List of largest running events explained

This list of the largest running events in the world is based on the number of participants. If available, the number of "registered" participants or finishers may be specified. Not all participants will actually complete a race. Running USA's Road Running Information Center estimates that, on average, 80%-85% of registrants will complete a race.[1] If a yearly event has consistently high participation, the year in which that event had the largest number of participants has been listed.

With 110,000 participants, the Bay to Breakers race held on May 18, 1986, in San Francisco, California was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest footrace.[2] On October 10, 2010, 116,086 out of 160,000 registered runners in Manila were reported to have finished a run entitled "10.10.10 A Run for the Pasig River".[3] An official for the ABS-CBN Foundation said that documentation of the event was being forwarded to Guinness World Records.[3] The Guinness World Records certified Run for the Pasig River as having the most participants in a racing event on December 26, 2010.

On 6 August 2023, Kalaignar Centenary Marathon which was held at Chennai, India is officially recognized and approved by Guinness World Records having 65,762 people taking part and considered as the Largest Running Race Series held in the world.[4]

Since 2014 the Wings for Life World Run is the largest run, though not confirmed by Guinness World Records.[5] [6]

parkrun, a series of weekly 5 km events held on Saturday mornings in 22 countries around the world, has for some time been the largest running event in the world. On a regular Saturday, around 300,000 people take part across nearly 2000 events. The highest ever attendance was on 11 January 2020 where 369,213 people took part across the 1635 events taking place that day.

The largest fun run overall is city2surf on August 11th 2024 won by Samuel Joseph Weaver running for kids with cancer

PositionRace nameLocationCountryDateDistancesParticipationNotes
1GlobalGlobal11 Jan 20205 km369,213[7]
2Wings for Life World RunGlobalGlobal4 May 2024set own goal265,818
3A Run for the Pasig RiverManilaPhilippines10 October 201010 km, 5 km, 3 km116,086
4Bay to BreakersSan Francisco, CaliforniaUnited States18 May 198612 km110,000
5Cursa El Corte InglesBarcelonaSpain5 June 199411 km109,457[8]
6Royal RunCopenhagen/Frederiksberg, Aarhus, Fredericia, Brønderslev and KalundborgDenmark20 May 202410 km, 5 km, 1 mile95,330[9]
7Broloppet/BroløbetMalmö / CopenhagenSweden / Denmark12 June 2000Half-Marathon92,266, 79,837[10]
8City2SurfSydneyAustralia9 August 202014 km86,696, 68,930[11]
9Dam tot DamloopAmsterdamNetherlands20 September 200910 miles, 4 miles and kids runs74,020
10Kalaignar Memorial International MarathonChennaiIndia6 August 2023Marathon, half-marathon, 10 km, 5 km73,206[12] [13]
11Hong Kong MarathonHong KongHong Kong15 January 2015Marathon, half-marathon, 10 km, 10 km wheelchair race, 3 km wheelchair race73,070[14]
12Round the BaysAucklandNew Zealand10 March 20138.4 km70,000[15]
13JPMorgan Corporate ChallengeFrankfurtGermany7 June 20185.6 km64,377
14Lilac Bloomsday RunSpokane, WashingtonUnited States5 May 199612 km61,298[16]
15United We RunBeirutLebanon10 April 20055 km,60,000[17]
16Vancouver Sun RunVancouver, British ColumbiaCanada15 April 201210 km89,000,[18] 44,167[19]
17HolmenkollstafettenOsloNorway4 May 202418,8 km72,000[20]
18GöteborgsvarvetGothenburgSweden21 May 2011Half-Marathon59,417[21]
19Peachtree Road RaceAtlanta, GeorgiaUnited States4 July 200810 km58,000,[22] 54,954
20Panipat PinkathonPanipat, HaryanaIndia8 March 201921 km, 10 km, 5 km or 3 km run/walk55,498[23] [24]
21Great North RunNewcastle, EnglandUnited Kingdom26 September 2004/ 19 September 2010Half-Marathon54,500[25]
22Bolder BoulderBoulder, ColoradoUnited States26 May 200810 km54,040[26]
23Course de l'EscaladeGenevaSwitzerland2-3 December 202320.5 km, 7.3 km, 4.8 km, 9 km walk and kids runs53,800[27]
24New York City MarathonNew York CityUnited States4 November 2018Marathon53,121, 52,812[28]
25City to SurfPerthAustralia25 August 2013Marathon, Half-Marathon, 12 km, 4 km and Regional Series (Karratha, Geraldton, Albany and Busselton)50,756[29]
26London MarathonLondon, EnglandUnited Kingdom2 October 2022Marathon50,097[30]
27Carrera Día Olímpico 5k Olympic Day Run 5KMedellínColombia23 June 20135 km50,000[31] Carrera día olimpico, 24 June 2013.[32]
28Kabaka Birthday RunKampalaUganda7 April 201921 km, 10 km, 5 km50,000[33] [34]
29Paris MarathonParisFrance14 April 2019Marathon49,155[35]
30Grete Waitz-løpetOsloNorway4 May 19965 km48,461[36]
31Ottawa Race WeekendOttawa, OntarioCanada23/24 May 2014Marathon, 1/2 Marathon, 10K, 5K, 2K, Kids Run47,387[37]
32Bogotá Half MarathonBogotá, CundinamarcaColombia1 August 2010Half-Marathon, 10 km44,186[38]
33LidingöloppetLidingö, StockholmSweden24 September 2011Cross country, 30 km43,230[39]
34Monument Avenue 10KRichmond, VirginiaUnited States2 April 201110 km43,214[40]
35Vienna City MarathonViennaAustria12 April 2015Marathon42,657[41] date=April 2015
36San Silvestre VallecanaMadridSpain31 December 201810 km42,500[42]
37BUPA Great Manchester RunManchester, EnglandUnited Kingdom18 May 201410 km41,300[43]
38Women's Mini Marathon (10k)DublinIreland2 June 201410 km41,006[44]
39Mumbai MarathonMumbai, MaharashtraIndia20 January 2013Marathon, Half-Marathon, Dream Run(6 km), Senior Citizens Race (4.3 km), Champions with Disability category (2.4 km)40,000
40Deejay TenMilanoItaly14 October 201810 km, 5 km40,000[45]
41Jerusalem MarathonJerusalemIsrael15 March 2019Marathon40,000[46]
42Broad Street RunPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaUnited States5 May 201310 miles38,144[47]
43Chicago MarathonChicago, IllinoisUnited States7 October 2012Marathon37,455[48]
44Boston MarathonBoston, MassachusettsUnited States15 April 1996Marathon35,868[49]
45Berlin MarathonBerlin,Germany16 September 2018Marathon44,000[50]
46Baloise Antwerp 10 milesAntwerpBelgium23 April 202310 miles37,500[51]
4720 km of BrusselsBrusselsBelgium28 May 202320 km36,692[52]
48Sydney Running FestivalSydneyAustralia18 September 2011Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10 km, 3.5 km35,033[53]
49OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-MarathonIndianapolis, IndianaUnited States4 May 2008Half-Marathon35,000[54]
50Great Ethiopia RunAddis AbabaEthiopiaNovember 201010k35,000[55]
51Athens Classic MarathonAthens, AtticaGreece9 November 2014Marathon, 10k, 5k35,000[56]
52Bank of America Shamrock ShuffleChicago, IllinoisUnited StatesMarch 25, 20128k34,369[57]
53Bridge to BrisbaneBrisbaneAustralia11 September 201110 km, 5 km42,546, 34,146[58]
54HBF Run for a ReasonPerth, Western Australia, AustraliaAustralia22 May 20164 km, 12 km and 21 km33,744[59]
55Cooper River Bridge RunCharleston, South CarolinaUnited States27 March 201010 km33,000[60]
56Grand Prix von BernBernSwitzerland10 May 201410 miles, 4.7 km, 1.6 km32,116[61]
57Philadelphia MarathonPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaUnited States17 November 2013Marathon, Half-Marathon, 8K31,471[62]
58ZevenheuvelenloopNijmegenNetherlands16 November 201415 km, 7 km31,307[63]
59Run to Feed the HungrySacramento, CaliforniaUnited States23 November 20235 km, 10 km31,285[64]
60Amsterdam MarathonAmsterdamNetherlands19 October 2014Marathon, Half-Marathon, 8K31,197[65]
61Tokyo International MarathonTokyoJapan28 February 2010Marathon30,170[66]
62Saint Silvester Road RaceSão PauloBrazil31 December 201815 km30,000[67] [68]
63City-BayAdelaideAustralia18 September 201112 km, 6 km29,715[69]
64JPMorgan Corporate ChallengeChicagoUnited States23 May 20195.6 km28,418
65Pat's RunTempe, ArizonaUnited States18 April 20204.2 Miles28,000[70]
66Honolulu MarathonHonolulu, HawaiiUnited States8 December 2002Marathon26,382[71]
67CPC Loop Den HaagThe HagueNetherlands8 March 2015Half-Marathon, 10K, 5k25,425[72]
68Gold Coast MarathonGold CoastAustralia2 July 2017Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10k, 5.7k, 4k, 2k24,909[73]
69Great South RunPortsmouth,United Kingdom30 October 201110 miles24,000[74]
70Marine Corps MarathonWashington, D.C.United States28 October 2012Marathon23,519[75]
71La ParisienneParisFrance9 September 20126.5 km23,510[76]
72Rotterdam MarathonRotterdam,Netherlands12 April 2015Marathon, 1/4 Marathon23,403[77]
73Los Angeles MarathonLos Angeles, CaliforniaUnited States8 March 2020Marathon28,300
74Clean Thagadur Marathon-5KDharmapuri, TamilnaduIndia6 January 20195K21,222[78]
75Seoul International MarathonSeoulSouth Korea13 March 2005Marathon21,067[79]
76Naha MarathonNahaJapan6 December 2009Marathon20,860
77New York City Half MarathonNew York City, New YorkUnited States16 March 2014Half Marathon20,828[80]
78Cardiff Half MarathonCardiff, WalesUnited Kingdom6 October 2019Half Marathon20,309[81]
79Bix 7Davenport, IowaUnited States21 June 19997 miles20,117[82]
80Comrades MarathonKwaZulu-Natal ProvinceSouth Africa16 June 200087.6 km20,047[83]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.runningusa.org/cgi/evbig-world.pl World's Largest Races
  2. Web site: History | Bay to Breakers 12k San Francisco | Capstone Races . capstoneraces.com . 25 April 2020.
  3. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/11/10/pinoys-set-world-record-pasig-run Pinoys Set World Record Pasig Run
  4. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/732196-largest-running-race-series
  5. wingsforlifeworldrun.com
  6. Web site: Trail Running | live for the outdoors .
  7. Web site: 2020-01-12 . parkrun Attendance and Milestone Stats for 11 January 2020 and 12 January 2020 . 2023-11-09 . elliottline.com.
  8. Web site: Edición del Monday 6 June 1994, Página 42 - Hemeroteca - MundoDeportivo.com . Hemeroteca.elmundodeportivo.es . 1994-06-06 . 2022-08-13.
  9. Web site: Danmark malet i Royal Run-blå . 2022-06-06 . www.royalrun.dk . da.
  10. Web site: Broloppet Half-Marathon: World's Largest First-Time Race 96,000 entrants; 80,000 starters. www.ontherunevents.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20110827134609/http://www.ontherunevents.com/news/0287.htm . August 27, 2011.
  11. Web site: 2011 Sun Herald City2Surf // Summary // Tiktok results. https://web.archive.org/web/20111002135854/http://tiktok.biz/city2surf/2011. usurped. October 2, 2011.
  12. News: Fourth edition of Kalaignar Memorial International Marathon sets world record for largest running race series .
  13. Web site: https://www.aninews.in/news/sports/others/karunanidhi-memorial-intl-marathon-in-guinness-world-record-list-as-largest-running-race-series20230806123126/.
  14. Web site: Race Information . 2015-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150119232655/http://www.hkmarathon.com/Event_Info/Race_Information.htm . 2015-01-19 . dead .
  15. Web site: More than 70,000 run in Auckland Round the Bays - National News TVNZ. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130311154214/http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/more-than-70-000-run-in-auckland-round-bays-5364595. 2013-03-11.
  16. Web site: Bloomsday - Results History . 2007-03-30 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070626061917/http://www.bloomsdayrun.org/ResultsHistory.htm . 2007-06-26 .
  17. Web site: None. 6 May 2023.
  18. Web site: Vancouver Sun Run | canada.com . 2006-04-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060407134358/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/sunrun/index.html . 2006-04-07 .
  19. http://www.runningUnitedStates.org/statistics/largest
  20. https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/i/wgE2gG/folkefest-i-oslo-etter-verdens-stoerste-loep-oelen-etterpaa-er-best . Retrieved on 2024-05-07.
  21. Göteborgsvarvet Official Site, English version. Retrieved 2012-05-12
  22. http://results.active.com/events/2012-ajc-peachtree-road-race-10k-ajc-registration/10k-results 2012 Race Results
  23. News: Panipat Pinkathon' enters record book. The Tribune.
  24. News: Highest Women Participation in a Marathon. World Records India.
  25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/8265245.stm BBC NEWS
  26. Bernarde, Scott, "Atlanta race to relinquish title of world's largest 10K?", The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 29 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-28
  27. Web site: Record d'inscriptions et forte affluence pour la Course de l'Escalade à Genève . 2023-12-03 . 2023-12-02 . RTS.
  28. Web site: Holy Smokes! New York City Marathon Was a Record-Breaker . 2018-11-08 . 2018-11-05 . Runnersworld.
  29. Web site: Kenyan wins his third City to Surf. 26 August 2013.
  30. Web site: 2022 TCS London Marathon stats. 2022-11-07. 2022-11-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20221107115008/https://www.tcslondonmarathon.com/news-and-media/media-resources/2022-tcs-london-marathon-stats. dead.
  31. http://www.colombiasports.net/sin-categoria/un-exito-carrera-del-dia-olimpico-en-medellin,
  32. Web site: Más de 50 mil personas apoyaron a Medellín 2018 en el Día Olímpico - …. https://archive.today/20130717075424/http://www.coldeportes.gov.co/coldeportes/index.php?idcategoria=57843. dead. 2013-07-17.
  33. BugandaOfficial. 1128624961558646789.
    1. KabakaRun2019: Obwakabaka bwanjudde ebyava mu misinde gy'amazaalibwa ga Kabaka. Abaddusi abasoba mu mitwalo 50,000 bebetabamu. Obukadde 494,200,000 zezavaamu
    .
  34. KabakaBdayRun. 1128616195979128837. Post from a suspended account.
  35. Web site: Active Results.
  36. Web site: Sist oppdatert . Grete Waitz-løpet – Store norske leksikon . Snl.no . 2022-08-13.
  37. Web site: Race Weekend Facts and Figures. 28 May 2023 .
  38. http://www.mediamaratonbogota.com/ENG/conoce/Estadisticas.htm . MMB. Retrieved on 2010-07-25.
  39. http://www.lidingoloppet.se . MMB. Retrieved on 2011-09-25.
  40. Web site: Past Results & Entry History - Sports Backers . 2012-03-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120402063559/http://www.sportsbackers.org/events/past-results-entry-history . 2012-04-02 . dead .
  41. http://www.news.at/a/vienna-city-marathon-2015-wien-vorschau
  42. Web site: San Silvestre Vallecana 2018 Internacional. 31 December 2018.
  43. Web site: Great Run Event Results.
  44. Web site: About Us. Vhi Womens Mini Marathon. 2019-01-31. 2019-02-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190201013617/https://www.vhiwomensminimarathon.ie/about-us/. dead.
  45. Web site: Milano: Una palestra a cielo aperto. I parchi migliori dove correre. 22 July 2016.
  46. Web site: Kenyan runners win men, women's races at record-breaking Jerusalem Marathon. The Times of Israel.
  47. Web site: Blue Cross Broad Street Run | Philadelphia, PA | 10 Mile Race.
  48. http://assets.chicagomarathon.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Press-Release-2012-10-07.pdf Press release
  49. http://www.aims-association.org/statistics/World%27s_Largest_Marathons.html World's Largest Marathons
  50. Web site: Das Programmheft zum BMW BERLIN-MARATHON ist online. 7 August 2019. 19 October 2018. 19 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181019205622/https://www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com/news-und-media/programmheft.html. dead.
  51. Web site: NWS . VRT . 2023-04-24 . Succeseditie Antwerp 10 Miles: "Veel lachende gezichten achteraf en dankzij het weer weinig medische interventies" . 2023-05-29 . vrtnws.be . nl.
  52. Web site: Hugé . Thibaut . 2023-05-29 . 36692 participants ont fini les 20 Km de Bruxelles 2023: une édition record boostée par la présence des marcheurs . 2023-05-29 . lavenir.net . fr.
  53. Web site: 2011 Blackmores Sydney Running Festival // Summary // Tiktok results. https://web.archive.org/web/20110923155945/http://tiktok.biz/sydneyrunningfestival/2011. usurped. September 23, 2011.
  54. http://www.500festival.com/marathon/HistoryofEvent.asp History of Event
  55. [Great Ethiopian Run]
  56. http://www.tovima.gr/en/article/?aid=648415 Retrieved 2014-11-07
  57. Web site: Active Results.
  58. Web site: 2011 Bridge to Brisbane // Summary :: Tiktok results. https://archive.today/20120714214126/http://tiktok.biz/bridgetobrisbane/2011. usurped. 2012-07-14.
  59. Web site: Fun run raises $1.14m for WA charities . 23 May 2016 .
  60. Web site: Cooper River Bridge Run | Cooper River Bridge Run Site . Bridgerun.com . 2022-08-13.
  61. Web site: HOME | GP Bern . 2014-05-11 . 2014-06-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140628174217/http://www.gpbern.ch/In-den-Top-Ten-Europas-etabliert-122?newsid=71 . dead .
  62. Web site: Race Results. live.xacte.com. 6 May 2023.
  63. Web site: UItslagen.
  64. Web site: Clift . Theresa . November 23, 2023 . Sacramento's Run to Feed the Hungry sees record turnout, raising more than $1 million . 2023-12-23 . www.sacbee.com.
  65. Web site: Results 2014 | TCS Amsterdam MarathonTCS Amsterdam Marathon . 2015-04-13 . 2015-04-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150411005615/http://www.tcsamsterdammarathon.nl/en/results-2014/ . dead .
  66. Web site: ML_Fin2010.
  67. Web site: Corrida de São Silvestre vai reunir 30 mil participantes em São Paulo. 27 December 2018. istoe.com.br. Istoé. 25 April 2020. pt. Saint Silvester road race will gather 30,000 participants in Sao Paulo.
  68. Web site: Corrida de São Silvestre reunirá 30 mil participantes em São Paulo. 27 December 2018. gazetaweb.com. 25 April 2020. pt. Saint Silvester road race will gather 30,000 participants in Sao Paulo. 27 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181227202743/https://gazetaweb.globo.com/portal/noticia/2018/12/corrida-de-sao-silvestre-reunira-30-mil-participantes-em-sao-paulo_67164.php. dead.
  69. Web site: Behobia - San Sebastian: Clasificación. clasificacion.behobia-sansebastian.com. 2016-07-18.
  70. Web site: Pat's Run sold out for second time ever. 28,000 people gathered to honor late football and Army hero. 2017-04-22. Fox 10 Phoenix. 2020-02-25.
  71. Web site: ML_Fin2002.
  72. Web site: Uitslagen 2015 | NN CPC Loop den Haag . 2015-04-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150403073403/http://www.nncpcloopdenhaag.nl/editie-2015/uitslagen . 2015-04-03 . dead .
  73. Web site: 2017 Gold Coast Airport Marathon // Tiktok results. https://web.archive.org/web/20170923145014/https://secure.tiktok.biz/results/goldcoastmarathon/2017/. usurped. September 23, 2017.
  74. News: BBC News - Great South Run: £3m raised at Portsmouth event . bbc.co.uk . 30 October 2011 . 12 October 2012.
  75. http://resultsarchive.active.com/pages/searchform.jsp?rsID=136498
  76. Web site: Les classements.
  77. Web site: Uitslagen | NN Marathon Rotterdam . 2015-04-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150414003340/http://www.nnmarathonrotterdam.nl/editie-2015/uitslagen . 2015-04-14 . dead.
  78. Web site: Chudar Welfare Foundations . www.chudar.co.in . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181107222543/http://www.chudar.co.in/ . 7 November 2018 . dead.
  79. Web site: ML_Fin2005.
  80. http://web2.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/64233.1.571603797830577163
  81. Web site: TDL Event Services. www.tdleventservices.co.uk. 6 May 2023.
  82. Web site: Bix 7 year-by-year history. January 2016 .
  83. Web site: untitled. www.arrs.run. 6 May 2023.

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