06/07/2026
I’ve definitely been saying this the last few years.. as I started getting back into competitions.
Everyone is doing marathons it seems like.
Demand for American major marathons just hit a level the sport has never seen.
Boston finisher totals are up roughly 9 percent in three years. Chicago and New York have posted double digit increases over the same window. Chicago drew over 200,000 applicants for this year's race. New York set a finisher world record last year with 59,226 across the line.
Behind the numbers is a generational shift. Younger runners are signing up in record numbers. Run clubs have become social institutions. Six star medal chasing has gone from niche to mainstream. Even the qualifying standards are tightening because too many people are running too fast.
The Big Three U.S. majors are responding by expanding fields and tightening qualification windows at the same time. It is the only way to absorb the surge without breaking the courses.
Another running boom is here. The question now is whether the infrastructure can keep up with the appetite.
