How Marathons Are Becoming Inaccessible

Running has become an increasingly popular pastime. According to the running app Strava,  there was a 20% increase in marathon participation among its users in 2023. With 50 million runners in the United States, as participation in popular races has increased the application process has become more competitive. 

The Abbott World Marathon Majors include six marathons across the world ranging from New York City to Tokyo. These marathons have thousands of applicants each year. For example, the London Marathon recently set a record with 840,318 applications for the 2025 event, making it highly competitive for runners to secure a spot in the race. 

The New York City Marathon had a 4% drawing rate for the 2024 race. According to Runner’s World, “a high schooler has a better chance of getting into Yale (5 percent) or playing college football (7.3 percent) than a NYC Marathon applicant had of getting into the November 3 race.”  

Each marathon has its own application process and entry fee. For instance, the Abbott World Marathon Majors charge $295 for the New York City Marathon and up to $250 for the Chicago Marathon. Not only are these marathons highly competitive, but athletes also need to pay a competitive price to run.

There are other ways to run in a major marathon without maneuvering the drawing process. The Boston Marathon has specific qualifying times for entrance into the race. However, it is still highly competitive to make the race: the Boston Marathon turned away 11,039 qualifying runners in 2024.