Marathons are hard. And unless you’re elite, there’s no money waiting for you on the other side of that finish line. There is the personal satisfaction of completing one, yes, but what if you could have more? It’s only when you stop chasing performances and times that you realise those aren’t the only rewards to exist. And those aren’t the only reasons to run a marathon that exist either. Marathons are hard. And while the running itself will never get easier, it can definitely get more enjoyable. So if you’re looking for a reason to run a marathon that doesn’t involve breaking down some metaphorical time barrier, then here are 10.
1. Athens Marathon- For the history of it all
Time of year: November
Number of participants: 25,000
Course details: point-to-point, elevation gain 336m
Entry fee: 75€ for EU residents/citizens, 165€ for non-EU
How to enter: Online registration around 6 months before race day
The beginning is a very good place to start. And in this case I don’t just mean the beginning of this list, but of the distance of the marathon itself. Although technically, while people think of Athens as where the marathon first started, it would be more accurate to say it’s where it first ended.
When you run the Athens Marathon, you retrace the footsteps of a Greek messenger who 2500 years ago in 490 B.C., is said to have run all the way from a town called Marathon back to Athens, in a rush to announce their victory in the Battle of Marathon. Based on the name of the town, you can probably guess that that was no easy run. Because the town of Marathon just so happens to be located around 40km northeast of Athens. Maybe not the quickest, but definitely the most dedicated, way of delivering a message. Legend also has it that he collapsed and died straight afterwards, which, in spite of what people might say about historical accuracy, knowing the marathon, seems pretty convincing.
A lot has changed since 490 B.C.. For the better, for the worse, and for the sake of history. The Athens Marathon was first run in 1972, and with its start in Marathon and its finish in the Panathenaic Stadium where the inaugural Olympic Games were held in 1896, it truly is the original marathon course.
2. Antarctic Ice Marathon- For the sake of adventure
Time of year: December
Number of participants: 50-85
Course details: 4 loops of around 10km, elevation gain of 327m and loss of 292m
Entry fee: 22,500 USD all-inclusive (entry, travel from Chile to Antarctica, 6 nights accommodation, meals and professional photos)
How to enter: Online registration form (first come, first served basis)
To take a stab in the dark, I would venture that Antarctica probably isn’t very high up on your list of places to visit. After all, it doesn’t exactly tick the box for summer holiday destinations, given the ice and everything. It’s the kind of place you need an excuse to visit. A specific reason, something significant enough to get you on that plane and headed straight for the ice cold desert. Well, isn’t that what a marathon is for?
Let me first set one thing straight. Just like the cold, the Antarctic Ice Marathon is no joke. It’s not a gimmick, not a token event set up so that people can brag about visiting the world’s coldest continent. That last part you can definitely do, and in fact it’s one of the marathon’s main points of attraction, but you have to actually do the running bit first. 42.195km in an average temperature of -20 degrees celsius, at 700m altitude and with winds practically begging you to fall over. It’s a challenge, and you have to earn it. But it’s also an adventure.
Why get the seven star medal, when you could get the seven continent medal? With conditions as they are, just stepping foot in Antarctica is hard enough. When you look at it from that perspective, running a marathon has never been easier. The cold may be strong enough to shatter steel, but what it can’t touch is a mind of steel. Which you’ll most definitely need, as well as a decent tolerance for your own thoughts given the absence of crowds.
The Antarctic Ice Marathon is all about being one of the few. To grace the world’s southernmost course, the famous blue ice runway, the world’s coldest continent. And if you’re up for it, one of those few, could be you.
3. Everest Marathon- for the challenge of it all
Time of year: May
Number of participants: 250
Course details: point-to-point, overall elevation loss of almost 2000m
Entry fee: deposit of USD 500 required, race packages start at $999 for 3 nights
How to enter: online registration form to be filled in before 30th April
If Antarctica piqued your interest, then clearly you don’t mind the cold and you don’t mind a challenge either, so maybe this one’s for you. Although if you see the word Everest and take it as your sign to run, then you’re also on the right lines. Only I would trade the running away, for running a marathon instead.
As contradictory as it might seem, the world’s highest marathon doesn’t actually involve a lot of running uphill. That height is reached before, rather than during, the marathon, and the course itself involves an almost continuous downhill, from the Everest base camp at 5360m altitude all the way down to 3440m. But that descent serves a purpose. From a higher vantage point you get a much wider view of the surrounding landscape not just below you but around you too, and not just of Everest but of other mountains like Nuptse and Lhotse.
Now of course going downhill does also make the actual running a bit harder, but to that I would say two things. Firstly, it’s Everest. And secondly, a marathon is not meant to be easy. When it comes to Everest the marathon is also unique in the sense that it combines a distance traditionally thought of as a road-running discipline with the sport of trail running, just by the very nature of its terrain. It’s a downhill climb, not a downhill slide.
4. Great Wall Marathon- For the wonder of it all
Time of year: May
Number of participants: 2500
Course details: elevation gain 1282m
Entry fee: packages start at USD 790
How to enter: sign up for tour package on website (registration opens August before race day)
We’ve already talked about how running marathons can help you conquer the seven continents of the world, so how about the seven wonders of the world too? The Great Wall of China is one of them, and, as luck would have it, the Huangyaguan section to the east of Beijing has hosted an annual marathon for the past 27 years.
Where Everest was mostly downhill, the Great Wall of China is most definitely uphill. A total of 5,164 steps and an elevation gain of up to 1400m make for quite the challenge. But a maximum limit of 2500 runners also makes for quite the community. Of like-minded people, out to explore the world and do so in a way that neither they, nor their legs (for the next few days at least) will ever forget.
5. San Francisco Marathon- For the ‘big city’ of it all
Time of year: July
Number of participants: 30,000
Course details: elevation gain 397m
Entry fee: $457.74
How to enter: online registration opens around January but waitlist spots available beforehand
Marathons are a great excuse to travel the world. And while so far we’ve stayed mostly rooted in nature, there’s no denying the allure of a big city. And the impact they had on running, too. Especially when it comes to California.
The first major running boom occurred in the 1970s, and if it weren’t for the western state, it might have ended up as just that. A boom. Trending for a few years until suddenly, jogging isn’t so cool anymore. Except in this case the boom never died down. California served as the main stage for its transition into a widespread movement, with a local population so steeped in running culture that commercialisation was an easy next step.
So where does the San Francisco Marathon come into this? In the end, it helped cement the very thing it drew inspiration from. It was created at the peak of the first running boom in 1977, and the population has never looked back since. For a big city it might seem like a paradox but when it comes to the marathon San Francisco’s sense of community is central. It’s like that saying about food, how you can tell when it’s home-made. Well, with marathons, you can tell when they’re built by runners.
6. Valencia Marathon- For the running of it all
Time of year: December
Number of participants: 36,000
Course details: elevation gain around 60m (very flat course)
Entry fee: starting price of 80€ for first 10,000 bibs
How to enter: ballot system (opens mid-December)
If you want to run fast, chances are your best option lies within the Spanish Peninsula. And not just anywhere either. Whether it’s a 10km, a half marathon, or in this case the full marathon, Valencia is the place to go. There’s nothing wrong with running marathons as a way of exploring historical sites, getting close to nature or just as a personal challenge, but at some point, you’re going to want to see how fast you can really go. It’s just human nature. And unfortunately, you can’t do all of those things at once.
That’s not to say that the Valencia Marathon isn’t a scenic one. It is. With a course that passes down by the beach and then through the city centre, you won’t be short of sights. Although given it’s also flat and notoriously fast, maybe you won’t have as much time to admire them. The Valencia Marathon holds course records that are both within the top 10 fastest marathon times in history, and yours could be one of them. (In your own personal history book of course).
7. Marathon du Médoc- For the fun of it all
Time of year: September
Number of participants: 8500
Course details: 23 wine stops around every 2.5km
Entry fee: bib-only €110 other packages available
How to enter: registrations open in March on event website
‘Work hard, play hard’ isn’t just a motto to live by. It’s a marathon too. Specifically, le Marathon des Châteaux du Médoc. Running a marathon doesn’t always have to be a means for celebration. It can in fact be that very celebration itself.
When I tell you the Marathon du Medoc is run through the vineyards of Bordeaux, you can probably guess where this is headed. This is not one for competition. At least not when it comes to running. The challenge here is to run purely for the fun of it all, which isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Every runner finds it hard to disconnect. Every run comes measured in times and in positions, but never in enjoyment. So try it. I dare you. Try running without any of those restraints. When it comes to the Marathon du Medoc, the only requirement you’ll have to meet is a love for wine, and a love for cheese.
It’s just like any other race. Only trade the water for wine-tasting, energy gels for local cuisine, and running gear for fancy dress. Plus live music and dancing. Other than that, still the same 42.195km. With over 20 stops along the route, it won’t be your fastest marathon, but it will be your most fun. So much so, that it might make you think the unthinkable. For the first time in your life, you might never want a marathon to end.
8. Victoria Falls Marathon- For the nature of it all
Time of year: July
Number of participants: 5000
Course details: 2 lap course, elevation gain of around 200m
Entry fee: $85 for international runners
How to enter: registration opens in March on event website
Saying you ran a marathon will impress a lot of people. Being able to say you ran all the way from Zimbabwe to Zambia, will impress even more people. What they don’t have to know is that the Victoria Falls Marathon actually starts less than 5km away from the Zambian border, but there’s no harm in a little exaggeration.
Running the Victoria Falls Marathon isn’t just about impressing other people though. It’s about impressing yourself. The course doesn’t just take you through two different countries. It takes you to one of the world’s biggest and most famous waterfalls: Victoria Falls. Not once, but twice. And when you’re done there, a whole other world of national parks and local wildlife awaits you.
9. Sydney Marathon- For the ‘marathon major’ of it all
Time of year: August
Number of participants: 35,000
Course details: overall 83m elevation loss
Entry fee: A$280 for residents and A$330 for international
How to enter: general ballot opens in September
It’s like a status symbol. You can’t say you’ve lived until you’ve travelled the world, and you can’t call yourself a marathon runner until you’ve run a major. An Abbott World Marathon Major that is. I’m not saying I agree, but in case it turns out to be true, I’ve got you covered. Because Sydney, the 7th and most recent addition to the majors, just so happens to combine those two things. Unless, of course, you live in Australia.
So why am I recommending Sydney, and not Boston? Or London? Or Tokyo, even? Sydney isn’t the biggest World Marathon Major. It’s not the oldest, and it’s not the fastest either. What it is is up-and-coming. It has the feel of a local marathon, with the status of an elite one. All the perks, and very few of the downsides. The aim of this article is to make your marathon experiences feel one-of-a-kind. Not one-of-a-never-ending crowd.
Athens may forever be the most iconic Olympic city, but Sydney in 2000 is hardly forgettable. Quite the opposite. Being called ‘the best Olympic Games ever’ by the IOC president isn’t exactly a statement that goes away with time.
10. Rio de Janeiro Marathon- For the love of variety
Time of year: June
Number of participants: 60,000
Course details: point-to-point, elevation gain 168m
How to enter: international participants must register through travel agencies listed on event website
This next marathon takes us not just from the biggest marathon in Australasia to the biggest marathon in South America, but also, in keeping with the recurring theme of this article, from one Olympic host city, to another. Rio. But don’t let that trick you into thinking these marathons are all one and the same. Variety is the spice of life, and the Rio Marathon encompasses exactly that.
People always say you can’t have it all. And while that may be true in life as a whole, the same rules don’t apply when it comes to marathons. City, beach, mountains, parks, wildlife, all things you’ll experience over the 42.195km it takes to complete the Rio Marathon.
What are you waiting for?
10 different marathons, and 10 different reasons to run them. The only thing that’s left for you to do, is decide where you want your marathon journey to start.
Written by- Rosana Ercilla
