Marathons are long, and so is the list of questions about them. Which is why in this article, I’ve done the research so you don’t have to. Here some of the most frequently asked questions about marathons, answered.
Which marathon is the biggest?
The biggest marathon in the world by number of finishers is currently the London Marathon. It reached a record 59,830 in 2026, surpassing the New York City Marathon’s total of 59,226 from 2025. The ‘biggest marathon in the world’ title has been passed between the two for several years now. But with the London Marathon hosting a 2-day edition in 2027 and expanding its capacity to 100,000 participants, it’s unlikely the New York City Marathon will reclaim its title any time soon.
The London and New York City Marathons however do have an advantage in this aspect. They also form part of the largest marathon series in the world: the Abbott World Marathon Majors. Therefore, it makes sense to point out that the biggest marathon outside of the majors is the Paris Marathon. Its 2026 edition reached an incredible 57,464 finishers. To put it into perspective, this is more than the third largest marathon major, Chicago, which reached a peak of 54,351 in 2025.
Which marathon is the fastest?
The question of which marathon is the fastest doesn’t have a concrete answer. What makes one marathon faster than another depends on the perspective. There are however three main criteria relied upon for a response, which I’ll list here.
- Most world records set on the course
- Holder of the current world record
- Fastest combined course records
Each of these three has the potential to lead to a different answer. Whichever you choose to follow depends on what you yourself consider to be the most important factor. Let’s answer them one by one.
1. Most world records set on the course
If the only criteria for being the fastest marathon in the world is to have had the highest number of world records set on the course, the winner is the Berlin Marathon, one of the 7 Abbott World Marathon Majors. Since it was first held in 1974, a total of 13 world marathon records have been set on its course. 9 of them in the men’s category, and 4 in the women’s.
The second highest number belongs to the London Marathon, where 7 world marathon records have been set. 1 male, 4 female in a mixed race and 2 female in a women-only race.
2. Holder of the current world records
No individual marathon holds both the male and female world records. Although up until 2026 this was the case with Chicago. Both Kelvin Kiptum (2:00:35 in 2023) and Ruth Chepgnetich (2:09:56 in 2024) set world records on its course. But after Sabastian Sawe broke the the men’s world record with 1:59:30 in London, Chicago is now only home to the female world record.
The London Marathon is in fact now the only marathon in the world to hold two marathon world records. Because the women’s race is held separately to the men’s, it’s eligible for ‘women-only’ marathon world records. The current mark was set by Tigist Assefa in 2026 at 2:15:41. It sits alongside Sabastian Sawe’s time as the London Marathon’s second world record.
3. Fastest combined course records
If you view the fastest marathon in the world as the one with the most current world records, then the London Marathon would come out on top. However, another option is to consider course records, and which marathon has the fastest overall times. In that case, the answer would be the Chicago Marathon. The female course record of 2:09:56 is also the current world record. And although the male course record of 2:00:35 no longer holds that status, it’s still the 4th fastest time in history.
Which marathon is the oldest?
The oldest annual marathon is the Boston Marathon, held since 1897. The event that inspired its creation was the inaugural Olympic marathon in Athens a year prior, which served as a reintroduction of marathon running to the general public. It wasn’t until the next century, some 20 years after the Boston Marathon was established, that other cities followed suit. For example the Yonkers Marathon in New York was founded in 1907.
Which marathon is the hardest to qualify for?
The answer to which marathon is the hardest to qualify for depends on the level of runner looking to gain entry. On the whole, the experience will differ mainly between the two categories of amateur and semi-elite runners. But as a general rule given the exclusive nature of the marathon majors, those are difficult for just about anyone to access.
For amateur runners
For the average runner, the Boston Marathon is considered the hardest to get into. Primarily because unlike the other marathon majors there’s no general lottery open to the public. The only way to enter is through a time qualification system. This in and of itself automatically excludes a vast majority of less experienced runners.
For example, to qualify for the 2027 edition, women are required to run under 3 hours and 25 minutes, while men have to run under 2 hours and 55 minutes. These times are strict enough by themselves, but then you have to take into account the sheer level of demand for the Boston Marathon, with applications exceeding the number of places available year-on-year. As a result it’s often required to run a lot faster than the qualifying times alone suggest. In 2026 Boston received a total of 33,249 time qualifier applications for a field of 30,000. In order to gain a spot, runners had to be on average 4 minutes faster than the standard.
For semi-elite runners
For semi-elite runners who don’t need to rely as heavily on a general lottery system, the Tokyo Marathon is more difficult to qualify for. Its Run As One programme only offers 280 places, including 25 each for international men and women. Access through this programme requires meeting very strict qualification times, of 2 hours 22 minutes for men and 2 hours 50 minutes for women. And it’s not enough just to meet those times either. Entry is given on a fastest-first basis, which given the limited number of places available, complicates things further for prospective runners.
Which marathon is the hardest to run?
The question of which marathon is the hardest to run can’t be answered universally, as it depends on the individual and what they themselves consider makes one race more difficult than another. However, it’s generally agreed that these characteristics in particular have the most impact on race difficulty:
- Elevation
- Terrain
- Weather conditions
On a global scale, the marathons generally considered the most challenging are the obvious ones, that lie at one extreme of any of those three categories. The Everest Marathon for example is not only the race with the highest altitude, but also has very rocky terrain and cold weather conditions. In terms of elevation, the Inca Trail Marathon in Peru is often brought up in this type of discussion for having an overall climb of around 3000m, one of the highest in the world.
Which marathon major is most challenging for runners?
To limit the scope slightly, a question you might be inclined to ask instead is which of the marathon majors is hardest to run. You would still lack a definitive answer as it’s based on personal experience, but public opinion does prove more conclusive on this front. Out of the 7 majors, it’s generally agreed that the most difficult is one of these 3. Sydney, New York or Boston, and each for their own reasons.
Sydney Marathon
The Sydney Marathon has the highest overall elevation gain out of all the majors, with a climb of around 300m and a net downhill of only 83m. That fact alone makes it appear immediately difficult even if you haven’t run it, as there are so few flat or downhill sections to provide respite from the almost constant hills.
Boston Marathon
The reason the Boston Marathon is considered one of the hardest marathon majors to run is not only does it have an elevation gain comparable to Sydney’s at around 250m, but it also has an even greater elevation loss of 388m, which means the course is a net downhill. The combination of uphill and downhill throughout the course can be extremely challenging on the upper legs, and makes maintaining an even pace throughout almost impossible.
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon, despite having the lowest elevation gain out of the 3 majors mentioned so far with 246m, is widely considered the most challenging, largely due to the positioning of its climbs. Its net downhill is also very similar at 251m, which means the course consists almost entirely of undulating hills. Runners have to cross 5 bridges and tackle significant hills in both the first and 24th mile, which at both ends of the race can result in a big obstacle for runners.
Which marathon has the most prize money?
The marathon with the most overall prize money is the Boston Marathon, with a total of $1,284,500 available for the open, masters and wheelchair divisions, including course record bonuses. In terms of individual prize money for winners however, Boston doesn’t come out on top. The marathon with the highest prize money for winners is the Daegu Marathon in South Korea. As of 2026 it offers a total of $160,000 to both its male and female winners.
Marathon doubts- gone
And there you have it. From the biggest marathon to the one with the most prize money, the most popular questions about marathons, answered.
Written by- Rosana Ercilla
