Top 26 Marathons in North America
There´s a Marathon for Every Taste. These Races Are the Best of the Best.
Reprinted from:
Marathon & Beyond
Participation in marathon running in North America has grown approximately 10
percent per year for the past five years. The steady increase has had a profound
effect on existing marathons, swelling the entry list of some formerly modest
races to the point where they must, like megamarathons, set entry limits.
The Rosetta stone of the current growth in marathoning was the 1996 "100th"
running of the Boston Marathon, which created a qualifying frenzy that affected
hundreds of other marathons. When Runner's World magazine declared the
St. George Marathon in Utah as one of the best races in which to get a
qualifying time for Boston, the organizers were thrown into a spin by the
torrent of entries.
The huge marathons continue to grow, turning away thousands of supplicants.
The mid-sized marathons grow steadily. Small marathons quickly grow to mid-sized
marathons, occasionally outstripping the organizers' (and the courses')
abilities to accommodate the new runners.
On the fringe there are other marathons, remote and unheralded, that manage
in the midst of what appears to many to be madness to hold their own and
maintain the unique style and substance they've exhibited for years, sometimes
for decades.
The growth in marathoning is fed by Jeff Galloway's training programs across
the continent, increasing numbers of Team In Training and other organized
charity-oriented marathon training chapters, a new crop of
how-to-train-for-the-marathon books, and the camaraderie of the Runner's World
marathon pacing groups.
The current health of the marathon is reflected by the outrageous prerace
success of the Rock'n'Roll Marathon, which set a record with nearly 20,000
entries in a first-ever race. In the midst of the growth, some marathons work
diligently to maintain their down-home feel while others strive for
stratospheric numbers and hype.
To say that there is a marathon for every taste is not an exaggeration. There
are marathons for those who want to be part of a mega event, and on the other
end of the spectrum there are races that are small and intimate and as low-key
as a training run -- and there is every variation in between.
A marathon's very existence doesn't guarantee that it's a good event,
however. Today's marathoners are more demanding and discerning than the rugged
individualist marathoners of 20 years ago, sometimes to a fault. There are
components of a marathon, however, which, if present in abundance, assure
runners that the race is more than worth entering. Things like a good,
accurately measured, safe course; a decent expo; a nicely designed T-shirt and a
good pasta loading; adequate hotel facilities and cheerful and knowledgeable
volunteers; good medical coverage; and good organization in general.
When Marathon & Beyond went looking for the best marathons in North
America, we found we already had in our arsenal the yardstick by which to
measure them: the 1,000-point criteria we use for our ongoing marathon review
series carried in each issue.
But we were at a disadvantage. How could a limited staff possibly survey
every marathon in North America? Fortunately, there was a logical solution. We
tapped into a group that more than knows its way around marathons. The 50 &
DC Marathon Group USA is a confederation of marathoners who have run one or more
marathons in all 50 states and DC. Some have also run in every province and
territory of Canada, and a few have run marathons on all seven continents. As of
1997 there are 171 members in the group from 43 states, 3 Canadian provinces,
and Sweden. As of 1997, some 74 members have completed all 50 states and DC.
During 1996 and 1997 we were fascinated to follow Gordon Hartshorn's longest
season in sports history during which he ran a marathon every weekend for 74
weeks (February 11, 1996, to July 6, 1997). We asked Gordon, veteran of a mere
224 marathons, to put together a group of 10 of his fellow 50 & DCers to
rank (using the M&B 1,000-point criteria) for our readers the best marathons
on the continent. In addition to Gordon Hartshorn, the panelists were Lois
Berkowitz, Steve Boone, Jim Boyd, Joyce Hockensmith, Andy Kotulski, Bill Macy,
Dean Rademaker, Clay Shaw, John Wallace, and Brent Weigner (learn more about our
11 panelists at the end of the survey, pages 33-37).
We asked for the Top 25 races but ended up with the Top 26 because there was
a tie for #25. Without further ado, we present M&B's Top 26 Marathons in
North America.
Note: When requesting a race entry form, please send along a stamped,
self-addressed envelope.
#1. Boston Marathon
No other marathon was even close. Who can argue with the 100+ years of
tradition upon which Boston sits? Boston is the longest-running annual marathon
in the world.
Steve Boone puts it this way: "This is the standard by which most marathons
measure themselves. The entry form is easy to understand and the follow-up
confirmation information is detailed. The race is one of the more expensive, but
it includes two pasta dinners, a long-sleeve shirt, and a finisher's medal. The
race course is closed to traffic, and the spectators are the best in the world."
Clay Shaw says, "[Boston is] the running Mecca, and it's an honor to qualify and
be part of this great tradition. The expo and results booklet are the best there
are. The pasta feed and the atmosphere are unparalleled. I like that runners are
seeded by their qualifying times, to the second. Negatives include the awful
noon start and the lousy, cheap T-shirts that never fit." John Wallace adds,
"There is no other race with the mystique and awe of Boston. The city and area
are 100 percent behind the race, and the locals are genuinely friendly and
supportive. It is the only race where I look up at the five-mile mark and am
totally amazed that there are two or three thousand runners in front of me --
and I'm running a 6:45 pace! The crowds and support along the course are the
best anywhere in the world! Nothing else compares to Wellesley! The negatives
are the long bus ride to Hopkinton. And the expo is a madhouse!" Andy Kotulski
contributes these final thoughts on the #1 marathon: "[Boston is] the best
racers' marathon and the most competitive of all marathons in all age
categories. It is steeped in tradition and unequalled. Camaraderie among the
runners is unequalled. The race offers every amenity available. The race lacks
nothing. It's still my favorite after running it 21 times." It is certainly a
tribute to Boston that after many ups and downs over the years, the race solved
its problems and is #1 in the hearts of its runners.
- Address: Boston Athletic Association, 131 Clarendon St., Boston, MA 02116;
617/236-1652
- Race dates: April 19, 1999; April 18, 2000 (race is on a Monday --
Patriots' Day)
- Start place and time: Hopkinton, high noon
- Certification: USATF
- Entry cost: $75
- Course records: Male 2:07:15, female 2:21:45
