Sydney Marathon (September 15, 2024) Participants: 20,284 finishers
- Boston Marathon (April 15, 2024) Participants: Approximately 30,000 finishers
Now, they are seven. Seven cities that attract crowds, elite runners, records, and countless Instagram stories. New York, Berlin, London, Tokyo, Boston, Chicago, and the new addition Sydney : Together, these ‘World Marathon Majors’ turn the marathon into more than just a personal challenge. They create a true global spectacle.
| The marathon as a blockbuster
The Majors understood early on the need to tell a story over the 42.195 kilometers of the race. Running in New York feels like being the hero of a movie. Raucous crowds in Brooklyn, postcard views of Manhattan, and a finish nestled in Central Park: everything is designed for emotion. In Berlin? It’s a high-precision setting. The course is flat, ultra-fast, with walls adorned in graffiti and records tumbling continually. You can feel the legacy of Kipchoge here. Every city has its identity, its staging, its soundtrack. And even if you’re not in the elite pack, you get that unique thrill.
| A global showcase for running
The World Majors are also a passport to the world. Every participant can enter a lottery in Tokyo, aim for a personal record in Chicago, tackle Heartbreak Hill in Boston… all while sporting the same collector’s bib proudly shared on social media. It has become a quest, a Holy Grail: the ‘Six Stars’, those six stars that finishers of the six marathons collect like trophies. It attracts everyone: amateurs, former pros, running influencers, and even celebrities checking it off their bucket list. Running, yes. But in the right city, with the right storytelling.
| The omnipresence of social media
Another critical factor: social media. Before, we showed our medals at the coffee machine. Today, they must be posted on Instagram, with a sunset over Manhattan or Tokyo in the background. The Majors ride this wave. They don’t just sell a race; they sell an image, an experience, an Instagrammable memory. And it works. Even though many have jelly legs by kilometer 38, everyone seems capable of smiling for the photo. Because in this world, if it’s not on Strava or in a reel, you didn’t run.
| A show at every level
A Marathon Major isn’t just a race. It’s a real experience. Live music along the course, giant screens, enthusiastic commentators, helicopters, drones… It’s halfway between a sports event and a cultural festival. Volunteers are as stylish as the runners, the aid stations offer more than some brunches, and the atmosphere… speaks for itself. Finishers have been seen in tears at the finish line just from hearing the crowd. Sponsors get it too. Each major is an XXL showcase for major brands. We’re no longer talking about shoes, but “optimized propulsion technology,” mojito-flavored gels, and thermo-regulated outfits designed in wind tunnels. The marathon has become lifestyle.
| Performance as the heart of the show
Make no mistake, it’s still serious business. Every year, the biggest names in marathon running come to these iconic cities in search of record times. In Berlin, Eliud Kipchoge and now Tigist Assefa shatter records. In Boston, it’s the prestige of the course that draws them. In London, it’s the competitive field… along with its eccentric records. In short, between two runners dressed as bananas, speedsters line up at the start. But perhaps the most beautiful thing is that all of this coexists. The world champion and the Sunday jogger share the same course, tread the same pavement, and pass through the same jubilant city. That’s the magic of the Majors: making you feel like a champion, even if you cross the finish line in 4 hours and 58 minutes with cramps and a knee that sets off alarms.
✓ So, ready to chase the Six Stars?
If you’ve ever dreamed of running “the marathon,” with a capital M, it’s probably one of the six in this elite league. And if you’ve already crossed the finish line in New York, Berlin, or elsewhere, you’ve likely understood that these cities have transformed the race into a total show, where every runner, in their own way, becomes a star.
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