The 100 Club: marathon’s crazy few

The running world is packed with passionate athletes. Runners who can never get enough, swallowing up miles the way others polish off burgers and fries. Among them is a hardcore community whose tally stands at 100 marathons or more. Yes, 100. Absolutely bonkers.

Building a community of happy few or rather, crazy few completely hooked on marathons is nothing new. While the first official 100 Marathon Club in England dates back to 2005, a group of runners with at least 100 marathons on their record had existed long before then. In any case, the founding of that original club was the spark that soon spread around the world. Similar groups later emerged in Germany, the United States, Denmark, Belgium, Norway... and France.

Beaujolais, the birthplace of France’s 100 Club

In the land of baguettes, berets and wine, the French 100 Club adventure could only have started at the Marathon International du Beaujolais. This wine-growing region hosts France’s most festive running event, complete with tasting stations, costumes and its famous “Nuit du Marathon”. André Monier has been part of the organising committee since 2010. “I spotted anonymous runners with huge records and met a few of them,” André Monier recalls. “The following year, we invited them. They came because Beaujolais was a perfect fit for their sporting ambitions: a fun, sociable marathon.” Over the years, the group grew to around a hundred members, now bound by genuine friendship. “That’s when I came up with the idea of a 100 Club to bring them together,” Monier adds.

The race for finish lines

To join this exclusive sporting circle, you need to prove your credentials, in other words, show a substantial record. Following the model established by Britain’s 100 Marathon Club, associate members have not yet reached 100 marathons but must have completed at least 50. Those who have passed the century mark are full members. The club’s most prolific member has racked up no fewer than 800 finish lines. Yes, some of them are, naturally, of a certain age. Although long-distance running has become increasingly commonplace in recent years, particularly with the rise of ultra-trails that have turned 40-kilometre races into the “short” format (sic) of many events, completing a hundred marathons is no easy feat. It takes years of commitment, along with a sensible approach if you want to avoid burning out or hanging up your running shoes for good when your body falls apart. So you have to wait patiently, season after season, as the stack of finisher medals grows on the shelf.

A love of the miles... and the mates

Most of the crazy few in the 100 Club are not really chasing times. Their record is defined more by the number of marathons they have completed than by their personal best, and they find their happiness in discovering new places and meeting fellow enthusiasts. There is often an addictive element to this appetite for miles too: an addiction to sport that every regular runner knows well, but also an addiction to the emotions a marathon brings.

At the Marathon International du Beaujolais, now the annual gathering for France’s 100 Club, its members receive a special welcome. “We honour them and put them in the spotlight. For the 20th edition, held last autumn, we brought them on stage during the Nuit du Marathon, and they paraded with the club’s new flag, which we created in 2024,” Monier explains. “This club is a microcosm. It brings together people who want to be together and enjoy celebrating together.” There is no doubt that this sense of recognition and belonging strengthens the motivation of these 42.195-kilometre addicts. “The club also adds a collective dimension to road running, an individual sport,” Monier concludes.

A spirit of solidarity that warms the heart... and encourages them to keep adding finisher medals to the shelf.