Thursday, April 25Sports. Travel. Events

World’s best marathons and running festivals in 2024

Best marathons in 2021 / 30-day challenge running

Completing a marathon – the magical 26.2-mile distance (or 42.195km) – has become a bucket-list item for beginner and competitive runners alike.    

The six biggest marathons in the world – Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City – form the Abbott World Marathon Majors series and there’s also hundreds of other running events to choose from on any given month throughout the year. 

From events in major cities and snow to vineyards and African safari, here’s our pick of the best marathons around the world in 2024. All events and dates are subject to change.

Travel agencies

A number of travel agencies offer packages to various marathons and running events around the world, including:

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Marathons and running events in 2024

PolarNight Marathon

  • When: 6 January 2024
  • Where: Tromsø, Norway
  • Events: marathon; half marathon; Coop Mila (10k); mini-marathon (4.2k); kids race (800m)
  • Website: msm.no

Hong Kong Marathon

Dead Sea Marathon

  • When: 2 February 2024
  • Where: Ein Bokek, Israel 
  • Events: 5km fun run; 10km; half marathon; full marathon; 50km ultra-marathon
  • Website: deadsea.run

Tokyo Marathon

Run Rome The Marathon

Côte Chalonnaise Wine Marathon

  • When: 23 March 2024 
  • Where: Burgundy, France
  • Events: marathon, half marathon, 10km, and MARA3 (race with three runners – the first runner on the 42km, the second for the 21km and third on 10km. All three runners will then finish together)
  • Website: marathondesvinsdelacotechalonnaise.fr

Manulife Danang International Marathon

  • When: 24 March 2024
  • Where: Bien Dong Park, Danang City, Vietnam
  • Events: marathon; half marathon; 10k; 5K; 1.5k run categories for children
  • Website: rundanang.com

Brighton Marathon Weekend

Boston Marathon

  • When: Monday 15 April 2024 
  • Where: Boston, USA
  • Website: baa.org 

London Marathon

Run the Great Wall – Jinshanling Great Wall

  • When: 21 April 2024
  • Where: Jinshanling Great Wall Scenic Area, China 
  • Events: 10km, half marathon and full marathon
  • Website: rungreatwall.com

Nashville Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series

  • When: 27-28 April 2024
  • Where: Nashville, Tennessee, US
  • What: Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 1 Mile, Kids Rock, Doggie Dash
  • Website: runrocknroll.com

The Sierra Leone Marathon

  • Organisers: Street Child UK (registered charity)
  • When: 1 May 2024 
  • Where: Northern Sierra Leone
  • Website: street-child.co.uk

Belfast City Marathon

Great Ocean Road Running Festival

Edinburgh Marathon

Icefjord Midnight Marathon

KLM Aruba Marathon

Comrades Marathon

Big Five Marathon

Midnight Sun Marathon

  • When: 22 June 2024
  • Where: Tromsø, Norway
  • Events: Marathon; Mizuno Half Marathon; Coop Mila (10km); Mini-marathon (4.2km); Children’s race (800 m)
  • Website: msm.no

Zagori Mountain Running 2024

  • When: 20-22 July 2024
  • Where: Zagori, Greece
  • Events: 80km, 44+km marathon, 21km, 10km
  • Website: zagorirace.gr

Australian Outback Marathon

San Francisco Marathon

  • When: 27-28 July 2024
  • Where: San Francisco, California, US
  • Events: marathon; half marathon (bridge half/city half); 10k; 5k; family 1k
  • Website: thesfmarathon.com

Iceland Volcano Marathon

Tallinn Marathon

  • When: 6-8 September 2024
  • Where: Tallinn, Estonia 
  • Events: marathon; half marathon; 10k; 5k 
  • Website: jooks.ee

Petra Desert Marathon

Médoc Marathon

  • When: 7 September 2024
  • Where: the vineyards of the Médoc in the Gironde, France
  • Website: marathondumedoc.com 

Sydney Marathon

  • When: 15 September 2024
  • Where: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  • Events: Marathon, 10km, Mini Marathon
  • Website: sydneyrunningfestival.com.au

Berlin Marathon

13 Valleys Ultra

  • When: 27-29 September 2024
  • Where: Lake District National Park, England
  • Events: 2 Valleys (21km); 5 Valleys (55km); 7 Valleys (110km); 13 Valleys (180km)
  • Website: 13valleysultra.com

Loch Ness Marathon

Kosice Peace Marathon

Chicago Marathon

Budapest Marathon

  • When: 12-13 October 2024
  • Where: Budapest, Hungary
  • Events: marathon, marathon relay, 30km, 15km, 10km, 5km
  • Website: marathon.runinbudapest.com

Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Palma Marathon Mallorca

Venice Marathon

  • When: 27 October 2024
  • Where: Venice, Italy
  • Events: marathon; half marathon; 10k; family run
  • Website: venicemarathon.it

Dublin Marathon

New York City Marathon

  • When: 3 November 2024
  • Where: New York City, USA
  • Website: nyrr.org

Lake Maggiore Marathon

  • When: 3 November 2024
  • Where: Arona, Italy 
  • Events: marathon; 33km; half-marathon; 21km; 10km 
  • Website: lagomaggioremarathon.it 

Athens Marathon: The Authentic

Philadelphia Marathon Weekend

  • When: 22-24 November 2024
  • Where: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
  • Events: marathon; half marathon; 8k; kids fun run
  • Website: philadelphiamarathon.com

Torino City Marathon

  • When: 1 December 2024
  • Where: Turin, Italy 
  • Events: marathon, half-marathon
  • Website: torinocitymarathon.it

Run Barbados Marathon Weekend

  • When: 6-8 December 2024
  • Where: Barbados 
  • Events: Garrison Savannah Fun Mile; fun run; Sleeping Giant 5k; Sand Dunes 10k; Farley Hill Half; full marathon; Joe’s River coastal walk
  • Website: visitbarbados.org

Honolulu Marathon

Main image: pxhere.com

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