The Tokyo, Boston, London, New York City, Berlin, and Chicago Marathons constitute the World Marathon Majors. These six marathons represent the most competitive, scenic, and selective running races on the globe.
Here are some tips to use if your running club is trying to build a running vacation around a World Marathon Majors race.
Lottery System
Getting a bib for a World Marathon Majors race isn't easy. If you or members of your running club do not have a qualifying time from a marathon or half-marathon (see this chart for the Boston Marathon), you will need to enter the lottery system.
- Bucks for Bibs: all of the World Marathon Major offer automatic bibs or preferential entry for participants who raise money for charity. One of the benefits of traveling to the race as a running club is that you can pool your collective charity efforts to raise a more sizable total. For instance, if you're trying to earn New York City Marathon bibs for your running club members, you can create a charity for your running club and divide the total amount you raise by each member. Before you embark on this charity fundraising quest, however, be sure that you look up the amount your running club will need to earn to guarantee spots for everyone in your traveling party.
- The early runner gets the bib: like any lottery system, the more often you bid, the more likely you are to win. Thus, you may want to organize your running club vacation two to three months in advance of your intended travel date. Some Marathon Majors will offer deferments for later dates. This may allow members of your club to roll over their entry for a future race date. You should also consider broadly organizing your World Marathon Majors vacation by season. The Chicago, Berlin, and New York Marathon happen in the fall, while London, Tokyo, and Boston Marathons happen in the spring.
After the Race
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is trying to cram too much into your running vacation before the race. Not only will these extra excursions tire out your legs, but the local area will be flooded with fellow marathoners, which will jack up the price of just about everything. Instead, consider extending your vacation into the week following the race. For instance, you might organize a historical "running tour" of greater Berlin two to three days after everyone in your travel group has earned their marathon medals.
For more information about running vacation races, contact a company like Run for Fun | Cruise Tours.
