Both runners and spectators alike would probably agree there's nothing like race day at a high-profile marathon. The streets are packed with bib-clad runners as far as the eye can see and the air buzzes with nervous excitement.
But in light of the coronavirus pandemic, marathons have shifted: Many runners are completing races virtually while some marathons are still delayed or canceled completely. After nearly a year of few races, some of the largest U.S. marathons, like the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon, returned in 2021, offering both in-person and virtual entry.
As you wait for the world of racing to return to something closer to normal, brush up on these interesting marathon stats and facts, like the demographics of runners in the U.S. and historic marathon winners. Some of the marathon health benefits may even convince first-timers to give this distance a try.
Most marathons typically categorize runners into female or male groups, which is why we use the terms "women" and "men" below.
Global Marathon Statistics
Wondering about the popularity of the marathon around the world? About 1.1 million runners complete a marathon each year, which is roughly 0.01 percent of the world's population, according to a 2019 report from the International Institute for Race Medicine (IIRM). But where speed is concerned, Europe is home to some of the fastest marathoners in the world.
- Marathons accounted for only 12% of global race results in 2018, per the IIRM.
- That's down from 25% of race results in 2000.
- According to the RunRepeat's 2021 and 2022 research on running, the countries with the fastest average marathon times are:
- Switzerland: 3 hours, 50 minutes
- Netherlands and Spain: 3 hours, 52 minutes
- Portugal: 3 hours, 59 minutes
- Ukraine: 3 hours, 59 minutes
- Norway: 4 hours, 1 minute
- The countries with the highest percentage of runners who complete marathons, per the IIRM, are:
- Germany: 40%
- Spain: 38%
- Netherlands: 25%
- Ireland: 23%
- France: 20%
- The Abbott World Marathon Majors are considered the most prestigious marathons in the world. In light of the COVID pandemic, some countries canceled or postponed their annual marathon. Read the chart below to find the winners of each race over the past two years
2022 Winners of the Abbott World Majors
City
Winner (Men)
Winning Time (Men)
Winner (Women)
Winning Time (Women)
Eliud Kipchoge
2:02:40
Brigid Kosgei
2:16:02
Evans Chebet
2:06:51
Peres Jepchirchir
2:21:01
Amos Kipruto
2:04:39
Yalemzerf Yehualaw
2:17:26
Eliud Kipchoge
2:01:09
Tigist Assefa
2:15:37
Benson Kipruto
2:04:24
Ruth Chepngetich
2:14:18
Evans Chebet
2:08:41
Sharon Lokedi
2:23:23
Source(s): NBC Sports; Boston Athletic Association; TCS London Marathon; BMW Berlin Marathon; Bank of America Chicago Marathon; TCS New York City Marathon
London Marathon Facts
- Each year about 45,000 runners complete the London Marathon.
- About 750,000 spectators cheer them on annually.
- The prize for winning the elite racing division of the London Marathon is $55,000.
- The prize for winning the wheelchair division of the London Marathon is $35,000.
- London Marathon runners raised more than $91 million for charity in 2019.
- In 2020, the London Marathon received the Guinness World Records title for the most users — 37,966 participants — to complete a remote marathon in 24 hours.
London Marathon Course Records
Division | Runner | Time | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
Men's | Eliud Kipchoge | 2:02:37 | 2019 |
Women's (Among Men and Women) | Paula Radcliffe | 2:15:25 | 2003 |
Women's (Only) | Mary Jepkosgei Keitany | 2:17:01 | 2017 |
Wheelchair Men's | Kurt Fearnley | 1:28:56 | 2009 |
Wheelchair Women's | Manuela Schar | 1:39:57 | 2017 |
Source(s): London Marathon
Marathon Statistics in the U.S.
Although there are more than 1,000 marathons in the U.S. each year, only a small fraction of people in the country actually complete the race.
- Less than 1% of the U.S. population has completed a marathon, according to RunRepeat.
- To place among the top 1% of marathon runners in the U.S., you would have to finish faster than 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 48 seconds, according to RunRepeat.
- To place among the top 10% of marathon runners in the U.S., you would need to finish faster than 3 hours, 31 minutes and 46 seconds.
- Runners from these states have the fastest finish times:
- Massachusetts: 4 hours, 4 minutes, 20 seconds
- Washington: 4 hours, 18 minutes, 9 seconds
- Indiana: 4 hours, 18 minutes, 57 seconds
- Runners from the following states have the slowest finish times:
- Alaska: 5 hours, 30 minutes, 15 seconds
- Florida: 5 hours, 33 minutes, 19 seconds
- Hawaii: 6 hours, 16 minutes, 6 seconds
- These states have the highest percentage of marathoners:
- Washington D.C.: 3.22%
- Hawaii: 1.40%
- Vermont: 0.38%
- These states have the lowest percentage of marathoners:
- West Virginia: 0.04%
- New Jersey: 0.03%
- Kansas: 0.03%
The Top Marathons in the U.S.
Race
2022 Approximate Number of Finishers
47,839
40,000
24,918
14,300
6,241
2,620
21,000
6,485
5,957
25,000
California International Marathon
8,018
San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
22,000
5,000
Chicago Marathon Statistics
Not only does the Chicago marathon guide runners through 29 diverse neighborhoods, but it's also a great first-time race, thanks to the generally flat and fast course.
- Prizes for the men's and women's open divisions, according to the Chicago Marathon, are:
- 1st: $75,000
- 2nd: $55,000
- 3rd: $45,000
- 4th: $30,000
- 5th: $25,000
- The 2022 race had about 40,000 runners.
- Emily Sisson broke the American women's marathon record and finished at 2:18:29 in 2022.
- Runners raised about $21.4 million for charity in 2021.
Chicago Marathon Course Records
Division
Runner
Time
Year
Men
Dennis Kimetto
2:03:45
2013
Women
Paula Radcliffe
2:17:18
2002
Wheelchair Men
Heinz Frei
1:26:56
2010
Wheelchair Women
Tatyana McFadden
1:39:15
2017
Masters Men
Steve Plasencia
2:17:02
1999
Masters Women
Deena Kastor
2:27:47
2015
Source(s): Chicago Marathon
Marathon Statistics by Age
Younger doesn't necessarily mean faster in the marathon. Generally, middle-aged runners tend to finish marathons most quickly.
- The average marathon runner is about 40 years old, according to the IIRM.
- Runners above the age of 70 are the slowest marathon runners.
- Runners in the 30- to 50-year-old age group are the fastest.
- Fauja Singh, who ran the Toronto Marathon in 2011 at 100 years old, is the oldest person to ever complete the distance, according to the Associated Press.
- According to Meteor Run, a running statistics platform, these are the marathon finish times you'd need to run to place at the top of each age group:
Men tend to be faster marathon runners than women but, as a whole, women are becoming speedier each year, while the average men's finish time has slowed down, per the IIRM. Race participation is also growing faster among women than men, according to RunRepeat.
- About 30% of global marathon participants are women.
- Between 2008 and 2018, women's marathon participation increased by 56.83%, while men's participation increased by 46.91%, according to RunRepeat.
- 196,586 of the 443,878 total marathon finishers in the U.S. in 2018 were women.
- The average men's marathon finish time is about 4 hours, 15 minutes, according to the IIRM.
- Men's average marathon pace is about 10 minutes, 20 seconds per mile.
- 67.9% of male runners have completed at least one marathon.
- The average women's marathon finish time is about 4 hours, 45 minutes.
- Women's average marathon pace is about 11 minutes, 41 seconds per mile.
- 53.9% of female runners have completed at least one marathon.
- The largest group of female marathon participants, 31.5%, are in the 30 to 39 age bracket, according to Meteor Run.
- The largest group of male participants, 29.1%, are in the 40 to 49 age group.
Marathon Finish Time Statistics
Globally, the average marathon time is a little over 4 hours — and has been slowing down over the past decade, per the IIRM.
- Worldwide, the average marathon time is about 4 hours, 21 minutes, according to Asics.
- The average marathon pace is about 9 minutes, 57 seconds per mile (or 6 minutes, 11 seconds per kilometer). So, anything faster than that average is generally considered a good pace for a marathon.
- Per Meteor Run, these are the average times you'd need to beat in order to win a marathon:
- Women: 2 hours, 50 minutes, 5 seconds
- Men: 2 hours, 26 minutes
Has Anyone Broken a 2-Hour Marathon?
Eliud Kipchoge ran the fastest marathon ever in 2019 in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 40 seconds, according to ESPN. However, this does not count as an official record, as the course didn't meet marathon regulations.
To get an idea of how your marathon stacks up against the global average, use the chart below to see the proportion of people finishing at different times.
Proportion of Average Marathon Finish Times
Time
Men
Women
Less than 3 hours
4%
1%
Less than 3 hours, 5 minutes
18%
5%
Less than 4 hours
43%
21%
Less than 4 hours, 5 minutes
64%
43%
Less than 5 hours
81%
65%
Less than 6 hours
97%
91%
Source(s): Asics
Professional Marathon Statistics
Elite marathon runners complete the race in well under 3 hours.
- Eliud Kipchoge set the men's marathon world record in 2022 in Berlin with the world's fastest time of 2 hours, 1 minute, 9 seconds, according to World Athletics.
- Kenenisa Bekele set the second-place record in 2019 in Berlin, finishing in 2 hours, 1 minute, 41 seconds.
- Kelvin Kiptum set the third-place record in 2022 in Valencia, finishing in 2 hours, 1 minute, 53 seconds.
- Brigid Kosgei set the women's marathon world record in 2019 in Chicago with the world's fastest time of 2 hours, 14 minutes, 4 seconds.
- Ruth Chepngetich set the second-place record in 2022 in Chicago, finishing in 2 hours, 14 minutes, 18 seconds.
- Amane Beriso Shankule set the third-place record in 2022 in Valencia, finishing in 2 hours, 14 minutes, 58 seconds.
Olympic Marathon Statistics
- To enter the 2024 U.S. Olympic marathon trials, runners must have achieved a qualifying standard on a USA Track & Field (USATF) certified course or in an eligible event held by the USATF.
- Men's standard: 2 hours, 18 minutes
- Women's standard: 2 hours, 37 minutes
- 260 men and 512 women met the qualifying standards for the trials in 2020.
- The current Olympic marathon records, according to World Athletics are:
- Women: 2:23:07, set by Tiki Galena from Ethiopia at the 2012 London Olympics.
- Men: 2:06:32, set by Samuel Kamau Wanjiru from Kenya at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Marathon Prize Money
Race
1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
$150,000
$75,000
$40,000
$100,000
$60,000
$40,000
$75,000
$55,000
$45,000
Statistics About the Benefits of Running a Marathon
While long-distance running is intense, research shows it can help your heart and mood.
- After 6 months of training, first-time marathon runners had lower blood pressure and less stiffness in their arteries in a small January 2020 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
- Compared to sedentary people, marathon runners showed fewer symptoms of depression in a November 2020 study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.
- Running may not be as bad for your knees as some might think: After completing a four-month training program and race, MRIs of the knees of a group of new marathon runners showed improvements in joint health, according to a small October 2019 study in BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine.
- A January 2017 study in BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation found Olympic marathon runners lived about 4.7 years longer than the average adult.
- Some people worry that long-term endurance training, like marathon running, can damage the heart, but there isn't enough research to confirm how much running is actually too much, according to a June 2012 study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
- There's an average of one heart attacked-related death for every 100,000 marathon runners.
- Almost 50% of these incidents happen during the last mile of a marathon.
Historical Facts About the Marathon
- You can trace the first marathon all the way to ancient Greece; however, the race as we know it today wasn't established until 1908, according to World Athletics.
- The first marathon distance ever run was 26 miles from Marathon to Athens, Greece, completed by a Greek soldier named Philippedes (also sometimes called Pheidippides), according to World Athletics.
- The first Olympic Games, held in Athens in 1896, established the 40-kilometer (about 24.85 miles) marathon race.
- The marathon was then changed to 26 miles, only to be increased by 385 yards (0.2 miles) at the 1908 London Olympics so that runners would finish in front of Queen Alexandra watching the games.
Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative
Historic Marathon Firsts
- Violet Piercy was the first woman recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations to run a marathon, who ran a time of 3 hours, 40 minutes, 22 seconds in England in 1926, according to Runner's World.
- Abebe Bikila won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games running barefoot through Rome with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, 16 seconds, according to World Athletics.
- In 1966, Roberta Gibb became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon without an official race number, according to the Boston Marathon.
- Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon in 1967, according to Switzer's website.
- The first time the wheelchair division was included in marathon racing was in 1974 in Ohio, according to The Accessible Planet.
- Bob Hall won this race in 2 hours, 54 minutes.
- The first women's Olympic marathon was held in 1984 in Los Angeles, according to Runner's World.
- In 2017, Shalane Flanagan became the first American woman to win the New York City Marathon in 40 years, according to the New York Road Runners.
- In 2018, Desiree Linden became the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon since 1985, according to PBS News Hour.
- In 2022, the New York City Marathon became the first World Major Marathon to award prize money to nonbinary athletes, according to Runner's World. Jake Caswell, a New York City resident, finished first at 2:45:12.
- In 2022, Ethiopian runner Yalemzerf Yehualaw became the youngest London marathon winner, according to CNN.
- In 2022, Marcel Hug broke the men's wheelchair course record at the New York City Marathon and crossed the finish line at 1:25:26, according to Runner's World. In the same race, Susannah Scaroni broke the women's wheelchair course record, finishing at 1:42:43.
Age
Female
Male
1 to 14
9:58:58
11:01:30
15 to 19
4:09:32
3:26:08
20 to 29
2:57:17
2:29:54
30 to 39
2:55:18
2:30:11
40 to 49
3:06:56
2:42:01
50 to 59
3:28:42
2:56:09
60 to 69
3:58:15
3:22:40
70 to 100
5:49:43
4:06:43
Source(s): Meteor Run
What's the Best Age to Run a Marathon?
There's no ideal age to run a marathon and your finish time will depend on a variety of factors (not just how old you are). But women tend to perform their best at about 32 years old, whereas men generally run their best times around age 34, according to a June 2019 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health study.
Marathon Statistics by Sex
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