U.S. Marathon Count, Estimates, Growth
Rate and Largest Marathons
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - (April 15, 2004) - Since the USATF
Road Running Information Center began compiling running data
in 1987, we are often asked: "How many marathons are
there in the U.S.?" Currently, with the widespread use
of the Internet for running calendars and a reasonable stability
for most events of the distance, we are much closer to having
a complete list of marathons. As a start, there were 348 different
U.S. marathons included in the RRIC database and/or found
on the top 10 online calendar sites over a 12 month period.
If you add an estimated 25 events that are more local and
not on a national or regional radar, a reasonable minimum
estimate is 375 U.S. marathons.
Another way to approach the marathon count is to examine
the certified course list. There was a time in the mid-1990s
when the total number of U.S. certified marathon courses was
around 650. Now some courses have expired (after a 10 year
life) and the current total as of March 7, 2004 was 444 "active"
marathon courses. On closer examination, approximately 114
of those were duplicates. Then remove another 15 which are
probably no longer used such as "1996 Olympic Marathon"
and the canceled "DC Marathon." After adding an
estimated 55 for uncertified courses, trail marathons and
courses used more than once a year, we get the same estimate
of 375.
Due to this revision of event numbers, the historical estimated
finisher totals have also been revised as follows:
Year Estimated U.S. Marathon Finisher Total
1976 25,000
1980 120,000
1990 236,000
1995 312,000
1996 340,000
1997 340,000
1998 360,000
1999 374,000
2000 389,000
2001 366,000
2002 388,000
2003 400,000
In the U.S., marathons in 2003 grew by 3% compared to 2002,
while outside the U.S., there was another year of solid growth
with a 4.9% increase for the same 62 marathons (301,747 finishers
in 2002 vs. 316,470 in 2003).
For the first time in history, four marathons - New York
City, Chicago, London and Berlin - reported over 30,000 finishers
in the same year (2003). The 2003 ING New York City Marathon
supplanted the Flora London Marathon as the world's largest
with a race record 34,729 finishers and #2 all-time ranking
(only the 100th Boston Marathon in 1996 with 35,868 finishers
is larger), while the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon continued
its growth spurt as it also jumped over London for the #2
world-wide position in 2003 with 32,362 finishers. Like 2002,
the U.S. again had 7 of the 15 largest marathons in the world.
For largest marathon lists, see the below.
2003
World's Largest Marathons (finishers):
1) ING New York City, NY 34,729
2) LaSalle Bank Chicago, IL 32,362
3) Flora London, GBR 32,174
4) real Berlin, GER 30,709
5) Paris, FRA 28,991
6) Honolulu, HI 22,139
7) City of Los Angeles, CA 17,097
8) Boston, MA 17,030
9) Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll, CA 16,798
10) Chosun Ilbo Chunchon, KOR 16,276
11) Marine Corps, DC 15,973
12) Olympus Hamburg, GER 15,588
13) Ford Cologne, GER 14,652
14) Stockholm, SWE 12,076
15) Naha, JPN 11,442
2003
U.S. Largest Marathons (finishers):
1) ING New York City, NY 34,729
2) LaSalle Bank Chicago, IL 32,362
3) Honolulu, HI 22,139
4) City of Los Angeles, CA 17,097
5) Boston, MA 17,030
6) Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll, CA 16,798
7) Marine Corps, DC 15,973
8) Walt Disney World, FL 9,422
9) Twin Cities, MN 7,085
10) Portland, OR 7,016
11) Grandma's, MN 6,868
12) hp houston, TX 5,735
13) Philadelphia, PA 5,354
14) Motorola Austin, TX 5,315
15) St. George, UT 4,437
Source: USA Track & Field Road Running Information Center
- www.usatf.org and www.runningusa.org
