Fastest Marathons by Event and Their Trends—Men

Based on a six-year average using winning times.

very year, big-city marathons such as New York, Boston, London, and Berlin Fs won in fast times. For example, four men’s world records have been

set in Berlin in the last 10 years. However, that marathon has not always attracted the very top runners; the male winner clocked 2:47:08 in 1975. The winning times from year to year can be used to determine which marathons are consistently won in the fastest times. This study will do just that and go further to reveal how fast or slow the major marathons of the world have been won in throughout the last three decades. The women’s version of this study will be featured in a later edition of M&B.

The graphs on the following pages contain plots for marathons particular to a continent. For example, the North American East Coast & Midwest Marathons sheet includes plots for New York, Chicago, Boston, and six other large marathons. Each plot is a line through time representing an ongoing six-year average based on the winning times. For example, the Boston Marathon’s men’s six-year average for the year 2011 is the addition of the winners’ times for 2006 + 2007 + 2008 + 2009 + 2010 + 2011, all divided by six. That is the six years leading up to and including 2011, and the following details the calculation:

The ongoing average for 2012 is 12:46:49 minus Robert Cheruiyot Kipkoech’s 2:07:14 of 2006 plus Wesley Korir’s 2:12:40 winning time for 2012, making 12:52:15 divided by six, which is 2:08:42 1/2. So every year a rolling six-year average is determined.

A six-year average is found because that is suitable for a trend to be seen. If the winning time each year were used, the resulting plots are likely to be someBoston Marathon six-year average for the year 2011

1 2 3 4 5 6 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2:07:14 2:14:13 2:07:46 2:08:42 2:05:52 2:03:02

Robert Robert Robert Deribe Robert Geoffrey Cheruiyot Cheruiyot Cheruiyot Mergia Cheruiyot Mutai Kipkoech Kipkoech Kipkoech Ejigu Kiprono Kiprono

Kenya Kenya Kenya Ethiopia Kenya Kenya

12:46:49 total time for six marathons / 6 years = 2:07:48 ongoing average for 2011

what haphazard trying to account for anomalies. In the example of the Boston Marathon, the winning time in 2007 is very slow and 2011 very fast. These two anomalies cancel each other out. If too many years are used, the plot is overly smoothed and the trends unresponsive or even lost. That is, it takes too long for the plot to respond to what is actually happening in reality. A six-year average incorporates a few years of lag, be that where there are sudden changes in performance, although for our purposes six years is suitable to reveal the greater picture, which is what we are looking for.

For an event to be won in a consistently fast time, the weather, the nature of the course, the attractiveness of the event, and so forth must always be good. That, as we will find out, is not always the case even for a major marathon where fast times usually come with big financial rewards. However, the money offered, the prestige, and the size of a marathon usually dictate the level of competition running and so the quality of the winner’s time. That is regardless of the course profile until there is a very good elite field and conditions also have a say. We will not focus on the names that keep winning marathons but will look at the trends by event in terms of just time. In doing so, we can race marathons against each other, seeing which ones are won in the fastest times and when.

In the March/April 2009 edition of M&B, we looked at the men’s world and national yearly marathon best-time trends. Analysis by event ought to parallel that according to the overall trends of each country. We will identify any exceptions; after all, countries like America are vast enough to accommodate different marathon trends.

We will look at the fastest won marathons by country and by continent. Countries and continents have national and international championships. These tend to shift locations, and our analysis does not include such races unless they are held each year in the same place. So the Olympics and World Championships do not feature here. We will finish by amalgamating the plots for the best marathons on each continent so that the marathon power of each continent can be put in

perspective of the others as well as seeing which race was consistently the fastest in the world for any given date in the modern era. On page 73 is a medal table by country based on the best six-year average for more than 300 marathons.

North American East Coast and Midwest

The first graph shows the main marathons on the East Coast and Midwest of America. The plots indicate the marathon was still being developed in those regions in the early 1980s. The plots for each marathon rise and by the mid-1980s reach a plateau. Most decline during the 1990s and rise in the 2000s, surpassing the 1980s high. That mimics the national trend. Only New York and Boston held up during the slump, probably due to their prestige. Chicago was not always held as the dashed line denotes but became one of the fastest marathons (again) at the turn of the millennium. Chicago has a very flat course but the weather can be too hot or cold; such is the diurnal range of continental weather in the fall. The plots for Boston and New York imply that their hills and the average effect of the wind slows runners because top elite runners like to compete in these marathons.

Houston, Toronto Waterfront, and Ottawa have recently enjoyed significant improvements in their winning times. In the future, they may even surpass New York and Boston, with Houston the most likely to do so. The improving winning times of lesser-known marathons is indicative of an increase in the pool of marathon running talent from Africa. Throughout the last decade, the winners of

North American East Coast & Midwest Marathons – Men six year average

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New Yor, Washington, Marines —— Houston — xan —— Onowa Minn J51 Paul, Two Cities Boston Toorto + Waterfront Debot

American and European city marathons tend to be Kenyans and Ethiopians. There are so many fast African runners that if more compete outside of their homeland, the trend for faster winning times will be exaggerated. That is almost guaranteed for all marathons with a decent prize-winning purse. The winner no longer comes from the indigenous population.

Not all city marathons have recovered from the marathon slump (after the original boom). Detroit and Washington Marine Corps are the best examples. The latter is particularly a “people’s” marathon, where the emphasis is on participation rather than on winning. Such marathons are geared more to supporting charities than to giving large windfalls to winners. Incidentally, Doug Kurtis won the Detroit Marathon six times in a row, the only man I found to have the complete set (of six) in this study. Doug made the Detroit average 2:18:53 in 1992 (record average is 2:16:01 in 1983) and holds the world record for the most marathons run under 2:20 with 76. The winning times for many of the large city marathons in the United States have gotten much slower. Philadelphia, Columbus (Ohio), Miami, New Orleans, Austin, and Huntsville Rocket City all had winners regularly breaking 2:20:00 during the boom years. Atlanta averaged 2:20:07 in 1979 but fell away to 2 hours, 37 minutes for the average in 2010 and lost its full-marathon status the following year. Other marathons have stabilized or improved, including Cleveland, Dallas White Rock, San Antonio, Nashville Country Music, Memphis St. Jude, and Baltimore—the last having an average of 2:14:33 in 2011.

The Fastest Marathons List starting on page 63 includes (almost) every marathon with a six-year average of under 2:20:00. The times in brackets refer to an altitude-adjusted value. For example, Duluth Grandma’s Marathon would be a minute and a half faster if the altitude was at sea level. Duluth is not a large city but has a relatively fast average for its size, 1985 being the peak year with 2:12:08. That marathon’s history appears to have the same trend as Twin Cities, which has a slight decline. Just north of the border into Canada, Winnipeg also does well for its size, but its winning times have significantly declined and Montreal is not what it used to be, unlike Ottawa’s renaissance. So a region can simultaneously experience both a marathon boom and a bust in its winning times.

North American West Coast and Rockies

The winner’s times in marathons on America’s West Coast and Rockies are slower than those in the rest of the country(ies). That is probably due to a smaller population and also to hotter weather for most of the region, even during the marathon seasons. The altitude of the Rockies is another detrimental factor. San Diego is the fastest, and that is part of the Rock ’n’ Roll series of marathons. There are dozens of these “music” marathons across North America and also some in Europe. The Rock ’n’ Roll format is relatively new, and the one at Phoenix attracted

North American West Coast & Rockies Marathons – Men amt year average

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particularly fast runners until 2011. The marathons at Los Angeles combine to ensure that the city has a long marathon history. The dates in the fastest-marathon list have some West Coast marathons whose best averages go back to the 1970s, and women’s world records were set at Culver City and Eugene. Even local marathons such as the Trail’s End Marathon in Seaside, Oregon, averaged under 2 hours, 20 minutes. The graph includes Napa Valley and the Avenue of the Giants Marathons to highlight the decline in relatively local marathon standards. Clearly, what was once the marathon hot spot of the US West Coast has long since passed the baton to the East of the country (or west to Japan). The big-city marathons of San Francisco and Portland have also had many years in decline. Seattle, Vancouver, Carlsbad, Long Beach, and Denver are likewise, Denver’s long-defunct Mile High Marathon (as opposed to the new Rock ’n’ Roll) not even breaking 2:25 for a six-year average. Seattle’s Emerald City Marathon is particularly slow given the size of the population and the cool conditions. One city marathon that has done well is Honolulu, although recently it is losing ground. That plot is more in keeping with the Japanese trend shown later.

Some marathons are labeled “international,” which implies “big” and “global.” Based on the winning times, Sacramento is worthy of that title even though the course is downhill. Big Sur is more national than its boast, but the least-international international is probably Connemara in Ireland, albeit the sponsor is international

with former international Ron Hill (former marathon world record holder and sports-shop entrepreneur) supporting the event.

Defying the altitude, the Rockies have some small marathons that have made the fastest-marathons list. St. George and two events in Salt Lake City are listed. The greatest triumphs at altitude in the Americas are in Mexico. Torreon’s La Laguna Marathon is plotted and appears to have reached maturity at 2:12 (2:08 accounting for the altitude). The Mexico City Marathon is one of fastest accounting for altitude and is being won in slightly faster times each year. Guadalajara is not far behind with San Luis Potosi, Leon, and Monterrey also on the list. Central America by way of the Caribbean has one entry on the list.

Western Europe

From the mid-1980s, Western Europe has been packed full of marathons finished in very fast times. All but one plot, Milan, is in ascendancy. The improvement contrasts with the national trend for Europe, which is currently in decline. Europeans are not winning their own marathons.

Rotterdam and London share top honors with Amsterdam, and Paris is not far behind. The two Dams aside, the Netherlands also has Eindhoven, whose average is exceptionally fast inasmuch as that city could pass for a large town. Within Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), Enschede, Maassluis, Utrecht, Brussels, Antwerp, Brugge, and Echternach all have averages under 2:15. The flat land helps, especially in Holland (central Netherlands). Many of those marathons are being run faster, cementing Benelux as a place for the elite to run.

Western European Marathons – Men tex year average

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Great Britain has one of the greatest marathons traditions, but there is little to back that up today. Britain was once at the forefront of marathon running with many high-quality marathons during the 1970s and 1980s, especially in the Midlands and north of the island. The Manchester Marathon averaged 2:13:04 for five races to 1973, and the Polytechnic (like a university but more practical) Marathon at Windsor was 2:15:38 in 1971. The decade before the original marathon boom, Great Britain was the place to be for the best competition. Great Britain and Ireland includes the Dublin Marathon that has found maturity, averaging just under 2:10:00. Every marathon that has or had a six-year average below 2:10:00 is included on the graph (regardless of continent), and significant others are also included. Also in Ireland is Belfast, and that is minutes slower.

France has a marathon tradition. Lyon, La Rochelle, Mont-St-Michel, Lille, Monte Carlo, and Puteaux, the last in Paris, have all been under 2:15:00 with a few still won at that standard. Every and Neuf Brisach rivaled Britain’s marathons in the early 1980s. Some French marathons are experiencing faster winning times, and the marathon at Reims just dipped under 2:10:00 in 2011, satisfying criteria to be plotted. The new Alps Maritimes Marathon on the Cote d’Azur may also be that fast in the next year or three.

The Barcelona Marathon has been plotted, and like other Iberian events, there are no really fast times posted with no averages faster than 2:10:00. San Sebastian has a slightly faster average than Barcelona and so has Madrid were the altitudeadjusted value to be the benchmark. Seville, Valencia, Lisbon, and Porto also ensure that Iberia has a variety of sub-2:15:00 marathons.

Further into the Mediterranean is Italy. Like Spain and Portugal, Italy took time to develop its marathons but has subsequently become a center for excellence. The plotted marathons of Rome, Milan, Turin, Venice, and Carpi aside, Padova, Brescia, Florence, Trieste, and almost Treviso average sub-2:12:00—and recently, too. Italy matches the number of marathons in the USA under a 2:12:00 average, which is pretty amazing considering the difference in population between the two countries. The Po Valley in the north of Italy hosts many fine races. The Italians are passionate about their marathons, and the strength in depth to the winning times is particularly good.

Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe

The plot that eclipses all others on the Central, Northern, and Eastern European graph is Berlin’s. The recent world record of 2:03:38 was run there and helps get the six-year average below 2:05:00, more than a minute faster than any other race. Germany has two other marathons that are consistently run faster than 2:10:00, Hamburg and Frankfurt. Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hannover, and Mainz are all sub2:13:00, and there are many more high-quality races, most of which are recently

Central, Northern & Eastern European Marathons – Men

six year average

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Year Frankfurt Prague Bustapeot Abens Classic Hamoug —— ona Stockhokes Bern Line —— Meso, Pesce

experiencing record finishing times. Germany is a marathon powerhouse, having almost 400 events in 2010, only 40 percent fewer than the United States, which has four times as many people. In that respect, the USA has scope for much more marathon growth.

Not all of Europe’s marathons are on an upward trend. Stockholm’s plot is typical of the decline in Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark plus Iceland). Denmark has the most marathons, and given its flat land there is possible potential for its city marathons to greatly improve, paralleling the Netherlands. In Hungary, the once-fastest marathon almost in the whole of Europe, Budapest, is in the doldrums, likewise Bucharest in Romania, although that marathon has been recently restarted. Moscow has a very low standard given the size and magnitude of the city. The Siberian International at Omsk (plotted on a different graph), White Nights of St. Petersburg, and Uzhgorod marathons, the latter in Ukraine, are both higher up the fastest-marathons list. The large city of Kiev does not make the list. Since the disintegration of the USSR and the lowering of the Iron Curtain, parts of Eastern Europe have significantly developed. The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and most of the Balkans are examples. Their marathons are getting faster, especially Prague, which moved up to number 15 on the marathon list. Kosice in Slovakia is a few minutes behind and has always

been a high-quality race. Poland has many marathons on the list, and nearly all of the fastest ones are in ascendancy. Poland is like Spain and Portugal in that they have no marathons that average under 2:10:00. Warsaw, Poznan, Krakow, and the age-old marathon at Debno have the fastest winners. In the Balkans, the top marathons in Slovenia and Serbia show the most potential, and farther south the Athens Classic Marathon in Greece is in revival. The alpine countries of Austria and Switzerland are doing well, especially Vienna. The relatively new marathons of Linz plus Zurich and Lausanne are also being won in ever-faster times.

The Orient

The Orient is led by Japan, in particular the Otsu, Beppu-Oita, Tokyo, and Fukuoka marathons. Several decades ago, Fukuoka was the unofficial world championship and has had a couple of men’s world records set there. With the exception of Fukuoka, most other top Japanese marathons are not being run faster. Hofu has lost its status as one of Japan’s best marathons; however, Nagano, Nobeoka, and Sapporo are all quicker today. Japan has the oldest entry on the fastest-marathons list, with Toyohashi averaging 2:19:03 in 1969. Japan also has the largest marathon (11th by size in 2010) that does not make the sub-2:20:00 list: Naha, with close to 20,000 finishers. (Orlando’s Disney World Marathon was next and is also not on the list.) The Kasumigaura Marathon at Tsuchiura is one of many other slow biggies. Japan’s slow biggies may be due to the pulling power of their fastest marathons, whose organizers treat their own and foreign elite runners like royalty. China has many new marathons making an impact, the fastest ones being Xiamen, Shanghai, and Zhenghou. Xiamen even has a faster average than the longOriental Marathons – Men six year average

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standing Beijing Marathon. South Korea also has an upward trend, with Seoul and the recently started Daegu Marathon being the two fastest. North Korea is more erratic, with Pyongyang, Chuncheon, and Gyeongju not quite in the class of their southern neighbor.

Oceania and the rest of Asia

Until recently, the rest of Asia has been somewhat bereft of marathons, let alone any being won in a fast time. Dubai stands out, and there was a quarter of a million dollars each for the male and female winners in 2012. Recently, that plot rose to 2:05:30 in 2013 (not updated on the graph), challenging the very fastest marathons in Europe and making second on the list. Only Berlin is faster. London and Rotterdam, both held during April in 2013, are likely to recapture second and third place, respectively. The Middle East has a couple of other fast marathons by way of the Sea of Galilee in Israel and Istanbul in Turkey. However, for its population, the Arab world has a lack of fast marathons, but then the climate is conducive to racing only in the winter. The Singapore and Bangkok marathons of Southeast Asia are rapidly improving. That area is not known for its own marathoners, and the same is so for India. India is the most recent entrant on the marathon scene, Mumbai and Nagpur two of many new events. The Siberian Marathon has fallen off of the radar.

Oceanian & Rest of Asia’s Marathons – Men sx year average

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In the 1970s, New Zealand had some of the fastest marathons in the world. By the 1990s, its marathons were in decline, the once-great marathons of Auckland nowhere near breaking 2:20:00 today. In fact, there is only one entry in the fastest-marathons list for New Zealand/Australia with a date in the last dozen years. However, the big-city marathons of Sydney and Melbourne have recently improved but are yet to overtake their mid- 1980s high points. Only the Gold Coast Marathon at Brisbane has maintained a constant winner’s standard (around 2:15:00).

South America and Africa

South America has not attracted the best marathoners. There are and have been some top runners, especially from Brazil, but its marathons are rarely run faster than 2:15:00. Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, and Buenos Aires all show recent improvement, and this is mainly down to the odd victory by an African. The African marathon trends are split between South Africa and East/North Africa. The South African marathons at Durban, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth were strong in the 1980s and 1990s. The Marrakech Marathon in Morocco has a couple of decades of being the fastest African marathon. Nairobi has become one of the fastest African marathons, which, considering its altitude (5,450 feet), is amazing, the performances as good as the best big-city marathons. Kenya has other marathons at altitude on the list and given the abundance of local talent could fill many a new event. Considering the number of runners in Africa and the standards of excellence, there is tremendous scope for many new marathons and

South American & African Marathons – Men six year average

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for them to be run in fast times, especially if at sea level. There has been investment in Casablanca, Morocco, and the average is heading toward sub-2:10:00. In addition to Kenya, there are also marathons at altitude in Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Rwanda on the list.

Continental bests

The graph showing the continental bests represents an amalgamation of the fastest marathons for each continent. For example, the North American plot starts with Boston in 1980, then uses New York in 1981, and back to Boston until 1999, when Chicago takes over. The North American plot was the highest in the world for eight of the last 20 years but has recently remained on a 2:07 plateau while all the other continental plots have made progress. A problem with North America’s fastest marathons is that they are not ideally suited to facilitate the very fastest times anymore. That is because of hills, head winds, climate, or slight altitude. In years gone by, these handicaps could be tolerated because not many men could get within a minute or two of the world record. Today flat, fast courses at sea level in ideal conditions like those in Western Europe are arguably the only ones suitable to break world records. America has suitable courses, but they are in lesser-known city marathons with little financial reward.

When the marathon boom matured in Europe during the mid-1980s, the times there ensured that the North American and Oriental plots were matched. The Orient has always been a major player but it has just been surpassed by the rest

Continental Marathon Bests – Men su yoar average

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of Asia because of Dubai. The Oceanian and South American plots show that there has never been a top-class marathon run regularly. They indicate that the Northern Hemisphere is where most of the action is. Africa is showing potential after a rocky phase in the late 1990s and early 2000s by recently surpassing its mid-1990s peak.

The continental graph indirectly shows which marathons were the fastest for any given year. The other graphs need to be used in conjunction with each continental plot. Fukuoka was the fastest for most of the 1980s. Rotterdam was also featured. Boston was the leading marathon in the early 1990s (and at the start of 1983) until Berlin took over. London features either side of Chicago in the early 2000s, after which Berlin reclaims top position and is 40 seconds faster than the next marathons.

Europe is likely to retain its high average, and not just because of Berlin. There is the possibility of London or Rotterdam taking over again. Other flat and fast marathons are emerging in lesser-known cities because of the size of the winner’s purse and the increasing influx of African talent. Gone are the days of a marathon relying on its history to attract the best. Professionalism is becoming more of a factor, and some elite runners are able to make marathoning their job. However, wealthy sponsors come and go, and so the best big-city marathons of today may not always be won in the fastest times in the future. There is also the tendency to invite only a few of the very top marathoners to run, and were it not for Patrick Makau’s 2:03:38 world record at Berlin in 2011, the winner would have been over four minutes slower. Conversely, in the 2013 Dubai Marathon there were four finishers within eight seconds of the winner who clocked 2:04:45.

Fastest Marathons List

The Fastest Marathons List is based on a six-year average with the year that was achieved included. The times in brackets after some marathons relate to what the equivalent sea level time is likely to be. Many marathons have recently made the list, and many more are likely to break 2:20:00 during the 2010s. Some large cities do not have marathons. These are mainly in less-developed countries.

There are large-city marathons that are not always won in times that are fast enough to make the list. Surprising (in developed countries) no-shows in the sub-2:20:00 list include Naples and Genoa in Italy, Wellington in New Zealand, Minsk in Belorussia, Odessa in the Ukraine, Gorki in Russia, Busan in Korea, and Montevideo in Uruguay. In America, Atlanta, San Antonio, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, San Jose, Kansas City, Tampa/St. Petersburg, El Paso, Birmingham, Denver, Toledo, and Tulsa are all above 2:20:00. Some large cities have marathons in adjacent cities or towns close by, especially in Japan.

A few cities have several entries where they have more than one distinct marathon or their marathon over a different course was resurrected after many years’ absence. Other cities with intermittent marathons have had those marathons combined. Some averages are listed with a superscript ‘>” by their date, and that denotes a five-year average. This can be over a six-year span where one year the marathon was not held. For example, the huge earthquake in Japan caused some of its marathons to be postponed. If two years are missed, the entry is included below the main list, and if the marathon is plotted the line is dashed. Some countries have been grouped together as befits a region. Some entries have dubious winners in that they or their country have a history of performance-enhancing drugs. Where there is more than one dubious entry, the marathon has an asterisk. Finding the first clean finisher is not practical for the size of this study.

There are likely to be some marathons that I have missed. These are probably relatively new marathons from Japan and Eastern Europe where websites are not in English. There may also be some very old marathons, particularly in Western Europe, that have ceased to exist and whose statistics do not feature on the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS) website, where most of the data was gleaned. Many thanks go to Ken Young, Andy Milroy, and others from ARRS without whom articles like this are not possible.

Fastest Marathons—Men

based on a six-year average using winning times

All sub-2:10:00 graphed

List comprehensive to sub-2:20:00

Data endeavored to be correct and complete to the end of August 2012

City Country Time Year

1 Berlin Germany 2:04:52.5 2011

2 London Great Britain & Ireland 2:05:33 2011

3 Rotterdam Netherlands, Benelux 2:05:36 2012

4 Dubai United Arab Emirates 2:06:21 2012

5 Paris France 2:06:22 2012

6 Fukuoka Japan 2:06:31 2011

7 Chicago USA 2:06:36 2004 (2:06)

8 Frankfurt Germany 2:06:43 2011

9 Amsterdam Netherlands, Benelux 2:06:51 2011

10 Eindhoven Netherlands, Benelux 2:07:25 2011 11 Seoul Korea 2:07:33 2012 12 Boston USA 2:07:48 2011 13 Hamburg Germany 2:07:49 2008

14 Lake Biwa, Otsu 15 Prague

16 Vienna

17 New York

18 Tokyo

Milan

Houston

Turin

Xiamen

Toronto Waterfront

San Diego, Rock ’n’ Roll Dublin

Beppu-Oita

Venice

Beijing

Reims

Enschede

Padova, Sant’ Antonio Sea of Galilee, Tiberias Carpi, Ferrari Maranello Zurich

Marrakech

Cologne

Ottawa

Brescia

San Sebastian, Donostia Cannes-Nice, Alpes Maritimes

Barcelona

Dusseldorf

Florence

Nairobi

Hannover

Twin Cities Minneapolis/St. Paul Chuncheon

Japan

Czech Republic Austria, Alps USA

Japan

Italy

Italy

Italy

China

Canada

Great Britain & Ireland Japan

Italy

China

France Netherlands, Benelux Italy

Israel

Italy

Switzerland, Alps Morocco

Austria, Alps Japan

Germany

Canada

Italy

Spain, Iberia France

Spain, Iberia Germany

Italy

Kenya, East Africa Germany

Korea

2:08:06 2:08:18 2:08:22 2:08:23 2:08:24 2:08:43 2:08:49 2:08:55 2:08:56 2:09:22 2:09:31 2:09:42 2:09:45 2:09:52 2:09:55 2:09:59 2:09:59 :10:00% 0:04 0:06 0:15 0:18 0:25 0:30 0:31 0:34 0:38 0:47 0:51 1:08

1:10 1:12 1:20 1:23 1:23 1:25

2:11:29

2008 200%

2 (2:07%)

FFPnvnnecxae a

NNF SR AN

2 (2:10)

2 (2:08%) 2 (2:08%) 1 (2:09)

1 (2:05)

7 (2:10)

Istanbul

Los Angeles

Kosice

La Rochelle Shanghai

Mumbai

Warsaw

Nagano

Montreal

Ljubljana

Trieste

Cleveland

Torreon, La Laguna Mainz

Eugene

Treviso

Duluth, Grandmas Porto

Lausanne

Belgrade

Madrid

Phoenix, Rock ’n’ Roll Seville

Austin

Pittsburgh Honolulu

Nobeoka

Sydney, Australia Palermo

Karlsruhe, Baden Manchester Sacramento International Maassluis, Westland

Thessaloniki, Alexander the Great

Brisbane, Gold Coast

Auckland before latest phase

Columbus, Ohio Stockholm

Turkey

Slovakia

France

China

India

Poland

France

Japan

Canada Slovenia, Balkans Italy

Mexico Germany

Italy

Portugal, Iberia Switzerland, Alps Serbia, Balkans Spain, Iberia USA

Spain, Iberia USA

Japan

Australia

Italy

Germany

Great Britain & Ireland USA Netherlands, Benelux Greece

Australia

New Zealand

Sweden, Scandinavia

2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:1

‘41 ‘41

2:12:04 2:12:08 2:12:16 2:12:27 2:12:34 2:12:38 2:12:42 2:12:44 2:12:47 2:12:49 2:12:55 2:12:55 2:12:58° 2:13:00 2:13:03 2:13:04° 2:13:08 2:13:12 2:13:14

2:13:17 2:13:21° 2:13:22 2:13:22

2011 (2:1014) 2005

2012 (2:07%4) 2012

1985 (2:10%) 2011

2007 (2:11) 2009

2011 (2:10) 2009 (2:1114) 2011

1998 (2:12) 2006

1993 1981 1991 (2:13) 1991

Pyongyang

Utrecht

Port Elizabeth Valencia

Brussels

Sapporo, Hokkaido Debno

Munich, Median Zhengzhou

San Francisco Monte Carlo Singapore

Durban

Poznan

Athens, Classic Munster

Puteaux, Hauts de Seine Melbourne

Ferrara

Krakow

Taipei International Chemnitz, Karl Marx Stadt Lisbon

Szeged, International Friendship

Cape Town, PeninsulaSouth Mont St Michelle

Toronto, Shoppers Drug Mart

Sao Paulo

Nashville, Country Music Kassel

Odense, H.C.Andersen Wiri Auckland, Winstone People’s

Budapest

Baltimore

Lille

Graz, Kultur

Korea

Netherlands, Benelux South Africa

Spain, Iberia Belgium, Benelux Japan

Poland

Germany

China

Monaco/France Singapore, Southeast Asia South Africa

Poland

Greece

Germany

France

Australia

Italy

Poland

Taiwan, Southeast Asia Germany

Portugal, Iberia Hungary

Africa France Canada

Brazil

Germany

Denmark, Scandinavia New Zealand

Hungary USA

France Austria, Alps Germany

3:22 3:22 3:26 3:26 3:26 3:28 3:37 3:40 3:42 3:43 3:44 3:44 3:51 3:51 3:52 3:55 3:58° 4:01 4:01 4:01 4:02 4:04 4:04 4:07

2:14:08 14:12 214:16°

4:16 4:21 4:23 4:26 4:27

4:27 4:33 4:35 4:36 4:38

2010 2011

2008 2009

992 (2:12) 2012

2002 2011

2008 2011 2011

2001 2012 2011 980*

2011 2008 2012 2010 1986

1987 2011 1993 2010 (2:131%) 2008

Huntsville, Rocket City Antwerp

Echternach, Zwei Lander Brugge

Egna, Sudtirol Sandbach, Birmingham Miami

Every, Essone Toulouse

Dallas, White Rock Regensburg

Caen, Liberte

Santiago

Dalian

Vitoria, Martin Fiz International

Blumenau

Piacenza, Placentia Uzhgorod

Omsk, Siberian International Windsor, Polytechnic Leipzig

Guadalajara

Porto Alegre

Mazatlan, Pacifico Reggio Emilia

Beirut

Berchem

Mombasa

Lisbon, Carlos Lopez Calvia, Majorca

Hong Kong

Waterval-Boven to Ngodwana, Elands Valley

Belfast

Detroit

Moshi, Kilimanjaro Kisumu, Great Lake Dresden

Long Beach

Belgium, Benelux Luxembourg, Benelux Belgium, Benelux Italy

Great Britain & Ireland USA

France

France

Germany

France

Chile

China

Spain, Iberia

Brazil

Italy

ex USSR, Ukraine ex USSR, Russia Great Britain & Ireland Germany

Mexico

Brazil

Mexico

Italy

Lebanon

Belgium, Benelux Kenya, East Africa Portugal, Iberia Spain, Iberia China

South Africa

Great Britain & Ireland USA

Tanzania, East Africa Kenya, East Africa Germany

2:14:44 2:14:48 2:14:50 2:14:56 2:15:03 2:15:06 2:15:08 2:15:09 2:15:10° 2:15:11 2:15:14 2:15:14 2:15:25 2:15:25 2:15:28

2:15:31 2:15:31 2:15:32 2:15:34 2:15:38 2:15:38 2:15:39 2:15:39 2:15:39 2:15:40 2:15:42 2:15:44 2:15:46 2:15:48 2:15:51 2:15:58 2:16:00

2:16:00 2:16:01 2:16:03 2:16:07 2:16:07 2:16:09

1983 2011 1997 1997 2002 1981 1985 1982 2011 1983 2002 2012 2012 (2:12%) 2012 2007

1996 2005 1983 1997 1971 2006 2001 (2:09%) 2002 2005 2011 2011 1990 1995* 2009 1991 2009 1996 (2:10%)

2012 1983 2012 (2:12%) 2010 (2:1114) 2010 1990

Wolverhampton Carlsbad

Neuf Brisach

Buenos Aries

Marathon, Olympic Day Wroclaw

Rome, San Silvestro Oslo

Kochi

St. Petersburg, White Nights

Artturin, Paavo Nurmi Christchurch

Arusha, Mount Meru Tanzania,

Sama de Langreo, Asturias Valle del Nalén Newport, Ocean State Aubigny sur Nere, Cher Hamilton

Caracas, Navidad Harlow

Las Vegas Rock ’n’ Roll Luxembourg Europe Mexico City

Helsinki

Kuala Lumpur Vancouver

Essen Rund um den Baldeneysee

Richmond, Virginia

Porto San Giorgio, Piceno Canberra

Drammen

Winnipeg, Manitoba Duisburg, Rhein-Ruhr Nantes

Macau

Otwock

Great Britain & Ireland USA

France

Argentina

Greece

Poland

Italy

Norway, Scandinavia Japan

ex USSR, Russia India

Finland, Scandinavia New Zealand

East Africa

Spain, Iberia

France

New Zealand Venezuela

Great Britain & Ireland USA

Luxembourg, Benelux Mexico

Finland, Scandinavia Malaysia, Southeast Asia Canada

Germany

Italy

Australia

France

Norway, Scandinavia Canada

Germany

France

(China)

Poland

6:11° 6:15 6:16 6:17 6:18 6:18 6:26 6:32 6:33 6:33 6:37 6:40° 6:40 6:40

6:42 6:43 6:48 6:48° 6:50 6:51 6:51 6:52 6:58 6:58 7:01 7:03

7:03 7:03 7:04 7:04 7:07a 7:09 7:10 7:12 7:3 TAT

2002 (2:13)

997 (2:11)

2009 (2:1414) 2012

2002 (2:07)

2006 2007 984 (2:14%)

Taranaki to New Plymouth, Mountain to Surf

St. George, Utah

San Luis Potosi, Tangamanga

Geneva

San Diego, Heart Culver City

Marseille

Kawaguchi

Lac d’Anncey Jacksonville

Russi

Hartford

Hamilton

Hangzhou International Rio de Janeiro

Seattle, Emerald City Visegrad, Futokarneval Sofia

Milan (original versions) Assemini, Sardinia Monza

Culiacan

Quad Cities-Moline Tucson

Philadelphia

Moscow, Peace

Prazsky

Gyeongju, Cherry Blossom Les Herbieres

Livorno

Bratislava, Danube Gdansk

Vise, Maas

Podgorica

Long Branch, New Jersey

ex USSR, Latvia New Zealand

USA Mexico

Switzerland, Alps USA

France

Japan

France

France

Italy

Bermuda

China

Brazil

Hungary Bulgaria, Balkans Italy

Italy

Italy

Mexico

ex USSR, Russia Czechoslovakia Korea

France

Italy

Mexico

Slovakia

Poland

Belgium, Benelux Montenegro, Balkans USA

2:17:17 2:17:20

2:17:21 2:17:22

2:17:23 2:17:25 2:17:26 2:17:26 2:17:26 2:17:26 2:17:27 2:17:27 2:17:30 2:17:39 2:17:42 2:17:43 2:17:43 2:17:44 2:17:45 2:17:46 2:17:50 2:17:52 2:17:53 2:17:53 2:17:54 2:17:56 2:18:04 2:18:04 2:18:07 2:18:11 2:18:12 2:18:16 2:18:16 2:18:17 2:18:18 2:18:20 2:18:20 2:18:23

2012 1992

1998 (2:12) 2002 (2:09%4)

2010 1987 1976 1990 1995 2011 1989 2000 2008 2007 1984 2011 2012 1988 1989 2000 1987 1995 1986 2010 2011 1984 1986 1994 1978 2010 1991 2003 2008 (2:10%4) 2000 2001 2004 2011 1983

Virginia Beach, Shamrock USA Florianopolis, Santa Catarina Brazil

New Delhi

St. Wendel Salt Lake City Portland Soweto

Seaside, Trail’s End, Oregon

Matsuyama, Ehime Bologna Izumisano, Senshu Copenhagen Zaragoza Washington, Marines Green Bay Tsukuba Otterndorf, Kusten Pisa

Kigali, Peace Tenero, Ticino

Louisville, Derby Festival

Rotorua Noumea

Inverness to Forres, Loch Ness

Salzburg Vantaa Benidorm Port of Spain Sydney

Buffalo to Niagara Falls Intl.

Merano

Turku, Paavo Nurmi Milton Keynes Toyohashi

Columbia Carolina Huddersfield

Appleton, Fox Cities Maclean to East London,

India

Germany

South Africa

Japan

Italy

Japan

Denmark, Scandinavia Spain, Iberia

Japan

Germany

Italy

Rwanda, East Africa Switzerland, Alps USA

New Zealand

New Caledonia Great Britain & Ireland

Austria, Alps Finland, Scandinavia Spain, Iberia Trinidad & Tobago Australia

USA & Canada

Italy

Finland, Scandinavia Great Britain & Ireland Japan

Great Britain & Ireland USA

Africa

8:23 8:23 8:23 8:245 8:25 8:28 8:32 8:36 8:36 8:38 8:38 8:39 8:39° 8:40 8:40 8:41 8:41 8:41 8:42 8:43 8:43 8:49 8:50 8:51

8:51 8:52 8:53 8:56 8:56 5:384 8:57 8:58 8:59° 8:59 9:03 9:05 9:06 9:06 9:07

1988 2007

2009 (2:13)

2004 (2:12)

2012 (2:1214)

2012 (2:17)

2011,

Buffs South Hull Curibita

Santa Rosa, Pampa Treviesa

Bekkai, Pilot

Milwaukee Lakefront Aberdeen

Memphis, St. Jude Seattle

Bolton

Bilbao

New Orleans, Mardi Gras Invercargill

Zagreb

Bangkok

Khon Kaen

Radenci, Three Hearts Kandel, Bienwald Swakopmund, Lucky Star Savannah

Lincoln, Nebraska Hawassa, Abebe Bikila

Korolev Kosmocheskiy Charlotte Swakopmund, Rossing

Salt Lake City, Deseret News

Jacksonville Beach Mexicali

Merida

Manila, Philippine Air Lines Bari

Atlanta

Sasolburg

Isezaki, Gunma

Auckland restarted

Avenue of the Giants

Calderara di Reno, Eco nell Oasi d. Fiume

Monterrey

Great Britain & Ireland Brazil

Argentina

Japan

Great Britain & Ireland USA

Great Britain & Ireland Spain, Iberia

New Zealand

Croatia, Balkans Thailand, Southeast Asia Thailand, Southeast Asia Slovenia, Balkans Germany

Namibia

Ethiopia, East Africa

ex USSR, Russia USA

Namibia

Mexico

Mexico Philippines, Southeast Asia Italy

South Africa Japan

New Zealand USA

Italy

Mexico

2:19:13° 2:19:13 2:19:14 2:19:17 2:19:18 2:19:24 2:19:25 2:19:27 2:19:27 2:19:27 2:19:28 2:19:28 2:19:31 2:19:31 2:19:33 2:19:36 2:19:37 2:19:37 2:19:38 2:19:40 2:19:40 2:16:45° 2:19:43 2:19:45 2:19:47 2:19:50 2:19:515 2:19:52 2:20:00a 2:20:02 2:20:02 2:20:07 2:20:03 2:20:13 2:20:13 2:20:19 2:20:29

2:20:46

1991 2008 (2:15%4) 2005

1983 (2:18’4) 2008 (2:1244), 2012

1984 (2:14) 2012

2012 (2:14) 1986

2011 (2:18%)

St Louis, Third Olympiad USA 2:21:04 1980

Omaha USA 2:21:12 1986 (2:20) San Antonio USA 2:21:13 1985, 2:20:20 2011 restarted Napa Valley USA 2:21:42 1990 Edinburgh Great Britain & Ireland 2:21:44 2009 Carmel, Big Sur International USA 2:21:51 2003 St Louis USA 2:21:55 1985 Johannesburg, Jackie Gibson South Africa 2:24:09 1984 (2:16%) Marathons without a block of five or more consecutive marathons: Daegu Korea 2:08:20* 2012 Casablanca Morocco 2:11:394 2011 Verona Italy 2:13:10 2011 Nagpur India 2:15:38 2011 Bucharest since restart Romania 2:16:544 2011

Great British & Irish marathons probably under 2:20:00: Birmingham probably sub-2:16:00 mid-end 1980s

Liverpool probably sub-2:18:00 end 1980s

Middlesborough probably sub-2.18:00 start 1980s

Derby probably sub-2.20:00 end 1980s

() time adjusted for sea level

2:xx:xx> average for five marathons

2:xx:xx* average for four marathons

2:xx:xx} average for three marathons

* includes several questionable performances

* probably quicker in the late 2000s but for course being short a approximate

Short courses rounded up where distance short is known.

j joint or tie

Marathon Medal Table—Men

Based on gold for sub-2:10:00 (3 points), silver for sub-2:15:00 (2 points), and bronze for sub-2:20:00 (1 point)

Rk. Country Gold Silver Bronze Pts. 1 USA 5 15 36/2 81% 2 Italy 4 8 13 41 3 Germany 3 10 8 37 4 France & Monaco 2 7 11 31 5 Japan 4 4 7 27 6 Benelux, Netherlands, Belgium & Luxembourg 3 7 3 26 7 Great Britain & Ireland 2 1 15 23 8 Iberia, Spain & Portugal 0 7 7 21 9 China 2 2 4 14

10 Alps, Switzerland & Austria 1 4 3 12

11 Canada 1 3 2% 11%

12 Poland 0 4 3 11

13 South Africa & Namibia 0 3 5 11

14 Scandinavia, Norway, Sweden, Finland & Denmark 0 2 7 11

15 New Zealand 0 2 5 9

16 Mexico 0 1 7 9

17. Korea 1 2 1 8

18 Australia 0 3 2 8

19 Balkans, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, 0 2 4 8

Bulgaria, Montenegro 20 East Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania & Rwanda 0 1 6 8 21 Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan

& Singapore 0 2 3 7

22 Czech Republic & Slovakia 1 1 2 7

23 Brazil 0 1 5 7

24 x USSR, Russia, Ukraine & Latvia 0 0 6 6

25j Greece 0 2 1 5

25j Hungary 0 2 1 5

The medal table shows that the USA has the greatest number of high-quality marathons. The half a point is shared with Canada because the Niagara Falls International Marathon enters both countries. Most North American marathons are not run under 2:20:00, and in terms of population the score is low. Western Europe has many more high-quality marathons, the Netherlands being most efficient for its population as are Italy and Germany. Japan is high on the list and