World Majors

THE WORLD MARATHON MAJORS, A GATHERING OF THE WORLD'S BEST MARATHONS

The "WMM" was established in 2006. The goal was to create a championship that includes the 5 most legendary marathons ✨. Now totaling 6, with the addition of the Tokyo Marathon 🇯🇵 in 2012, they also count the Olympic marathon or the World Championship marathon during those years. Athletes compete over a rolling year: one season ends where it began. Confused? For example, the 2017 season started at the 2017 London Marathon 🎡 and ended at the 2018 London Marathon.

Points are awarded to the top 5 finishers of each race. Then, each runner's two best performances are considered to establish the final ranking. It goes without saying that this attracts only the most seasoned athletes! However, if you still want to make your mark in the competition 🏆, just finish all 6 marathons. Indeed, anyone who completes these challenging courses earns a magnificent medal 🏅 and gets listed in the official website's database! Everyone can participate: there's even a special category for wheelchair users ♿️. However, the immense popularity of these events and the limited number of spots make registration quite difficult... 😔

(Photo credit : ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS)

Now that you're familiar with the organization, let us introduce you to the 6 giants:

THE TOKYO MARATHON

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Amidst hundreds of skyscrapers 🏙, giant billboards, Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, labyrinthine alleys, cutting-edge shops 🛍, and arcade halls: welcome to Tokyo 🇯🇵! The capital's soul is built on this architectural chaos. And when modernity meets tradition, it can be (very) surprising 😲. Tokyo reveals districts as dissimilar as they are vibrant, each with its own unique energy, aroma, color, and pace.

Since 2007, this electrifying metropolis hosts the legendary Tokyo Marathon 🔥. The route is designed to showcase the contrasting faces of the Japanese capital. Starting at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, runners embark on a journey through various neighborhoods 🔎. The path passes by the Imperial Palace 🏯 and Kaminarimon ⛩, leaving no participant indifferent. A few strides further, the vastness of the Tokyo Skytree 🏙 and the Tokyo Tower 🗼, will leave a lasting impression. Finally, the Hibiya Park adds a touch of green 💚 to the marathoners' experience before the finish line at Tokyo Station 🛤.

For the 2023 edition of the Tokyo Marathon, Kenya 🇰🇪 took gold in the women's category, with Rosemary Wanjiru finishing in 2 hours 16 minutes and 28 seconds. Ethiopia triumphed in the men's category, with Deso Gelmisa dominating the race in 2 hours 05 minutes and 22 seconds 🥇.

The crazy anecdote 😮: anyone who breaks the world record in this marathon will win a handsome sum of 220,000€! 🤑

(Credit : Tokyo Marathon Foundation)

THE BOSTON MARATHON

Monday, April 15, 2024

Often overlooked by travelers heading to the East Coast of America, Boston 🇺🇸 is nonetheless the cornerstone of New England and the historical cradle of the United States. Rich in charm with its colonial remnants, historic sites, and countless museums 🖼, art and culture are in the very DNA of the city 😍.

In spring, as snow ❄ gives way to blossoming trees 🌸, the Boston Marathon emerges from its long hibernation 😴. For Bostonians, this event is a true symbol. With its inaugural race in 1897, it's considered the world's oldest marathon 👨‍🦳 and traditionally takes place on Patriot’s Day (each third Monday in April). Its hilly miles and 150 m of elevation gain make for a particularly challenging course. Historically, the race starts on Main Street in Hopkinton, then moves through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, and Wellesley. Between miles 18 and 21, runners must tackle Heartbreak Hill, a hill that has crushed many dreams 📈. But promise, once at the top, a stunning view over Boston will make the pain worthwhile 🤓. Upon reaching downtown, the unique charm of Bean Town (yes, that's Boston's nickname) will illuminate the path to the finish line at the public library 📚.

The crazy anecdote 😮: the Boston Marathon of 1966 entered the annals of history with the participation of Roberta Gibb. At a time when the idea of a woman running a marathon 🏃‍♀️ was unthinkable, this brave American had to disguise herself as a man to compete, causing uproar among the organizers. Numerous documentaries recount this pivotal moment in American feminism 👏.

(Credit : Boston Marathon)

THE BERLIN MARATHON

Sunday, September 29, 2024

A capital in constant transformation, modern, tolerant, powerful, vibrant, eclectic, inventive... Adjectives abound to describe Berlin 🇩🇪. Its diverse architecture and chaotic urban planning give it a unique charm 😍. This unfinished beauty invites visitors to explore day and night, whether by walking 🚶‍♀️, dancing 💃🏻, or even running 🏃‍♀️ (like a 42.195 km race, for instance 😉).

The Berlin Marathon (BMW Berlin-Marathon is its official name) is known for its flat course (ideal for breaking records ⌚) and its magnificent route winding through the city's streets 🏙. The Reichstag, Schöneberg Town Hall, the Diocese of Berlin, the Memorial Church, the Victory Column, and Brandenburg Gate are just a few of the historic sites that runners will admire at their own pace 👟.

The crazy anecdote 😮: Roberto Madrazo, a candidate for the Mexican presidency 🇲🇽, finished the 2007 Marathon in 2 hours 47 minutes and 57 seconds, an impressive feat. So impressive, in fact, that it raised eyebrows. Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the politician seemed to have disappeared for 15 km, only to miraculously reappear less than 10 km before the finish 🏁. A magic trick 🪄 that led to his disqualification.

(Credit : BMW Berlin Marathon)

THE LONDON MARATHON

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Just a stone's throw from our shores, London and its bustling streets intrigue, fascinate, but never tire. "The world in one city", is how Ken Livingstone described the British capital 🇬🇧. With its centuries of history and diversity, the Global City is said to be a must-visit at least once in a lifetime. A place of contrasts, it captivates with its rich mix of culture and traditions, as well as architecture that blends prestigious history with modernity. From Buckingham Palace 🏰 to the buildings of the City 🏙, via Chinatown, the great fog 🌫 is full of surprises 🎁.

The city of Sherlock Holmes 🔎 and rock 🎸, London is also globally recognized for hosting one of the most prestigious sporting events in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧: the TCS London Marathon 🏃. Every year, the same excitement fills the streets of London. Flat and fast, the race starts at Greenwich Park near Blackheath. Then, it takes runners on an immersive journey through the heart of this creative, avant-garde city deeply rooted in history. Cutty Sark, The Shard, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, London Eye, Big Ben, the Parliament and even Buckingham Palace 👸 are just some of the monuments and famous neighborhoods you'll discover along the way 😍. But the soul of this marathon largely lies in its charitable nature 🤝. With ¾ of the competitors running the 42.195 km of London for a good cause, the TCS London Marathon leads the list of the most successful annual charitable events in the United Kingdom 🎗.

The crazy anecdote 😮: During the Marathon of 1908, the organizers had to accommodate a rather special request. King Edward VII wanted the start to be from the terrace of Windsor Castle 🏰 and the race to finish right in front of the royal box at the White City Stadium 🏟️. The organizers met his majesty’s demands and remodeled the course. The final stretch measured exactly... 42.195 km ! It was indeed the British crown that originated this now mythical distance.

(Credit : kovop58)

THE CHICAGO MARATHON

Monday, October 13, 2024

In the heart of the industrial Midwest, stands the astonishing city of Chicago 🇺🇸. With its extraordinary location on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Windy City, as Americans like to call it, surprises with its architecture, diversity, history, and legends. This is where chewing gum 🍬, pinball machines, roller skates 🛼, and even the birth control pill 💊 were invented. It’s also in Chicago where Barack Obama worked as a community organizer before becoming the senator of Illinois and the first Black president of the United States. This book place, which is an open book waiting to be read seen, is a real American bestseller 📖. In summary, you won't be able to resist climbing to the top of the Hancock Tower to enjoy an extraordinary panorama and your long evenings will be filled with a musical journey through the roots of Chicago blues 🎷. Furthermore, the multitude of parks 🏞 will make you forget you're in a city of nearly 3 million inhabitants and will leave you wanting to revisit this beautiful story.

Every second Sunday of October, as the temperatures struggle to rise above 0°C ❄️, Chicago awakens gently noisily from its short night 😴. It’s poised to welcome thousands of athletes from all corners of the globe 🌎 to participate in the famous Bank Of America Chicago Marathon. It all starts in Millennium Park 🌳 where the excitement is palpable at the starting line 🏁. State Street then comes alive with the pounding feet of runners who, between breaths, will marvel at the Chicago Theater 🎭. The shores of Michigan, the Lincoln Park, and the cosmopolitan neighborhoods of Little Italy and Chinatown will in turn be shaken for many minutes. But before the marathon storm 🌪 ends, the straightaway of the Magnificent Mile 🛣 will also be tormented by this outburst of runners looking for glory. Only after 42.195 km of effort will Chicago be able to catch its breath as these peculiar visitors complete their exhausting journey at Grant Park, a historic site of the city that hosted the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.

The crazy anecdote 😮: In the 2007 edition, Kenyan 🇰🇪 Patrick Ivuti finished ahead of Moroccan 🇲🇦 Jaouad Gharib by less than one hundredth of a second!

(Credit : Banque of America Chicago Marathon)

THE NEW YORK MARATHON

Sunday, November 3, 2024

New York, even those who have never been there feel like they already know it. As the backdrop to countless stories in books or on screen, the Big Apple 🍎 is an emblem of an entire country. Visiting NYC 🇺🇸 means being dazzled by the elegant Statue of Liberty 🗽, the bright Times Square, the towering Empire State Building 🏙, and the verdant oasis known as Central Park 🏞.

In this city of limitless possibilities, an iconic event beloved by runners worldwide 🌎 takes place every year: the New York Marathon (officially the TCS New York City Marathon) 🏃‍♀️. The race is famed for its course that crosses the city’s 5 iconic boroughs, including  Staten Island, Brooklyn, the Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan. But beware, beneath its touristic facade, the 42.195 km of the Big Apple present about 300 mD+ which will test the endurance of all participants 😉.

The crazy anecdote 😮: In 2018, Kaitlyn Curran encountered a lovely surprise mid-race. Indeed, her partner was waiting on Pulaski Bridge to propose to her! A memorable proposal that went viral at the time 💒.

(Credit : nyrr)

Running a major marathon is a personal challenge, but not just that. The selective registration conditions can discourage many! 😢 But fortunately for runners, this legendary distance can be experienced at many exceptional events 🎉. The Rome Marathon 🇮🇹, the Madrid Marathon 🇪🇦, and the Copenhagen Marathon 🇩🇰 are marathons that are worth the detour! Whether in the United Kingdom, the United States, or anywhere else, you're sure to find something that will suit your stride 👟.