Running is entering a new golden age. NYC Marathon is the second largest marathon ever held in the world, with a record-breaking 59,226 finishers last year. This year, that record is expected to be broken.
More than two million spectators will watch the marathon from along the course. For most runners, the goal will be to achieve something they have spent months preparing for.
Running is becoming more popular every year, and securing a place in one of the world’s major marathons is becoming almost as difficult as winning the lottery.
The numbers are astonishing. A record number of people have applied to take on the race: over 240,000 applications from 160 countries, more than ever before.
The marathon is one of the few competitions where elite athletes line up alongside amateurs. Perhaps that is also why taking part in such an event is becoming increasingly popular: 60,000 people get to experience a race alongside world record holders.
Champions Hellen Obiri of Kenya, Benson Kipruto of Kenya and Marcel Hug of Switzerland will return this year to defend their New York City Marathon titles.
What’s getting people running?
Doomscrolling is out, movement is in. That is the conclusion of a Strava report, the largest platform for active people.
When you dig into what’s happening, some aspects really stand out. The running boom, fuelled by Gen Z and Social Media, is one that few people saw coming. The younger generations are choosing to connect: they’re logging off and lacing up. They are turning away from passive scrolling toward active, real-world experiences. And for them, running is the perfect way to find a community and connect with others, the report shows.
Gen Z is 75% more likely than Gen X to name racing as their motivation for exercise, according to the Strava data.
Running clubs are also booming, with their numbers on Strava almost quadrupling over the last year. For most of them, their emphasis isn’t usually on super-fast times but rather on being inclusive, enjoying a run together and a chat.
A race that began with a one-dollar entry fee
At its first edition on September 13 in 1970, the New York Marathon consisted of four laps within the Central Park. Of the 127 runners who entered, only 55 finished. The entry fee was one dollar, and the entire event had a budget of $1,000.
In 1976, the course was extended to all five boroughs, turning the race into a citywide event. This year’s edition marks 50 years since that major change. Organisers have also set the fundraising goal: $100 million.
The 42.195-kilometre course crosses the city’s five boroughs: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan. The race starts on Staten Island and finishes in Central Park. Everyone follows the same course, but each runner has their own goal and pace.
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