Top 10 marathons around the world

The Tokyo Marathon (東京マラソン Tokyo Marason?) is an annual marathon sporting event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World Marathon Majors.[1] The latest edition of the race took place on Sunday February 23, 2014. It is sponsored by Tokyo Metro.

The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by several cities in Greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts. It is always held on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897, inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics,[1] the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's best-known road racing events. It is one of six World Marathon Majors.

The London Marathon is a long-distance running event held in London, United Kingdom and is the second largest running event in the UK, after the Great North Run from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields, and it is also part of the World Marathon Majors. The event was first run on 29 March 1981 and has been held in the spring of every year since.[1] Since 2010, the race has been sponsored by Virgin Money, and is known as the Virgin Money London Marathon. The 34th London Marathon took place on 13 April 2014,[2] and the 35th London Marathon is scheduled for 26 April 2015.

The Berlin Marathon (branded BMW Berlin Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers (26 miles 385 yards) is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate. First initiated in 1974, the event traditionally takes place on the last weekend in September. The Berlin marathon is one of the largest and most popular road races in the world. In 2008 alone the race had 40,827 enrolled starters from 107 countries, 35,913 official finishers and more than one million spectators. [1] Along with five other races, it forms the World Marathon Majors, a series offering a $1 million prize purse to be split equally between the top male and female marathoners. The most marathon world records for men and women have been set at the Berlin course, which is known for its flat profile, even surface, cheering spectators, and its frequently mild autumn temperatures. The event is split over 2 days. About 8,000 additional inline skaters compete at the marathon course the Saturday before the running event. Power walkers, handbikers, wheelchair riders, and a children's marathon (4.2195 km) are also part of the marathon weekend, which is organised by SCC EVENTS and currently sponsored by BMW.

The Chicago Marathon (branded Bank of America Chicago Marathon for sponsorship reasons and formerly the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon) is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London, Berlin, and Tokyo Marathons, it is one of the six World Marathon Majors.[1] Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race. The October 13, 2013 running was the 36th anniversary of the race.[2] The first race was held on September 25, 1977 under the original name the Mayor Daley Marathon, which drew a field of 4,200 runners. The race has been held every year since, except in 1987 when only a half-marathon was run.[3][4][5] It is among the fastest growing marathon road races in the world, due in part to its largely fast and flat course which facilitates the pursuit of personal records and world record performances.[6] The race has achieved its elite status among marathons by developing relationship with sponsors who provide prize money to lure elite runners who have produced American and world record performances.

The New York City Marathon (branded TCS New York City Marathon and formerly branded ING New York City Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual marathon (42.195 km or 26.219 mi) that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is the largest marathon in the world,[3] with 50,304 finishers in 2013.[4] Along with the Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon, it is among the pre-eminent long-distance annual running events in the United States and is one of the World Marathon Majors. The race is organized by New York Road Runners (NYRR) and, with the exception of 2012, has been run every year since 1970. In recent years, it has been sponsored by the financial group ING. It is held on the first Sunday of November and attracts professional competitors and amateurs from all over the world. Because of the popularity of the race, participation is chosen largely by a lottery system. Runners who are members of NYRR can gain entry by meeting the qualifications for guaranteed entry or via nomination from an official running club.