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A new study by SportsShoes online site has revealed which marathons are most in-demand worldwide having analysed global Google search data.

With almost 650,000 global annual searches made for terms like 'marathon near me' and 'how to get into a marathon', and thousands of aspiring and elite runners searching on how to enter specific races, running experts at SportsShoes analysed global Google search data, scrutinising the number of places available in over 60 global marathons, and comparing it with the number of searches they receive each year. 

The Boston Marathon takes the crown as the world’s most in-demand race, with 98 people searching for the event compared with its capacity. The marathon is known for its challenging course, including the infamous Heartbreak Hill, attracting elite runners across the globe and thousands of participants from all walks of life.

The Great Ocean Road Marathon ranks in fifth place, with an impressive 43 searches per starting place, making it Australia's hardest marathon to get into.

The 44km Great Ocean Road Marathon is now sold out for 2024 with the event being held on Sunday 19th May.

The Great Ocean Road Marathon offers runners views and stunning landscapes as they wind their way along the wild and windswept Southern Ocean. Starting in Lorne, runners race down the Great Ocean Road through Wye River, Kennett River and Skenes Creek before finishing in Apollo Bay.

Germany’s Regensburg and Monschau Marathons take second and third place, receiving 65 and 58 searches per available starting place, respectively. Both races are brimming with atmosphere: the Regensburg Marathon takes place in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while the Monschau Marathon takes place at 767metre above sea level.

Surprisingly, the UK capital’s London Marathon is not the most in-demand British marathon. Rather, it's the New Forest Marathon receiving the most searches per starting place, with 27 people vying for each spot. Both events rank in the top 20 globally, with the New Forest Marathon in eighth place and the London Marathon in 12th position.

Dan Cartner, Head of Marketing at SportsShoes noted “Whether you’re an experienced competitor or are looking to take part in your first-ever marathon, we hope our research spurs you on to apply for your next race. It’s interesting to see some smaller British marathons surpass London in the world’s most in-demand rankings, like the New Forest and Loch Ness Marathons, but this does obviously mean they can be tricky to get into.”   

Cartner added that at SportsShoes, there is a commitment to “supporting everyone on their fitness journey and with this data, we hope that we can help you choose your next challenge. Whichever marathon you get into in the future, we hope you enjoy the process to its fullest – it's a wonderful achievement.”

A full breakdown of the results of the most in demand marathons and other facts can be found at www.sportsshoes.com/advice/running-hub/health-wellbeing/running-report 

For more information on The Great Ocean Road Marathon 

Methodology
SportsShoes online site looked at annual global Google search data for the past 12 months and compared it with either the maximum capacity (number of possible runners) of a race, or the number of 2023 entrants if the maximum capacity was not publicly available. All information was sourced from the marathon organisers’ websites, where possible, or on local news outlets if not. The marathons were then ranked by dividing the number of global annual searches, by the starting places available. 

Data correct as of April 2024. 

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