Which marathons you rate as the most prestigious

ThePiedPiper

With the spring marathon season drawing to a close, some of the results throw up, along with the runners in various races suggest some marathons are more major than other major marathons. However, maybe numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Here’s how I’d rate the most prestigious world marathons.

1. London.
Unquestionably, the deepest fields at the sharp end, constant attempts on WRs, long history, and immensely popular amongst non-elites, as as it offers unmatched value and organisation. However, ballot entry may mean waiting for years for a spot, unless you’re fast and have a UK address.

2. Berlin.
Generally speaking, if you win Berlin, you’ll either have broken the WR or gotten to within a minute of it. More expensive to enter than London, it’s probably easier to get an entry. More German efficiency than the festival atmosphere in London, but the symbolism of the Brandenburg gate finish is special.

3. Olympic Marathon
Obviously, just making the start line is a lifetime ambition for most elite Irish. John Treacy’s LA heroics ensured we’d always have a huge respect for the race. Especially since Sammy Wanjiru produced one of the performances for the ages, the elite runners are targeting this more and more. However, it lacks mass appeal, and is a minority event at the Olympics.

4. New York
The ridiculous cost of entry, logistical nightmare to get to the start line, fast guaranteed entry, and lessening attention from the very fastest elites are the negatives. However, as an experience, few marathons come close. The start line on the Verrazano bridge, the solitude on the Queensboro bridge preceding the ear busting support as you enter Manhattan, the diversity, Central Park in ‘the fall’, incredible.

5. Boston
G Mutai and Moses Mosop had the whole world of athletics talking about Boston a few years back. However, in recent years, there’s been amateurs and old men on their lap of honour amongst the winners. However, the long history of the event keeps it amongst high on many people’s bucket lists.

6. Paris
Elite field never as sharp as London or Paris, but winners include Bekele and Kebede, so there’s always a sprinkling of stardust. Support not like London, but the course is amazing, a tour of the city taking in all the most famous sites. Entry easier than all of the above.

7. Fukuoka
The fact that you’ll be removed from the course if your pace drops slower than 2:40 finish, along with a 2:35 qualifying time is fantastic. Only serious fast runners will make the start line. Past winners include Haile, Wanjiru, Kebede. Entry system means it doesn’t appeal to the masses.

8. Rotterdam
Easy to get into, very, very fast. Winners include Kipchoge and Makau. Very popular for those looking for fast times, it has none of the logistical headaches of the Major races, but also, not much of the theatre of them.

9. Chicago
Radcliffe, Wanjiru, Kipchoge, Kimetto all amongst the winners. Very, very fast course if the weather is right, a nightmare if it’s too hot. Cheaper, logistically easier than the other US majors, it lacks a bit of the X factor maybe.

10. Dublin
It’s ours, we inevitably come back to it. Meeting old and new friends, it’s supported brilliantly. Course not fast, but fair. Internationally, it’s reputation is very good.

Chivito550

The World Championship Marathon is surprisingly not all that prestigious relative to the other events in track and field. Ditto the European Championship. But they are light years ahead of the Dublin Marathon which really ranks nowhere at an elite level in the grand scheme of things.

ThePiedPiper

Chivito550 wrote: »

The World Championship Marathon is surprisingly not all that prestigious relative to the other events in track and field. Ditto the European Championship. But they are light years ahead of the Dublin Marathon which really ranks nowhere at an elite level in the grand scheme of things.

Yeah, I know, just trying to be generous throwing DCM in there. Likewise, Tokyo, Rome, Frankfurt, Dubai, Marine Corps and a couple of others would be well above DCM.

ultrapercy

ThePiedPiper wrote: »

With the spring marathon season drawing to a close, some of the results throw up, along with the runners in various races suggest some marathons are more major than other major marathons. However, maybe numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Here’s how I’d rate the most prestigious world marathons.

1. London.
Unquestionably, the deepest fields at the sharp end, constant attempts on WRs, long history, and immensely popular amongst non-elites, as as it offers unmatched value and organisation. However, ballot entry may mean waiting for years for a spot, unless you’re fast and have a UK address.

2. Berlin.
Generally speaking, if you win Berlin, you’ll either have broken the WR or gotten to within a minute of it. More expensive to enter than London, it’s probably easier to get an entry. More German efficiency than the festival atmosphere in London, but the symbolism of the Brandenburg gate finish is special.

3. Olympic Marathon
Obviously, just making the start line is a lifetime ambition for most elite Irish. John Treacy’s LA heroics ensured we’d always have a huge respect for the race. Especially since Sammy Wanjiru produced one of the performances for the ages, the elite runners are targeting this more and more. However, it lacks mass appeal, and is a minority event at the Olympics.

4. New York
The ridiculous cost of entry, logistical nightmare to get to the start line, fast guaranteed entry, and lessening attention from the very fastest elites are the negatives. However, as an experience, few marathons come close. The start line on the Verrazano bridge, the solitude on the Queensboro bridge preceding the ear busting support as you enter Manhattan, the diversity, Central Park in ‘the fall’, incredible.

5. Boston
G Mutai and Moses Mosop had the whole world of athletics talking about Boston a few years back. However, in recent years, there’s been amateurs and old men on their lap of honour amongst the winners. However, the long history of the event keeps it amongst high on many people’s bucket lists.

6. Paris
Elite field never as sharp as London or Paris, but winners include Bekele and Kebede, so there’s always a sprinkling of stardust. Support not like London, but the course is amazing, a tour of the city taking in all the most famous sites. Entry easier than all of the above.

7. Fukuoka
The fact that you’ll be removed from the course if your pace drops slower than 2:40 finish, along with a 2:35 qualifying time is fantastic. Only serious fast runners will make the start line. Past winners include Haile, Wanjiru, Kebede. Entry system means it doesn’t appeal to the masses.

8. Rotterdam
Easy to get into, very, very fast. Winners include Kipchoge and Makau. Very popular for those looking for fast times, it has none of the logistical headaches of the Major races, but also, not much of the theatre of them.

9. Chicago
Radcliffe, Wanjiru, Kipchoge, Kimetto all amongst the winners. Very, very fast course if the weather is right, a nightmare if it’s too hot. Cheaper, logistically easier than the other US majors, it lacks a bit of the X factor maybe.

10. Dublin
It’s ours, we inevitably come back to it. Meeting old and new friends, it’s supported brilliantly. Course not fast, but fair. Internationally, it’s reputation is very good.

If your question is which is the most prestigious in terms of the elite sport Id say its a coin toss between Berlin and London. Berlin produces more world records but London is more lucrative(I believe but open to correction)For the rest of us average punters all marathons are the same distance and the one that works best for you is the best one. 2.59.59 in Longford beats 3.00.01 in London.

Itziger

2.59.59 in Longford beats 3.00.01 in London

[font=Open Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Amen, brother.[/font]

robinph

Having only done three of those events I'm not really fully qualified, but have seen most of them on the telly box and that is virtually the same.

London seems way out infront in terms of non-elites. But even for elites it's probably top of the pile unless you are a male elite going for a world record, female elite still best of in London for world record.

I'd probably rank Boston higher than NY for non-elites in terms of being able to say you'd done it, and it's probably only Boston and London that anyone who doesn't know about marathon running would know about (of the people that live on these isles). Do any other national broadcasters dedicate their main channel to their local marathon for the day in the same way as BBC does? That goes a long way to the success of London as a charity and embedding it in peoples minds who otherwise wouldn't give a damn about running.

There is a big gap from the top five in that list down to the rest. The top five you could argue the toss back and forth about which is the most prestigious, but no others are even in with a shout.

Calvin Johnson

I'd have Chicago a bit higher.

average_runner

Haven't done London yet but New York is pretty amazing even though I had a bad day!

ThePiedPiper

Tokyo getting added as a major was a major pain in the a$$ for me to be honest. It doesn’t have any long history, is expensive to get to, and I was delighted that I’d run all the majors by 2013. Might give me an excuse to make a trip to the Far East at some stage, but it has no attraction for me really.

Dubai is fairly lucrative, but like most of the sports events in the UAE seems to be as much a publicity machine.

ultrapercy

ThePiedPiper wrote: »

Tokyo getting added as a major was a major pain in the a$$ for me to be honest. It doesn’t have any long history, is expensive to get to, and I was delighted that I’d run all the majors by 2013. Might give me an excuse to make a trip to the Far East at some stage, but it has no attraction for me really.

Dubai is fairly lucrative, but like most of the sports events in the UAE seems to be as much a publicity machine.

The whole concept of 'marathon majors' seems fake and contrived to me. Its a marketing gimmic imo.

Chivito550

ThePiedPiper wrote: »

Tokyo getting added as a major was a major pain in the a$$ for me to be honest. It doesn’t have any long history, is expensive to get to, and I was delighted that I’d run all the majors by 2013. Might give me an excuse to make a trip to the Far East at some stage, but it has no attraction for me really.

Dubai is fairly lucrative, but like most of the sports events in the UAE seems to be as much a publicity machine.

Tokyo is an incredible city. One of the best places I’ve been. Can’t speak for the marathon but it’s a cracking city, so that’s as good a reason as any to do it.

robinph

ultrapercy wrote: »

The whole concept of 'marathon majors' seems fake and contrived to me. Its a marketing gimmic imo.

But the people walking around London wearing the massive 6 star finishers medals looked pretty pleased with themselves.

purelike

Prestigious. Obviously the Olympics.

Chivito550

purelike wrote: »

Prestigious. Obviously the Olympics.

For every event from 100m to 10000m that’s 100% the case, but it’s debatable for the marathon really.

robinph

The Olympic marathon is the most prestigious, just other marathons provide a better payday. If your priority is to earn cash prizes then you'll run other city marathons.

Testosterscone

ultrapercy wrote: »

ThePiedPiper wrote: »

Tokyo getting added as a major was a major pain in the a$ for me to be honest. It doesn’t have any long history, is expensive to get to, and I was delighted that I’d run all the majors by 2013. Might give me an excuse to make a trip to the Far East at some stage, but it has no attraction for me really.

Dubai is fairly lucrative, but like most of the sports events in the UAE seems to be as much a publicity machine.

The whole concept of 'marathon majors' seems fake and contrived to me. Its a marketing gimmic imo.

For me marathon major is a race series competition for elites (cumulative scoring for cash prize)

Never really got the marketing of this outside of the elite fields to be honest.

Chivito550

robinph wrote: »

The Olympic marathon is the most prestigious, just other marathons provide a better payday. If your priority is to earn cash prizes then you'll run other city marathons.

How come not all the best Kenyans showed up in 2004 Olympics for example?

The Olympic marathon may be the most prestigious for some. London or Boston may be for others.

The Olympic 100m on the other hand is the most prestigious for ALL 100m runners.

That’s the difference.

robinph

Chivito550 wrote: »

How come not all the best Kenyans showed up in 2004 Olympics for example?

Because they can only run a couple a year, only three get a place, there is tens of thousands in prize money available even if they only get a couple of thirds in a spring and autumn marathon instead which can be pretty much guaranteed and there is no guarantee of them getting the gold in the middle of summer with no pacers. 2nd or 3rd just wouldn't be worth the effort to turn up for free to the Olympics when a similar position in a major will give them a good payday.

Even the lower tier Kenyan runners who could easily thrash most other marathoners would probably get a better payday from wearing a black and white striped vest in a major and running as a pacer, than taking the risk of earning nothing that year for the chance to run at the Olympics.

Chivito550

robinph wrote: »

Because they can only run a couple a year, only three get a place, there is tens of thousands in prize money available even if they only get a couple of thirds in a spring and autumn marathon instead which can be pretty much guaranteed and there is no guarantee of them getting the gold in the middle of summer with no pacers. 2nd or 3rd just wouldn't be worth the effort to turn up for free to the Olympics when a similar position in a major will give them a good payday.

Even the lower tier Kenyan runners who could easily thrash most other marathoners would probably get a better payday from wearing a black and white striped vest in a major and running as a pacer, than taking the risk of earning nothing that year for the chance to run at the Olympics.

Great. You’ve basically proven my point with your references to money and paydays. That’s the way the marathon is. The Olympics isn’t the be all and end all that it is in other events.

robinph

That doesn't take away anything from the prestige of the Olympic marathon, just the cash value of doing it. Two completely different measures.

Winning London or Boston doesn't get your name down in the history books. It's just a payday. It is still the Olympics that gets you remembered. Maybe if you win a major multiple times it will be noted, but if you win just one Olympics then that will be the first item listed after your name before any wins at majors.

ThePiedPiper

Your average Joe who follows Athletics once every four years has zero interest in the Olympic marathon. As an event, it is completely swallowed up not just by the Track and Field, but by Swimming, Gymnastics, and many of the other sports. The winners list over the years is remarkable for the lack of big names on it.

In complete contrast, the media coverage London, Berlin, and in the States, NYC and Boston, get is enormous. There’s definitely a bit of a circus element to it, but the very fact that 40,000 odd hobby runners get to line up alongside the best in the world makes it pretty special. I’ll forever remember snatching a glimpse of Haile on the start line in Berlin 2008 when he ran 2:03:58 WR. Baldini, Kiprotich as marathon champs in 04 and 2012, not so special.

Chivito550

robinph wrote: »

That doesn't take away anything from the prestige of the Olympic marathon, just the cash value of doing it. Two completely different measures.

Winning London or Boston doesn't get your name down in the history books. It's just a payday. It is still the Olympics that gets you remembered. Maybe if you win a major multiple times it will be noted, but if you win just one Olympics then that will be the first item listed after your name before any wins at majors.

Let’s take a different angle. The World Championships is massive in every event on the track and in the field. Second only to the Olympics.

The World Championships in the marathon? Most of the top guys don’t even bother going.

Sure the Olympics is a big deal, but in general, championships aren’t as big a deal in the marathon as they are in other events. They were huge back in the days of John Treacy etc, but since big city marathons have taken off, and the money has gotten huge, the prestige of Championships has lessened in an event where athletes can only realistically race twice a year.

ultrapercy

ThePiedPiper wrote: »

Your average Joe who follows Athletics once every four years has zero interest in the Olympic marathon. As an event, it is completely swallowed up not just by the Track and Field, but by Swimming, Gymnastics, and many of the other sports. The winners list over the years is remarkable for the lack of big names on it.

In complete contrast, the media coverage London, Berlin, and in the States, NYC and Boston, get is enormous. There’s definitely a bit of a circus element to it, but the very fact that 40,000 odd hobby runners get to line up alongside the best in the world makes it pretty special. I’ll forever remember snatching a glimpse of Haile on the start line in Berlin 2008 when he ran 2:03:58 WR. Baldini, Kiprotich as marathon champs in 04 and 2012, not so special.

You are confusing prestige with profile. 40k people lining up beside the elites adds nothing at all to the elite race. It adds to the colour of the event and may add to the experience if you are among that 40k but it doesnt make one race more important than another. Like a lot of things the prestige is in the eye of the beholder. For me its Olympic marathon for its history and ethos is the one but it has been diluted and undermined by the big money of the city marathons.